Hiking the French Broad Station of the Appalachian Ranger District
This section of the Pisgah National Forest is centered around the town of Hot Springs, and as its name suggests, it encompasses areas along the French Broad River just before it flows across the Tennessee state line. The Appalachian Trail runs through this area and forms a link between all the different trailheads within this district. It represents some of the best hiking to be found in this area.
Formerly a Ranger District all of its own, this section was merged with the Toecane station to form the Appalachian Ranger District, but it's still large enough to be further subdivided into Trailheads as described below
Lands supervised by the French Broad Ranger Station:
The Harmon Den/Hurricane Creek areas lie between I-40 along the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the summit of Max Patch Mountain, containing trails which can be linked together to form several nice loops. Max Patch Mountain provides spectacular 360 degree views. From the town of Hot Springs further north, two recreation areas, Murray Branch and Rocky Bluff, are easily accessible, and each contains a 1-mile nature trail. Several trails even depart from downtown Hot Springs itself, and the Appalachian Trail runs right through town. Some other trails are scattered nearby, including the trail on Big Laurel Creek. Finally, the Shelton Laurel Backcountry Area is located in a curve of Madison County that extends north into Tennessee. The AT runs along the border of this area to the north, and several remote, little-used but beautiful trails connect to it, forming the possibility for some day and overnight loop hikes.
Choose an available Trailhead for specific trail information!
