Noland Divide is a long, crescent-shaped ridge that separates the Deep Creek and Noland Creek watersheds on the North Carolina side of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Starting at a lofty elevation of 5,929 feet along Kuwohi Road, the 11.6-mile Noland Divide Trail follows the divide before picking up Beaugard Ridge as that ridge descends toward Deep Creek and an elevation of just 1,780 feet. As a result of the dramatic elevation difference, the path traverses several forest types and vegetation zones over its scenic course.
A long hike even with a car switch, the divide provides a fine autumn outing even if only for a couple of miles to the vicinity of Roundtop Knob. Parking at the trailhead along Kuwohi Road is limited, but the good news is that the cozy space is not heavily used. (Be sure not to block the gate at the trailhead that allows access to National Park Service vehicles as needed, and to check that your vehicle is a safe distance from the heavily traveled Kuwohi Road, open April-November.)
The trail begins in an enchanting spruce-fir ecosystem, dominated by conifers but also including a few northern hardwoods such as mountain maples. Within the first mile there’s also a state champion yellow birch just off the trail. The lofty environs offer a different world from the lower end of the divide that plays out at Fontana Lake.
Initially the path follows an old roadbed toward a former pump station that for several decades provided water to restrooms near what is now the Kuwohi parking area. After the pump station failed, those former restrooms were gutted to serve as an information center and store with no running water. The trail passes an acid rain monitoring station before departing the roadbed on a traditional footpath that narrows further in about one-half mile.
The next 1½ miles, to a point near Roundtop Knob, is a delight to hike as you continue a mostly gentle descent. It’s a quiet, fragrant walk among numerous conifers that were never logged. As the trail drops to an elevation of roughly a mile high, Fraser fir trees begin to vanish since that species thrives in the Smokies mostly above about 5,500 feet. Red spruce, however, remains fairly prevalent for a while longer.
If you decide to continue hiking past those first couple of miles, be prepared for a sharper descent as the trail dips toward Upper Sassafras Gap and an elevation approaching 4,000 feet. You also will see a noticeable change in the forest ecosystem as you leave the spruce-fir environs behind. The return trip to your vehicle will require a significant amount of climbing.
Regardless of how far you venture on Noland Divide Trail, you’re likely to experience solitude in addition to what qualifies as a temperate rain forest featuring much cooler weather than that of the lower elevations. It’s a journey worth taking anytime the trailhead along Kuwohi Road is readily accessible.
Go for a hike
- Trailhead: Kuwohi Road, 5.5 miles from Newfound Gap Road.
- Length: 4.0 miles round trip if hiking only to Roundtop Knob area.
- Difficulty: Moderate.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Ben Anderson is author of Smokies Chronicle: A Year of Hiking in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (blairpub.com).