by admin | Aug 22, 2018 | Hiking By Activity, Hiking By Difficulty, Hiking By Distance, Hiking National Parks, Hiking Trail Guides by State, Hiking Trails - Over 1.0 Mile, Hiking Trails Blue Ridge Parkway NC, Moderate/Strenuous Hiking Trails, North Carolina Mountain Hiking Trails, North Carolina Overlook Mountain Trails, Overlook Hiking Trails
Devil’s Courthouse Trail
Milepost 422.4
Distance: 1.0 mile out and back from the parking area.
Difficulty: Strenuous
Elevation Gain : 258 feet
Trailhead: Blue Ridge Parkway milepost 422.4, park at the Devil’s Courthouse Overlook
Elevation: 5720′
Tips:
This is a family friendly hike for children over 5. It is a very steep incline for adults.
Sneakers or hiking shoes
Definitely bring a camera or video camcorder the views are like a painting.
Park you car at the overlook. When looking up at the rock face sometimes you can see some tiny hikers at the top viewing area. Follow the paved pathway parallel with the Blue Ridge Parkway towards the tunnel and enter the woods. Get ready to climb almost straight up at a very steep incline. There is a bench in the left half way up. Then the pathway turns to a wall enclosed viewing area with spectacular mountain views. Looking to the East is the Carolina Piedmont. The view to the West is the Shining Rock Wilderness
by admin | Aug 22, 2018 | Easy/Moderate Hiking Trails, Hiking By Difficulty, Hiking By Distance, Hiking Trail Guides by State, Hiking Trails - Over 1.0 Mile, Hiking Trails - Over 2.0 Miles, Hiking Trails - Over 3.0 Miles, North Carolina Mountain Hiking Trails, North Carolina State Park Trails, State Park Hiking Trails
Elk Knob Summit Trail
Trail head: approximately 9.5 miles north of Boone. Take Hwy 194
Elk Knob State Park
5564 Meat Camp Road
Todd, NC 28684
Elk.knob@ncparks.gov
Camping reservation: 828-297-7261
After turning a right into the state park at the top of the mountain. You will follow a gravel road for a bit then park in the parking lot.
Distance: 3.8 miles out and back
GPS: 36.332586, -81.69064
Elevation Gain: 1000feet
At an elevation of 5520′ , Elk Knob is one of the ,tallest peaks in Watauga county with spectacular panoramic views of the surrounding landscape.
The trail starts off in the parking lot and the trailhead leads upwards in a zig zag fashion. At the 1 mile point you will see an opening with a great mountain view. There is also a bench here to rest your legs preparing for the next mile to the top of the mountain. When you get towards the top of the trees you are almost there. The path at the top says North and South. Get out your camera the views are amazing. Either one has spectacular panoramic views with display panels that identify the mountains views. There are also benches at the top to take in the views and rest a bit if needed.
by admin | Nov 26, 2017 | Easy Hiking Trails, Easy/Moderate Hiking Trails, Hiking By Difficulty, Hiking By Distance, Hiking National Parks, Hiking Trails - Over 1.0 Mile, Hiking Trails - Over 2.0 Miles, Hiking Trails - Over 3.0 Miles, Hiking Trails - Under 1.0 Mile, Hiking Trails Blue Ridge Parkway VA, Overlook Hiking Trails, State Park Hiking Trails, Strenuous Hiking Trails, Virginia Overlook Mountain Trails, Virginia State Park Trails, Virginia Visitor Center Trails, Visitor Center Hiking Trails
Hiking Humpback Rocks is a relatively short hike following a 2.0-mile (3.2 km) trail loop. With a roughly 45-minute hike to ascend 740 feet (230 m) to the peak, and a 20-25-minute descent, this ranks as one of the shorter hikes along the Blue Ridge, however it remains one of the most rewarding. The peak affords a spectacular 360-degree view of the surrounding terrain. To the north you can see into the southern section of Shenandoah National Park, to the east check out the patchwork of farms, to the southwest you see thick woods and mountain ridges of the George Washington National Forest.
Hikers may continue to follow the Trail for .5 miles (0.80 km), passing along the top of a cliff with views to the south and east before descending 1.2 miles (1.9 km) to a blue blaze trail. This trail leads .3 miles (0.48 km) into the Humpback Rocks Picnic Area. The distance between Humpback Gap and the Humpback Rocks Picnic Area is 3.6 miles (5.8 km). A map of the hike and of the Humpback Gap Overlook is available through the Blue Ridge Parkway website.
Continuing past Humpback Rocks itself, the summit of Humpback Mountain is only a few minutes further. The Appalachian Trail is only a short hike to the north, at milepost 6.
The Humpback Rocks Visitors Center is located at milepost 5.8, six miles south of the Rockfish Gap Interchange of I-64 and US 250. It is most easily accessed by either one of these two highways. Head south on the Blue Ridge Parkway for 5.8 miles (9.3 km) to reach the Humpback Rocks Visitors Center, or continue another 0.2 miles (0.32 km) to arrive at the Humpback Gap parking area on the left.
The Appalachian Trail can also be accessed from the Humpback Gap parking area. Southbound hikers can reach it by continuing south on the Humpback Rocks trail. Northbound hikers can reach it taking the one mile (1.6 km) blue blazed path at the northern end of the parking lot, or the one mile (1.6 km) white blazed path just off of the Howardsville Turnpike.
by admin | May 25, 2015 | Easy/Moderate Hiking Trails, Hiking By Activity, Hiking By Difficulty, Hiking By Distance, Hiking National Parks, Hiking Trail Guides by State, Hiking Trails - Over 1.0 Mile, Hiking Trails Blue Ridge Parkway NC, Local Park Hiking Trails, North Carolina Local Park Trails, North Carolina Mountain Hiking Trails, North Carolina Overlook Mountain Trails, North Carolina Visitor Center Trails, North Carolina Waterfall Trails, Overlook Hiking Trails, Visitor Center Hiking Trails, Waterfall Hiking Trails
Trail head: Blowing Rock, North Carolina
Distance: 1 mile
Duration: 25 minutes
Skill Level: Easy/Moderate Hiking Trails
Overview: This is a very family walking trail in Blowing Rock North Carolina. It is part of the Moses Cone Memorial Park Trail system. The hike is about one mile in length but is a beautiful walk around the lake during any season. This hiking trail is a great stretch your legs type of hike after you have been driving in the car all day. Pets are welcomed on this trail but must be on a leash. I would definitely recommend this hike during the fall season for a brisk walk and great picture taking.
Tips:
- Make sure you have comfortable shoes
- There is a bathroom and a water fountain at the parking lot
- Make sure your pet is on a leash
- There are no bicycles allowed on this trail system due to horseback riding
Bass Lake Loop Trail Map
Photo Gallery
*Click on thumbnails for larger viewing and slideshow
by admin | May 25, 2015 | Hiking By Activity, Hiking By Difficulty, Hiking By Distance, Hiking National Parks, Hiking Trail Guides by State, Hiking Trails - Over 1.0 Mile, Hiking Trails Blue Ridge Parkway NC, Moderate/Strenuous Hiking Trails, North Carolina Mountain Hiking Trails, North Carolina Overlook Mountain Trails, North Carolina Waterfall Trails, Overlook Hiking Trails, Waterfall Hiking Trails
Trail head: Milepost 302.8 Blue Ridge Parkway
Distance: 1 mile
Duration: 2 hrs
Skill Level: Moderate/Strenuous Hiking Trails
Overview:
Rough Ridge Overlook and Trail starts at the bottom of the Blue Ridge Parkway, just South of the Blue Ridge Parkway. This is a major section in the Tanawha Trail system which is 13.5 miles long. (See another part of the trail by clicking on the Linn Cove Viaduct Trail)
The first thing you see is a natural waterfall cascading down the rocks at the parking lot. You then ascend the rooted staircase, and cross the bridge; beyond this point there are no animals allowed.
You then continue on the trail up rock made staircases until you reach the first platform of stairs, where the views are breathtaking and its worth a stop for water and pictures. Not only can you see the parkway below and the cars traveling beneath you, but to the right is a great view of the Linn Cove Viaduct and the backside of Grandfather Mountain and McRae Peak. At this point you are only 1/3 of the way up the trail.
You continue through the very narrow trail of bushes and rocks as you climb higher and higher to you reach a ledge of rocks where you have a great show back down at the first platform. The pictures and videos from here are scenic with a 270 degree view of the mountains that reach out as far as the eye can see. Here you are about 2/3 of the way there.
Keep climbing cause the top rock gives you a 360 degree view of the entire area and a great place to stop and take in the mountain views and fresh air. I recommend bringing a picnic or something to eat cause you want to just sit and take in the scenery. I also recommend going on a nice day, if its not hazy you might even see the Charlotte skyline in the distance. What goes up must go down. The hike down is easier but you might have to wait at certain sections as people come up the same trail because the trail is not very wide.
You have now completed in my book one of the best vantage points for picture and video taking on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Enjoy the hike is worth the climb!
Tips:
- Must Have Hiking Shoes
- Bring a few Bottles of Water
- Be Patient and allow other hikers to move past you coming and going due to the trail not being wide.
- Worth packing a picnic or a lunch
- Not small kid friendly about age 5 is the minimum
- No Pets allowed past the bridge
Rough Ridge Trail Map
Photo Gallery
*Click on thumbnails for larger viewing and slideshow
by admin | May 17, 2015 | Hiking 101, Hiking By Activity, Hiking By Difficulty, Hiking By Distance, Hiking Trail Guides by State, Hiking Trails - Over 1.0 Mile, Local Park Hiking Trails, Moderate/Strenuous Hiking Trails, North Carolina Local Park Trails, North Carolina Mountain Hiking Trails, North Carolina Waterfall Trails, Waterfall Hiking Trails
Trail head: Broyhill Park Blowing Rock NC
Distance: 1.2 miles
Duration: 1 hr
Skill Level: Moderate/Strenuous Hiking Trails
Overview:
The trail head is just past the Broyhill Park in Blowing Rock North Carolina. This hikes starts down a road then crosses a stream to some stair on onto the path you go. The trail weaves past houses along a fence, down some hills and following along the creek through the rhododendrons. This half of the hike is all down hill, but remember coming back is all on the upward side. Its worth it though seeing the 3 beautiful waterfalls. There are even areas to walk out over or next to the waterfalls on the Glen Burney hiking trail. Make sure you bring your phone or camera for some photo moments.
Tips:
- Water bottle
- Hiking shoes recommended
- Would recommend this for hikers that like waterfalls
Glen Burney Trail Map
Photo Gallery
*Click on thumbnails for larger viewing and slideshow
