All the Best Hikes in Western North Carolina
This page includes all the Best Hikes on this site, in alphabetical order.
Each hike has its own printable guide page with all the information and links, including (where available):
- directions to the starting point
- length
- difficulty
- elevation change
- an interactive topo map
- photos from along the way
- a detailed description and trail directions, and
- a place to leave comments about your experiences
The List
Graveyard Fields
- A unique loop trail winds through this high-elevation, flat valley. Two spurs lead to some of the most photographed and …
- 3.2 mi, Hilly
- Tread Condition: Some Obstacles
Mount Pisgah
- A classic Blue Ridge Parkway hike, this trail continues onto National Forest land to climb to the summit of one …
- 3 mi, Climbs Moderately
- Tread Condition: Moderately Rough
Moore Cove Falls
- This showery plunging waterfall is located in one of the most popular areas of the Pisgah National Forest, near the …
- 1.4 mi, Climbs Gently
- Tread Condition: Few Obstacles
Skyline-Cliff Trail
- **Note:** This hike is currently closed, and according to the recently released Master Plan for Chimney Rock Park, it will …
- 1.5 mi, Climbs Moderately
- Tread Condition: Some Obstacles
Looking Glass Rock
- This hike takes you to the top of a Pisgah National Forest icon: the huge granitic pluton known as Looking …
- 6.4 mi, Climbs Steeply
- Tread Condition: Moderately Rough
Craggy Pinnacle
- This popular trail climbs a short distance from a Blue Ridge Parkway overlook to a high, rocky peak with commanding …
- 1.4 mi, Climbs Moderately
- Tread Condition: Some Obstacles
Cove Creek and Caney Bottom
- Beautiful Pisgah scenery abounds on this classic loop hike, which travels past several nice waterfalls, through some flats above the …
- 4.2 mi, Climbs Moderately
- Tread Condition: Moderately Rough
Dupont Waterfalls and Lakes Tour
- On this hike, you'll visit up to 5 of the 6 major waterfalls and 3 of the beautiful lakes in …
- 0.75 - 10.0 mi, Climbs Moderately
- Tread Condition: Some Obstacles
Hickory Nut Falls
- This moderate hike takes you out-and-back through a vibrant forest to the base of Hickory Nut Falls. This is a …
- 1.5 mi, Climbs Gently
- Tread Condition: Some Obstacles
Skinny Dip Falls
- This moderate, short hike takes you to an appealing waterfall and swimming hole on the Yellowstone Prong of the Big …
- 0.8 mi, Climbs Moderately
- Tread Condition: Moderately Rough
Stone Mountain Loop
- Passing three of the most sought-out points in the park - the summit of Stone Mountain, the Hutchinson Homestead, and …
- 4.5 mi, Hilly
- Tread Condition: Moderately Rough
Mount Mitchell
- Starting at the Black Mountain Campground on the Toe River, this hike gains 3600 ft in elevation over 5 1/2 …
- 11.4 mi, Climbs Steeply
- Tread Condition: Moderately Rough
Great Woodland Adventure
- Winding through the woods below Chimney Rock is the Great Woodland Adventure trail, a Kids In Parks TRACK Trail which …
- 0.6 mi, Climbs Gently
- Tread Condition: Graveled
Pink Beds Loop
- This relatively flat loop hike - which features a shortcut option - is all about water. You'll see rare mountain …
- 5.1 mi, Few Hills
- Tread Condition: Some Obstacles
Ridgewalk
- Following the mostly level upper portion of the Bennet Gap trail, this is an easy hike along a ridge to …
- 1.4 mi, Few Hills
- Tread Condition: Some Obstacles
Snowball
- Not to be confused with Hawksbill Mountain in the Linville Gorge, Hawkbill Rock is an outcrop along the ridge between …
- 2.75 mi, Hilly
- Tread Condition: Moderately Rough
Rainbow Falls
- Rainbow Falls is one of the biggest and most scenic falls in the region. An excellent 3-mile round trip hike …
- 3.0 - 4.0 mi, Hilly
- Tread Condition: Moderately Rough
Twin Falls
- A pleasant hike to a pair of waterfalls in the Avery Creek section of the Pisgah Ranger District.
- None mi, None
- Tread Condition: None
Pilot Cove Loop
- A beautiful view awaits at the top of this classic Pisgah hike.
- None mi, None
- Tread Condition: None
Whiteside Mountain
- This excellent loop, designated a National Recreation Trail, climbs to the top of Whiteside Mountain, with its spectacular 700 ft …
- 2.5 mi, Hilly
- Tread Condition: Moderately Rough
Craggy Gardens
- This self-guiding nature trail passes through a high-elevation Northern Hardwood forest to a Heath Bald, and finally into a Grassy …
- 1.4 mi, Climbs Moderately
- Tread Condition: Some Obstacles
Graybeard Mountain
- A fantastic, classic summit hike starts in the shadows of a deep valley and culminates atop one of Western North …
- 8.8 - 9.1 mi, Climbs Steeply
- Tread Condition: Moderately Rough
Sam Knob
- At the top of an imposing mountain peak located at the edge of the Shining Rock Wilderness, spectacular views await! …
- 2.2 mi, Climbs Moderately
- Tread Condition: Moderately Rough
Summit and Rhododendron Trail Loop
- This mountaintop self-guiding nature trail, which is also a Kids In Parks TRACK trail, is a gem in North Carolina's …
- 1.5 mi, Few Hills
- Tread Condition: Some Obstacles
Panthertown Valley Tour
- This is a large loop with a wide variety of main attractions. The trails will take you past lazy, meandering …
- 8.8 - 10.0 mi, Hilly
- Tread Condition: Moderately Rough
Shortoff Mountain
- Climbing one of the most prominent peaks on the rim of the Linville Gorge, this hike takes you to the …
- 5.1 mi, Climbs Moderately
- Tread Condition: Moderately Rough
Firescald Knob
- Comprising one of the easier destination hikes in North Carolina's Shelton Laurel area of Pisgah National Forest (and winding into …
- 4.5 mi, Hilly
- Tread Condition: Moderately Rough
Linville Falls - Plunge Basin
- A short but rugged trail takes you to the base of this impressive falls; the roughness is mitigated somewhat since …
- 1.4 - 1.8 mi, Climbs Steeply
- Tread Condition: Moderately Rough
Linville Falls - Erwin's View
- Linville Falls has two main trails: Erwin's view and Plunge Basin. Erwin's view is the easier of the two, and …
- 1.5 mi, Few Hills
- Tread Condition: Some Obstacles
Green Knob
- This hike takes you along the Mountains to Sea Trail in a remote section of the Pisgah National Forest. The …
- 9 mi, Hilly
- Tread Condition: Some Obstacles
Table Rock
- This trail climbs steeply to the top of a knife ridge, which from afar looks flat, giving the mountain its …
- 2.0 mi, Climbs Moderately
- Tread Condition: Moderately Rough
Douglas Falls (Lower Approach)
- This spectacular, 70 ft. falls is located in an old-growth forest. The lower approach to the falls is a walk …
- 1 mi, Climbs Gently
- Tread Condition: Moderately Rough
John Rock Loop
- This hike takes you past a small but attractive waterfall, up to the top of John Rock, which is the …
- 5 mi, Climbs Steeply
- Tread Condition: Moderately Rough
Devil's Courthouse
- This hike takes you to the summit of Devil's Courthouse, a high-elevation rocky summit with a fantastic cliff-top overlook. But …
- 4.3 mi, Climbs Moderately
- Tread Condition: Moderately Rough
Chimney Rock Tour
- The short description of this hike could simply be "Hike all of Chimney Rock's trails!" Though Chimney Rock may resemble …
- 4.5 mi, Climbs Steeply
- Tread Condition: Some Obstacles
Flat Laurel Creek
- This loop takes you around the headwaters basin of Flat Laurel Creek, which starts in a unique, high-elevation valley surrounded …
- 2.5 mi, Climbs Gently
- Tread Condition: Moderately Rough
Rattlesnake Lodge
- This pleasant hike takes you to the ruins of a historic private lodge along a section of the Mountains to …
- 2.8 mi, Climbs Moderately
- Tread Condition: Some Obstacles
Potato Knob Fields
- A well-known area landmark, Potato Knob is a rocky, prominent peak visible from the Blue Ridge Parkway, many points in …
- 2 mi, Climbs Moderately
- Tread Condition: Moderately Rough
Crabtree Falls
- This popular, short loop descends on a moderate path to a majestic 70 ft waterfall, which is widely touted as …
- 3 mi, Hilly
- Tread Condition: Some Obstacles
Old Mitchell
- Don't be like the rest of the tourists and drive to the top: take a real hike to the summit …
- 4 mi, Hilly
- Tread Condition: Moderately Rough
Toms Creek Falls
- This easy hike is excellent for families and children, with a reward at the end that everyone will look forward …
- 0.8 mi, Climbs Gently
- Tread Condition: Graveled
Harper Creek Falls
- A wilderness experience awaits along Harper Creek. This is not your typical, easy hike to Harper Creek Falls. However, this …
- 8.5 mi, Hilly
- Tread Condition: Very Rough
Licklog
- This is an easy, scenic hike with a silly name making it kid-friendly! It consists of a pleasant walk along …
- 1.8 mi, Climbs Gently
- Tread Condition: Few Obstacles
Glen Falls
- This trail takes the hiker through a pleasant forest of hardwoods and pines to one of the spectacular waterfalls of …
- 1.1 mi, Climbs Steeply
- Tread Condition: Moderately Rough
Grandfather's Profile
- Ascending Grandfather Mountain's Profile Trail, this hike takes you past some of the features that inspired its name. You'll ascend …
- 7.6 mi, Climbs Steeply
- Tread Condition: Moderately Rough
Camp Alice/Commissary
- This is a high-elevation hike that, while providing the same storied Black Mountains scenery, is both easier and less often …
- 2.0 - 3.6 mi, Climbs Gently
- Tread Condition: Few Obstacles
Tuckasegee High Falls
- There's a lot of neat things to see packed into this relatively short, 0.7 mi path. Even if the trail …
- 1.4 mi, Climbs Steeply
- Tread Condition: Some Obstacles
