Hey Pisgah people...

[humunuku]

Has anyone hiked Green Mtn trail, Fork Mtn Trail, or Haywood Gap Trail?? What are they like? I know they have some elevation change, but hows the scenery, water sources, general trail rating... I want to get back over to the Shining rock area and haven't been on these trails...is Sunburst a secure place to park?

thank ya

[Tennessee Viking]

Haven't been that far down the Parkway yet. I was at the Graveyard a month ago. And it was hot, but water was flowing.

Is the Green part of the The Art Loeb. I know the Art Loeb is bit of a challenge for the novice. Its a constant ridge rollercoaster, up and down, and very rocky.

Here is one site I stubbled on recently. Links to water tables, and gives a bit of history of an area.

[Ramble~On]

They're great. All are well used, easy to follow trails (except spots on Fork Mnt. trail).
With the exception of a good stretch on FS road due to the gate near Sunburst Haywood Gap is a really nice trail with some scenic waterfalls.
The Mountains to Sea is a really nice trail and is the most used in the area.
The section near Mt. Hardy is beautiful and has some nice open meadows.
Buckeye Gap is much like Haywood Gap but with less elevation change and more campsites which are sometimes trashed.
Haywood Gap Trail is the most wooded of the trails and almost entirely under tree canopy...
Green Mountain is dry but offers some really nice views.
I did a loop from Sunburst in July. I took Haywood Gap Trail, Buckeye Gap Trail, Mountains to Sea to 215 and walked down to Flat Laurel Creek Trail.
I hiked Flat Laurel Creek up to the parking area on FS 816, Ivestor Gap to Shining Rock Gap. Shining Rock is one of those places I can't get enough of. There are obvious, overused campsites near the gap but the higher you go to the top and over towards the side facing Cold Mountain the better it gets and less used. I returned on the Art Loeb, Ivestor Gap and Fork Mountain...down to Sunburst.
Fork Mountain is probably the least used out of all the trails I used and was overgrown in places.

There are waterfalls on Haywood Gap and Flat Laurel Creek...some more impressive than others..the bigger falls on Haywood Gap is the best on the hike (imho)

Some people find it hard to figure out where Fork Mountain Trail breaks away from the Ivestor Gap Trail...if it isn't marked and sometimes it's not...and you are heading down it to Sunburst instead of up...it can be hard to spot. Last time I hiked by it...it was signed. If you have a map it's not all that hard to figure out as it runs on top of the ridge...

I think there are better trailheads than Sunburst and have only left a vehicle there a few times...most recently by the gate on FS 97 and I hiked the road to the trailhead for Haywood Gap Trail. I had no problems leaving my truck there.
There is a small turn off break in the gaurdrail trailhead for Flat Laurel Creek Trail off 215...room to park maybe 6 cars.
There is another gravelish parking area just up 215 on the right at the junction with Mountains to Sea Trail.
The most used trailhead and parking area is at the end of FS 816 off the BRP. A lot of folks also park along the side of this road where it junctions the Mountains to Sea Trail.

[humunuku]

I think there are better trailheads than Sunburst and have only left a vehicle there a few times...most recently by the gate on FS 97 and I hiked the road to the trailhead for Haywood Gap Trail.

Is parking at the gate THE place to park at Sunburst, or is there a lot there? I think I'll do the loop you last did, looks good. Thanks for the info

[Ramble~On]

"Sunburst" is a small camping and picnic area along NC 215.
I have never camped there and am pretty sure that there is a fee to camp.
Just up the road from this is a bridge popular with tourists and locals alike for swimming and fishing. This is also the trailhead for Green and Fork Mountain trails. There is parking along the road in several spots but there isn't an actual lot. The gate is up the dirt road a bit (FS 97). I have parked along 215 and at the gate and had no problems. An easy hike up the FS road beyond the gate takes you to the junction with Haywood Gap Trail...watch your map cause the switchbacks in reality aren't quite what's on the map. There is an old wooden kiosk on the right side of the trail and then a small waterfall....
I really like this loop. Shining Rock is heavily used but you may find the trails in Middle Prong to yourself.
If you get a late start of it the first day there are campsites a few hundred yards further up the trail from the second waterfall you come to...and on that note...at that waterfall it looks like the trail continues straight and climbs close to the falls...actually..the trail climbs steeply up the hill directly in front of where you cross...it can be overgrown and easy to miss.