Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Sandy Gap–Lead Cove Trail, 5 sights
12.7 mi · ▲ 2,684 ft · 5 hr 35 min
Sandy Gap–Lead Cove Trail, 5 sights is a 12.7-mile out-and-back in Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Red Bank, TN. The route passes Dosey Gap before reaching Sandy Gap at the turnaround, 6.4 miles in. It climbs 2,684 ft, with sections as steep as 18% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 90/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Sandy Gap–Lead Cove Trail, 5 sights
12.7 mi · ▲ 2,684 ft · 5 hr 35 min
Elevation 1,578–3,020 ft
Out & Back · Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Trailhead: Schoolhouse Gap Trailhead · 35.62718, -83.72660
Weather Sep 4: Mostly clear, high 93°F / low 76° · precip 6% · wind 1 mph · sunrise 7:10 AM · sunset 8:00 PM
Horses allowed on the whole route · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Schoolhouse Gap Trail, heading NE.
- 1.1 miTurn left onto Turkeypen Ridge Trail, heading SW.
- 50 ftPass Dosey Gap.
- 3.6 miTurn right onto Lead Cove Trail, heading S.
- 1.7 miReach Sandy Gap, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 1.7 miTurn left onto Turkeypen Ridge Trail, heading W.
- 3.6 miTurn right onto Schoolhouse Gap Trail, heading E.
- 1.1 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
Weather
Good to know
- Horses allowed on the whole route
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Schoolhouse Gap Trailhead Trailhead
- Bote Mountain Trail & Finley Cane Trail 3 mi · ▲ 415 ft
- Schoolhouse Gap Trail & Dosey Gap 4.1 mi · ▲ 480 ft
- Anthony Creek Trail–Crib Gap Trail, 5 sights 12.4 mi · ▲ 2,119 ft
- Chestnut Top Trail–Schoolhouse Gap Trail, 3 sights 12.5 mi · ▲ 2,168 ft
- Finley Cane Trail–Schoolhouse Gap Trail, 4 sights 14.2 mi · ▲ 1,927 ft
- Double Mountain–Indian Grave Gap Trail, 5 sights 15 mi · ▲ 2,882 ft
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