Welch Ridge Trail,
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Elevation
The Welch Ridge Trail has a maximum elevation of 5,479 ft., a minimum elevation of 4,488 ft. and an elevation range of 991 ft.
Metrics
| [ A to B ] or [ B to A ] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Length 2 | Min Ele 3 | Max Ele 4 | Range 5 |
| 6.8 mi | 4,488 ft | 5,479 ft | 991 ft |
| [ A to B ] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Time 6 | Floors 7 | Gain 8 | Loss 9 |
| 3.2 hrs | 44.0 | 528 ft | 978 ft |
| [ B to A ] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Floors | Gain | Loss |
| 3.4 hrs | 81.5 | 978 ft | 528 ft |
Calories
The following chart shows the total calories that you may expend on the trail while hiking in both directions. The chart is based on data derived from a statistical model of energy expenditure that relates gross weight, typical speed and trail topography.
Topo Maps
Download the PDF Welch Ridge Trail topo map and the adjoining quads to plan your hike. These are full-sheet, 7.5 Minute (1:24,000 scale) topographic maps.
Adjoining 7.5' Quadrangle Legend
- Northwest Topo Map: Wear Cove, TN
- North Topo Map: Gatlinburg, TN
- Northeast Topo Map: Mount Le Conte, TN
- West Topo Map: Thunderhead Mountain, NC
- Topo Map: Silers Bald, NC
- East Topo Map: Clingmans Dome, NC
- Southwest Topo Map: Tuskeegee, NC
- South Topo Map: Noland Creek, NC
- Southeast Topo Map: Bryson City, NC
FAQ
What is the length of the Welch Ridge Trail?
The length of the trail is 6.8 miles (10.9 km) or 15,083 steps.
How long does it take to hike the Welch Ridge Trail?
A person in good physical health can hike the trail in 3.2 hours in one direction and in 3.4 hours in the opposite direction.
Warnings
Prevent tick bites: Treat clothing and gear, such as boots, pants, socks and tents with products containing 0.5% permethrin.
(cdc.gov)
- The American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis) may be present in this area. The American dog tick transmits Tularemia and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
- The Blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis) may be present in this area. The Blacklegged tick transmits orrelia burgdorferi and B. mayonii (which cause Lyme Disease), Anaplasmosis, Borrelia Miyamotoi Disease, Ehrlichiosis, Babesiosis, and Powassan Virus Disease.
- The Brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) may be present in this area. The Brown dog tick transmits Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
- The Gulf Coast tick (Amblyomma maculatum) may be present in this area. The Gulf Coast tick transmits Rickettsia parkeri Rickettsiosis, a form of spotted fever.
- The Lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum) may be present in this area. The Lone star tick transmits Ehrlichia chaffeensis and Ehrlichia ewingii, (which cause human Ehrlichiosis), Heartland Virus, Tularemia, and STARI.
Footnotes
- Steps is a unit of distance equal to the sum of stride lengths that vary with the terrain.
- Length is the distance of the trail between the two trailheads, measured on the trail.
- Min Ele is the minimum elevation on the trail.
- Max Ele is the maximum elevation on the trail.
- Range is the difference between maximum and minimum elevation.
- Time is the typical total time required to hike the trail.
- Floors is the gain divided by twelve feet, the height of one floor.
- Gain (cumulative elevation gain) is the sum of every gain in elevation.
- Loss (cumulative elevation loss) is the sum of every loss in elevation.