SCAR

SCAR (Smoky Challenge Adventure Run) is a point-to-point, ultra-endurance traverse that follows the Appalachian Trail through Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The curated hike distance in this route dataset is 112.9 km (about 107.8 km expected), mapped as a long traverse across the park’s ridgelines rather than a short out-and-back.

Typical SCAR logistics are vehicle-based: plan a shuttle or arrange drop-off at Fontana Dam and pickup at Davenport Gap, since the route is designed as a through traversal rather than a loop.

The challenge standard is to complete the traverse within 24 hours; that pacing expectation drives how teams typically operate (fast-packing rather than day-hike rhythms). For standard backpackers, it’s usually divided into a multi-day trek.

Terrain and effort for SCAR are built around continuous ascending/descending on technical ground along the AT corridor inside the park, with total elevation change on the order of 18,000–26,000 ft across the run.

Key AT-linked landmarks encountered along SCAR include Shuckstack Fire Tower, Rocky Top, Clingmans Dome (via the lookout tower access), Mount Collins, and Mount Cammerer.

Because much of SCAR runs inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park backcountry, overnight use requires an official backcountry permit; the park uses its reservation system for booking shelter spots and campsites in advance.

More information: Visitor information, Wikipedia, S.C.A.R. Fastest Known Time: Lea Mulligan - La Sportiva