Forget Great Smoky Mountains National Park, This Uncrowded Forest Offers Stunning Hiking

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of America's favorite wildernesses. With its ancient mountains, deep forests, and unique, naturally-occurring gray-blue mist that hangs over the peaks, ridges, and valleys of this stunning landscape, it is easy to see why it is one of the most popular places in the U.S. to hike. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is home to more than 800 miles of hiking trails, including 72 miles of the iconic Appalachian Trail. It offers great walking conditions year-round, from the views through bare trees in winter and the wildflowers of spring to the dense greenery of summer and the vibrant colors of fall.

But while the Appalachian Trail itself is rarely what most people would call crowded, Great Smoky Mountains National Park does get a significant number of visitors, and it can be a bit much for hikers who prefer peace, serenity, and seclusion. Luckily, there is an alternative just a short drive away, in the shape of Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, part of the Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness, in North Carolina. This 3,800-acre area of gorgeous old-growth forest is an uncrowded paradise for hikers who enjoy their solitude, with stunning trails that wind their way beneath the shade of 400-year-old sycamore, oak, and poplar trees.

Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest is about an hour and a half west of the southern entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The nearest cities are Chattanooga, Tennessee (about a three-hour drive west) and Knoxville, Tennessee (about two hours' drive north). The nearest airports are McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) in Knoxville, roughly an hour and a half by car, and Asheville Regional Airport (AVL) in Asheville, around two hours by car.

Just like in the Smokies, there are plenty of options for every level of hiker in Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest. For beginners, or anyone wanting to start off on easy mode, the best option is the Joyce Kilmer Lower Loop Trail. This gentle 2-mile loop is a fantastic introduction to the region, filled with pristine forest scenery, old-growth trees, and a babbling brook.

After the Lower Loop, things in the Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness get a lot gnarlier very quickly. The Big Fat Branch and Slickrock Creek Trail is a point-to-point, 8.9-mile trek that takes in part of the Big Fat Gap trail as well as several stunning waterfalls. It includes a section of the Slickrock Creek Trail, which is another challenge entirely. Considered one of the hardest trails in the U.S., it is a nearly 13-mile unmarked and overgrown point-to-point hike with over 4,500 feet of elevation gain, and includes beautiful, wild scenery and great lake views.

Other serious challenges in and around Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest include the Bob Stratton Bald and Hangover trail. The Hangover is a rocky outcrop of Haoe Mountain, just below the 5,249-foot summit. Reachable by a difficult 5.9-mile out-and-back trail, there's a primitive campsite for the most adventurous hikers. Bob Stratton Bald is a grassy bald offering rugged ridges and expansive views of the Unicoi Mountains from the summit, and can be reached by a strenuous 7.8-mile trail.

Despite the challenging nature of the trails in the Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness, it is not just a destination for hardened backcountry explorers and serious hikers. Visitors can get a delightful taste of this stunning forest without having to hike at all, with picnic tables on the banks of the Little Santeetlah Creek just a few steps from the parking area.

There are also some spectacular driving routes in the area, making Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest an ideal part of a family road trip. The Cherohala Skyway runs along the crest of the Unicoi Mountains from Robbinsville, North Carolina, to Tellico Plains, Tennessee, a Blue Ridge parkway dupe that offers magnificent views over the forested landscape, as well as long, sweeping corners that will delight keen motorists. Another excellent route nearby is the famous Tail of the Dragon, an 11-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 129 that boasts a staggering 318 curves and is a popular route for motorcyclists.

The Wilderness is also a fabulous destination for keen paddlers, with loads of kayaking and canoeing opportunities. Santeetlah Lake is a particular highlight. Its unspoiled shorelines and stunning mountain scenery make it a treat for the eyes, and visitors can hire pontoon boats, kayaks, and even ski boats at Santeetlah Marina. The lake is also a haven for anglers, with regular catches including bass, walleye, bluegill, crappie, bream, and lake trout.