Albright Grove Loop
A 6.7-mile out-and-back on the Maddron Bald Trail to a short loop through one of the finest stands of old-growth cove hardwood forest in the Smokies.
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- Length
- 6.7 mi
- Elevation gain
- 1,450 ft
- Difficulty
- moderate
- Route
- out-and-back
Trail conditions
No recent condition reports. Hiked it lately?
Report current conditions →Elevation
2.7 mi · 1,189 ft of climbing · high 3,046 ft · low 1,867 ft
Find the trailhead
Parking
Maddron Bald trailhead off Baxter Road near Cosby; a park parking tag is required. The loop tread is rooty and narrow. Pets are not allowed on park trails.
Directions to parkingWeather at the trailhead
73°FOvercast now
Sunrise 6:16 AM · Sunset 8:51 PM
- TodayOvercast75° / 60°F7% precip
- WedClear84° / 65°F2% precip
- ThuThunderstorm84° / 66°F61% precip
Forecast from Open-Meteo. Mountain conditions change fast; check again before you go.
From the Maddron Bald trailhead near Cosby, the trail follows an old roadbed and climbs steadily about 1,450 feet over 2.9 miles to the marked Albright Grove Loop. The short loop threads through giant tuliptrees, hemlocks, silverbells, and Fraser magnolias that escaped the logging era, including some of the tallest trees in the East. The grove is the clear highlight; the trail can be muddy.