Linville Gorge suggestions

[TNhiker]

howdy....

looking for suggestions for a 12-15 miler, 2 nighter in linville gorge....

and one that will not get me lost...........



thanks..........

[Mr. Bumpy]

Unless you can arrange a shuttle and go end to end, it is best to base camp and then do long day hikes around. Babel Tower trail provides quick and reasonable access to the gorge. I was there a month ago - no broken glass in the Babel Tower parking lot, and the road was patrolled.

[Tennessee Viking]

Be sure to check to see if you will need a permit.

Take the gorge trail south then climb back up
I would say the MST route from the southern end of Kistler Highway to Table Rock
You need to check river levels if fording

[misterfloyd]

was just there last week.

Here a suggestion: Park at the Spence Ridge trailhead. Do not go down the trail because it will lead to the gorge. Take a left and a trail will follow FS rd210 for a while, this will take you behind Table rock after a mile or so. You can go up table rock if you like, great view. Come on down and you will be in a paved parking area. You will see a sign for the MST. Follow that it will take you past the Chimneys, Chimney gap, Shortoff until you get to the linville river. From the parking lot 7.9 miles. There are plenty of sites at the river.

Since spence Ridge Bridge washed out back in 2013 it makes the loop more difficult.

Here is a good place for excellent up to date maps http://friendsoflinvillegorge.org/tiki-index.php?page=Linville%20Gorge%20Maps#Current_Tra il_Maps.

I printed the ones in the middle and they really are good.

BTW, great scenery on the MST in the gorge. Since there was a wildfire there a few years back it is not a green tunnel, mostly if not all ridgeline.

The Gorge Rocks!!!

Floyd

[Ewker]

linvillegorge.net is the place to go for information. Sign in to the forum and ask away

[misterfloyd]

+1on the linvillegorge.net forum. Have gotten a lot of good info from there as well.