View Full Version : North Carolina Hikes
Whitey9457
04-16-2008, 16:50
A friend and I are going to be hiking in NC for a week or so in the end of May and we're planning on hiking Mt. Mitchell and Lynneville Gorge. I have no clue about either of these locations and was wondering if anyone could give me some pointer on trails and how to make the trip run smoothly.
Is there any way to hike between the two in a week or so? Or do you think we should hike one and drive to the other and hike again.
Also, how about local airports?
Tipi Walter
04-16-2008, 20:53
Check out the Mountains to Sea Trail:
http://www.ncmst.org
http://www.ncmst.org/mstsections.htm
Check especially sections 9 and 11. This trail connects both Mt Mitchell and Linville Gorge. I'd also recommend the section around Hiway 181 and the Greentown Trail going along Upper Creek and into the Harpers Creek watershed.
Tennessee Viking
04-16-2008, 23:12
There are sections of the MST in each area. Mt Mitchell has some pretty strict camping regulations since it is a state park.
The only regulation that Linville Gorge has is a weekend permit only policy. I don't think its a heavily enforced policy. But their policy is a first come, first serve for designated campsites. But if you climb out of the Gorge to the Memorial Highway, you can always find a turnout turned campsite. I think that Pisgah is just opening up their public access gates. So you should be able to drive up to the Table Rock Rec Area.
Then for the silly rules, if you are in the BPR section of it around the falls, swimming is not allowed until you reach Pisgah territory. And I believe there is no overnight parkway at BRP parking area, unless you are at the campground.
As for routes, either take the MST from 221 to NC 181. Or from the Table Rock Rec Area; or from one of the first turnouts along the Memorial Parkway, go down to the Linville River trail and hike up to the MST to 221.
Got to go with Tipiwater. I hiked the Graggy Prong at Roseborough and the Greentown section of the MST. It is waterfall heaven.
As for airports, I believe the nearest comercial airports I believe are Tri-Cities in Kingsport/Blountville TN which is about an 1hr to 1.5hr drive. And Asheville, NC is about a 45 min-1hr drive. There are several charter and airfields in Nebo and Morganton.
Hiked Table Rock to Mitchell Summit, via the chimneys, Pitch-in trail, Dobson's Knob, Woods Mountain, etc. in high school with a bunch of inexperienced kids. Fifty miles, some bushwhacking, did it in 2 days. Hard on the girls. One quit. Youth group, outward bound type, school sponsored event. They handed us a topo map and said"you are here and have 2 days to get to Mitchell Summit". Loved it. Beeyootiful country. Mountains to Sea trail did not exist in 1973. Graggs Prong, Upper Creek, Harpers Creek my favorite territory in the world. Great waterfalls, swimming holes, etc. All trails well marked on Pisgah NFS map. Have a blast.
Bootstrap
04-17-2008, 09:07
This book gives some detail on the trails in the Linville Gorge and Mount Mitchell. I am not able to check it for specifics right now because I lent it to my girlfriend (we are planning a backpacking trip for two weeks from now).
Hiking North Carolina, 2nd: A Guide to Nearly 500 of North Carolina's Greatest Hiking Trails
Randy Johnson (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url?%5Fencoding=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=books&field-author=Randy%20Johnson)
If you get only one book on hiking North Carolina, this is the one.
Jonathan
http://www.amazon.com/Hiking-North-Carolina-2nd-Carolinas/dp/0762731389/