Benton MacKaye Trail Hiking Guide

Official app of the Benton MacKaye Trail Association. The Benton MacKaye Trail (BMT), named for the man who originally proposed the idea for the Appalachian Trail, is an approximately 290-mile trail in Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. It shares the southern terminus of the AT, crosses it several times, and ends in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, near the Appalachian Trail, making it a possible alternate route or loop with the AT.

The BMT is far less popular than the southern section of the AT, and far less developed, so those attempting to hike it should be ready for a wilder, more difficult experience. Along the way, you'll visit deep wildernesses in the Chattahoochee-Oconee and Cherokee National Forests, high ridge lines and low river valleys, and some of the more remote corners of the Smoky Mountains.

We do not have a town/resupply guide for the BMT, so we highly recommend you purchase one of the guidebooks for the trail before planning your trip. See the Info tab for more on the Benton MacKaye Trail Association and guidebook options.