Hidden In North Carolina's Great Smoky Mountains Is An Overlooked Peak Brimming With Hikes And Seclusion

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park spreads across the state line between Tennessee and North Carolina to offer its 13-million-plus annual visitors access to some of the most enticing outdoor landscapes in America. Come to hike to the serene wilderness of the Mingo Falls, conquer sections of the world-famous Appalachian Trail, or sleep amid the pines and peaks in LeConte Lodge, Eastern America's highest lodge. But, despite the popularity, there are still some secret peaks to bag. Just check out Mount Buckley, an overlooked peak with a lot to offer.

Set just along the ridgeline from the region's tallest mountain, Kuwohi (which also goes by the name Clingmans Dome), Buckley is a sub-summit that soars to 6,574 feet above sea level. That's a mere 70 feet shy of Kuwohi itself, though it doesn't get anything near the 650,000 hikers that head to the roof of the Smokies each year. In fact, Mount Buckley is considered a great way to dodge the crowds and get a feel for the wilder side of Appalachia.

Ready to get on the trail? The nearest airport is the McGhee Tyson Airport in Knoxville, TN. It should take about 2 hours on a scenic road that winds through the Smokies to reach the trailhead, going past meadows, sweeps of spruces, and overlooks aplenty. If you're on the North Carolina side of the border, the trip in from Asheville should take about 1.75 hours, with a final section on the legendary Blue Ridge Parkway, one of America's favorite drives.

A trio of different trails offer a route to the summit of Mount Buckley. They all conveniently meet at the same lot used for the ascent up Kuwohi. Try to get there nice and early or hop on a shuttle bus — there's limited parking and it fills up fast in peak hiking months. You can go either clockwise or counter-clockwise on the loop. Clockwise means conquering Kuwohi itself on a paved trail that's often busy, and then pushing across the ridge to Mount Buckley.

Whichever way you go, the middle section of the hike crosses a part of the hallowed Appalachian Trail. That's one of the most iconic long-distance routes in America. Don't worry, though, you only need to cover a miniature section of its 2,190-mile length, following a ridgeline clad in evergreens and cut up by big slabs of rock.

The summit of Buckley itself is crowned with trees, but spectacular views without the crowds are on offer on the way there. As one past hiker put it on AllTrails, "Great hike with amazing 360 views at the dome. There's a ledge with a view near the summit of Mount Buckley... The bypass trail provides a nice alternate route if you've already done the regular hike to the summit."

Budding adventurers are by no means limited to the route up and around Mount Buckley. There are plenty of extensions and alternate hikes in the vicinity to keep you busy. For one, you could push on past Kuwohi to Mount Love a little further east. It offers more time on the Appalachian Trail and is not unlike Mount Buckley itself, offering a tree-crusted ridge with views of the northern Smokies.

Then there's the even-longer path that goes all the way to Silers Bald. It's nearly 10 miles in all and considered one of the more challenging routes in the Smokies, as it peaks and troughs along the Appalachian Trail to give sweeping views of the Tennessee mountains. Don't worry: You'll bag Mount Buckley along the way.

Those who prefer four wheels to two boots can cruise the scenic byway up to Newfound Gap. It's actually on the way to the trailhead for Mount Buckley, winding around the Great Smokies for 31 miles of pure drama. As the route links Tennessee with North Carolina, it whisks you thousands of feet up to places like the Campbell Overlook, where it's possible to appreciate the layer cake of forests that cover the region. It's especially amazing in autumn, of course!