Mount Kephart
Description
WikipediaMount Kephart is a mountain in the central Great Smoky Mountains, located in the Southeastern United States. The Appalachian Trail crosses the mountain's south slope, making it a destination for thru-hikers. The Jumpoff, a 1,000-foot (300 m) cliff on the northeast side of the mountain, has views of the central and eastern Smokies. A stand of Southern Appalachian spruce-fir forest coats the mountain's upper elevations. With an elevation of 6,217 ft, Mount Kephart is the 7th-highest mountain in Tennessee. Its topographic prominence is drastically reduced, however, by its close proximity to two higher neighbors, Kuwohi and Mount Le Conte. Like much of the Smokies crests, Mount Kephart lies on the Tennessee-North Carolina border, in Sevier County, Tennessee and Swain County, North Carolina. The mountain rises nearly 4,000 feet (1,200 m) above its northern base at Porters Flat, and approximately 3,400 feet (1,000 m) above its southern base along the Oconaluftee River headwaters. Newfound Gap, at just over 5,000 feet (1,500 m), divides Mount Kephart from Fork Ridge (Mt. Collins) to the west. The gap is traversed by U.S. Highway 441, the only paved road crossing the Great Smoky Mountains National Park from north to south.
Best months
Hiking score 0–100 · 10-yr climate averagesNeighbouring summits
| Name | Elevation | Bearing | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Ambler | 1,865 m | SW 204° | 0.7 km |
| Masa Knob | 1,734 m | E 69° | 1.1 km |
| Charlies Bunyon | 1,685 m | NE 58° | 1.4 km |
| Horseshoe Mountain | 1,608 m | N 7° | 1.6 km |
| Anakeesta Knob | 1,827 m | W 279° | 2.2 km |
| The Sawteeth | 1,662 m | NE 61° | 2.8 km |