Benton Mackaye Trail in Tennessee

The Benton MacKaye Trail, named after the Massachusetts forester and regional planner who originally envisioned the continuous trail along the crest of the Appalachian Mountain chain (A.K.A. The Appalachian National Scenic Trail), is a primitive, backcountry hiking trail stretching more than 280 miles, starting in Georgia and ending in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It connects with the Pinhotti Trail and Appalachian Trail, forming loops ideal for day hikes and journeys fit for long distance backpacking. The trail leaves the Georgia state line in the Cohutta Wilderness and enters Tennessee in the Big Frog Wilderness in the Cherokee National Forest. From there, the trail makes it's way north straddling the Tennessee/North Carolina border.