Look at this picture above.

This is the view from the Mt. Sterling Tower. You can walk around and see views from all compass directions. So how do you get up to Mt. Sterling?

Hike with Friends of the Smokies on Tuesday, July 12 and take in the views on a Classic Hike of the Smokies to the Mt. Sterling fire tower in Great Smoky Mountains National Park . This is a beautiful and historic hike.

The hike to Mt. Sterling is a strenuous 5.4 mile roundtrip hike with a total elevation gain of 2,000 ft. Don’t let the short mileage fool you. You go up and up and up.

Sitting at an elevation of 5,842 feet in the Great Smoky Mountains, Mt. Sterling Gap and fire tower are rich in history. If you’re familiar with the story of local fiddler Henry Grooms and his companions, whose deaths were depicted in the movie Cold Mountain, you’ll  note that this Civil War execution occurred at the Gap where the trail begins.

Monthly guided day hikes in this series are $20 for members. New members may join Friends of the Smokies and hike for $35. Donations benefit Friends’ Smokies Trails Forever program which funds trail rehabilitation in GSMNP.

Visit Hike.FriendsoftheSmokies.org to register for any Classic Hike of the Smokies. These hikes fill up fast.