Benton MacKaye Trail
An approximately 288-mile footpath through the southern Appalachians from Springer Mountain, Georgia, to Big Creek in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, traversing seven wilderness areas. Named...
OpenStreetMap (curated relation)
- Length
- 279.6 mi
- Elev. gain
- 14,377 ft
- States
- 3
About the route
An approximately 288-mile footpath through the southern Appalachians from Springer Mountain, Georgia, to Big Creek in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, traversing seven wilderness areas. Named for Benton MacKaye - originator of the Appalachian Trail - the BMT follows the westerly Blue Ridge route he originally envisioned.
Permits
Great Smoky Mountains NP backcountry permit required for the GSMNP section.
- Permit information and applications (opens in new tab)
- Benton MacKaye Trail Association (opens in new tab)
Outdoors is not the permitting authority. Confirm current application windows and requirements with the issuing agency.
Termini
Terminus A
Springer Mountain, GA
34.6353, -84.1742
Terminus B
Big Creek, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, NC
Coordinates not yet verified
Verified waypoints
179 totalCategories hidden on the map fold here too.
Route markers1 waypoints
Water & camping178 waypoints
Official sources
- Benton MacKaye Trail Association (opens in new tab)
- Wikipedia article (opens in new tab)
- OpenStreetMap relation #1675439 (opens in new tab)
Last verified by us: 2026-05-20
Outdoors is not the permitting authority. Reconfirm alerts, permits, and closures with the agency before you go.