King Meadows Trail #63

The King Meadows Trail generally follows the northern edge of the Snowbird Backcountry Area. It can be accessed from the Hooper Bald Trailhead at Milepost 8 on the Cherohala Skyway, following the Hooper Bald Trail just a few feet to the junction, or from the Snowbird community area by following Snowbird Road, #1115 off Route 143, then taking Big Snowbird Road #1120 to the end at a trailhead called the “Junction”.

From Hooper Bald, the trail descends through heavy growth, meandering around knobs and valleys until reaching King Meadows, a relatively flat area. This area is partly on private lands, and all-terrain vehicle usage is common here. From King Meadows, the trail descends to Deep Gap, taking an often-missed sharp turn to the southwest, then follows Firescald Ridge to a final steep descent to a bridge over Owlcamp Branch, then a short walk to the “Junction” Trailhead.

Trail Length: 7.6 Miles

Difficulty: Very Strenuous

Usage: Light

Average Hiking Times: 8 – 10 Hours