About Sweat Heifer Creek Trail
Sweat Heifer Creek Trail has one of the best names in the park, and it earns it. It climbs about 3.6 miles and 2,100 feet to the Appalachian Trail, and you reach it only after hiking about 2 miles up the Kephart Prong Trail from Newfound Gap Road.
The hike
Kephart Prong Trail passes a CCC camp and shelter before the Sweat Heifer Creek junction. From there the trail climbs through hardwood forest into spruce-fir, steepening near the top. It meets the AT near the Newfound Gap Road ridge. The round trip from the road is about 11 miles, so it is a long day.
When to go
Spring and fall are best. Winter can be icy near the top.
Getting there
The Kephart Prong trailhead is on US-441 about 8 miles north of the Oconaluftee Visitor Center, with limited parking. Entry to the park is free, but a parking tag is required if you park more than 15 minutes: $5 a day, $15 a week or $40 a year. America the Beautiful and other federal passes do not count, and the tag has to be displayed in the vehicle.
Know before you go
Pets are not allowed. Carry water and layers. Overnight trips need a backcountry permit.
Pair it with
Other hikes in the same part of the park:
- Oconaluftee River Trail: an easy riverside walk that allows dogs
- Kephart Prong Trail: a 4-mile round trip to a CCC camp
- Chasteen Creek Cascade: a 3.6-mile round trip
Planning and safety
Plan on a long day and pack accordingly: more water than seems reasonable, real food, a warm layer, a rain shell and a headlamp. Start at first light if you can, and turn around if the weather or your energy changes.
Cell service is spotty across much of the park, so download a map ahead of time and tell someone where you are headed. Stay on the trail, keep dogs and other pets on the few trails where they are allowed, and give wildlife plenty of room. Trail conditions are posted on the park's closures page.
Good to know
- How long is Sweat Heifer Creek Trail?
- Sweat Heifer Creek Trail is 3.6 miles one way, with about 2,100 feet of climbing. It is rated strenuous.
- Are dogs allowed on this trail?
- No. Inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park, dogs are allowed only on the Gatlinburg Trail and the Oconaluftee River Trail.
- Do I need a parking tag to hike here?
- A Park It Forward parking tag ($5 a day, $15 a week or $40 a year) is required for any vehicle parked more than 15 minutes inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Entry is free, and federal passes such as America the Beautiful do not replace the tag.
