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1964 Map of Silers Bald

Name: 1964 Topographic Map of Silers Bald
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1966
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1966

About this map

Great Smoky Mountains National Park dominates this mid-1960s survey, straddling the high divide between Swain County, North Carolina, and Sevier County, Tennessee. The Appalachian Trail follows the jagged crest of the ridge, passing through significant high-altitude landmarks like Silers Bald, The Narrows, and Double Spring Gap. This era of the park's management is visible through the placement of various shelters and remote stations such as Monteith Camp and the Cascades Campsite.

The landscape is defined by deep drainages like Hazel Creek and Forney Creek, which descend sharply from the peaks. Notable family names are preserved in the geography at Ben Parton Lookout and Mellinger Death Ridge, reflecting the human history of these highlands before they were incorporated into the park. The intricate network of peaks, from Blanket Mtn to Hemlock Knob, showcases the complex topography of the southern Appalachian backcountry.