I’ve hiked Looking Glass Rock many times. It’s the hike I take people on when they’re in the area and want to see a spectacle. I mostly do it for exercise. The climb up and back down demands 3400 feet … Continued
There are lots of ways to get to Shining Rock. The 4.3-mile Ivestor Gap Trail is probably the easiest way in terms of difficulty. The Art Loeb Trail is probably the most rewarding in terms of beauty. The 4-mile Shining … Continued
Mt Mitchell is the highest summit east of the Mississippi River. The area offers the standard features of a state park (stores, restrooms, picnic tables, campsites, restaurant, etc). Like Clingman’s Dome, the vast majority of visitors drive to a parking … Continued
I stumbled upon Turnpike Creek Beach while hiking a patchwork loop through the Shining Rock Wilderness. I camped near the Ivestor Gap/Art Loeb Trail intersection. After breaking camp the next morning, I took the Fork Mountain Trail north to this … Continued
Crabtree Meadow is a campground and hiking area in Pisgah National Forest off the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina. It’s about 16 miles north of Mt Mitchell, the highest point east of the Mississippi River. The map point below … Continued
The Graybeard Trail is a 9-mile out-and-back trail in the Montreat area of Black Mountain, North Carolina. It is well blazed with blue, plastic diamonds. The ample signage and maintenance are some of the best I’ve seen since visiting Pearson’s … Continued
The Dismal Creek area is tucked away in western North Carolina, not too far from Panthertown Valley. The trail—and I use that term loosely—features 4 waterfalls. If I had to guess, I’d say it’s a little under 2½ miles from … Continued
I’ve hiked just about all of Panthertown Valley in both directions. It’s a beautiful area that mostly features easy to moderate hiking. There are a few strenuous sections of trail, but they’re avoided with this loop except for the short … Continued
Lover’s Leap is a 1½ mile out-and-back trail featuring 3 rocky overlooks near Hot Springs, North Carolina. It’s a very short section of the Appalachian Trail (AT) and you can make the hike a loop by taking the Silvermine trail … Continued
I first hiked the 30.1 mile Art Loeb Trail in the fall of 2016. A drought made the hike more challenging than it probably should have been. I did it SOBO over 3 days. My first afternoon featured 4 miles … Continued