About
Length6.7 mi
ShapeLollipop
DifficultyHard
Elevation gain1,500 ft up
Typical time4 hr
TrailheadMaddron Bald trailhead, Highway 321
SurfaceOld roadbed then narrow forest loop
Best seasonApril to June for wildflowers, mid-October for fall colour. High elevations are cold and icy from November to March.
DogsNot allowed
What you'll see 🌲 Old growth

Overview Admire some of the park's tallest and oldest trees in Albright Grove, one of the finest old-growth forests in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. You will find tulip poplars, Fraser magnolias, and more old-growth trees with wide, buttressing bases so large that you might feel as if you are in the tropics. The grove is named for Horace Albright, the second director of the National Park Service and an advocate for the creation of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. How to Get There From Gatlinburg, head east on 321 for about 16 miles. Turn right onto Baxter Road and continue for about a half mile until you see the sign for the Maddron Bald Trailhead. Hike 6.5 miles (10.5 km) roundtrip-hike 2.9 miles (4.7 km) one-way on the Maddron Bald Trail to the Albright Grove Loop Trail. The grove loop is 0.7 miles (1.1 km) and connects back to the Maddron Bald Trail. Limited parking is available. Similar Points of Interest Ramsey Cascades Cove Hardwood Nature Trail Accessibility The trail leading to Albright Grove is steep, rough, and narrow at times and involves hiking just under 7 miles.

Tips
Tulip poplars here are over 20 feet in circumference and 150 feet tall. The walk in is unremarkable; the last loop mile is extraordinary. Passes the 1920s Baxter Cabin.
Location

Maddron Bald trailhead, Highway 321

Other Hikers
No one has logged this trail yet.
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