View Full Version : Hiking in north carolina
tucker0104
02-11-2009, 19:17
Can anyone recommend a good two day hike in north carolina?
Cool AT Breeze
02-11-2009, 19:27
Winding Stair to NOC.
Mongoose2
02-11-2009, 19:41
Great choice!
Jack Tarlin
02-11-2009, 19:55
Carvers Gap (on the Tenn/NC line) to Rt. 19E, which takes you thru the Roan Highlands, which is spectacular, and let's you overnight at Overmountain Shelter, maybe the prettiest shelter on the whole A.T.
There are hundreds. Any additional criteria, such as:
Season?
AT only?
Prefer streams/waterfalls, forests, lakeshore or vistas?
Prefer solitude or OK with crowds?
Easy? Moderate? Difficult?
Desired maximum length of travel per day?
tucker0104
02-11-2009, 20:27
Probably 8-10 miles a day. No shore line. forest/streams, doesn't have to be AT. Season, this weekend or next.
Tennessee Viking
02-12-2009, 01:14
If you talking about MST, Taba just rolled out his new guidebook. It supposed to have some really good updated info.
From the day hikes I have done on the MST, NC 181 to Beacon Heights is a great backcountry experience. Lots of waterfalls, forested area, and rock features.
The northern section of the Art Loeb is a great weekender from what I hear.
For the AT, Roan Mountain & Big Bald are great sections.
If you are coming from Jacksonville, FL, then I'd look at
the Southern Nantahalas where you can add a blue-blaze and do a loop hike in the Standing Indian Basin. This area is just north of Georgia,
Another option is the Fires Creek Rim Trail, which is great in winter.
Pisgah Forest near Brevard. A good loop would be from the Wildlife Education Center at the Fish Hatchery to Cedar Rock. Lots of alternative routes in this area to make a nice loo-p hike of varying lengths.
Chattooga River Trail (follows the Wild and Scenic river), though it'd be an out-and-back.
Many, many options in the Great Smokies, all are good if not great. I recently did the Hemphill Bald/Cataloochee Divide trail from the Cataloochee Valley (several options to get to the ridgeline). It is a nice overnight with 8-10 MPD (or more:D).
Hope this helps.
grizzlyadam
02-12-2009, 10:11
good call on the fires creek rim trail. it is a good hike in winter. i couldn't imagine doing it in summer, though. here is a trip report (http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=12132) from a hike i did on it.
nc 181 to beacon heights on the MST would be a good one as well. it is about 25 miles in length. i might actually be heading out to do a 60ish mile hike on the MST this weekend from woodlawn park (highway 221) to beacon heights. it includes that 25-mile stretch of trail.
on the AT, carvers gap to 19E is always a good one. i bet it could be could and snowy up there right now.
tucker0104
02-12-2009, 10:40
I am coming from charlotte. Just moved here and haven't updated my profile
Anything around the Standing Indiana is good. You can park at the backcountry lot at Standing Indiana campground.
I good one would be to go up the Kimsey creek trial to the top of Standing Indian and back down the Lower Ridge trial. That is a good weekend hike. However, do not go the the other way. Lower Ridge trial is much better as way down, than a way up. You can leave you car in one spot and loop back to it. Makes for easy planning.:)
Can anyone recommend a good two day hike in north carolina?
Carvers Gap (Roan Mtn) to Hampton,VA
OR
Hampton,TN to Damascus,VA
:D
sbennett
02-12-2009, 13:07
Here's a personal favorite:
Go to Brevard, NC...take NC 215 north and right after you go under the BRP take the Mountains to Sea Trail going east until you intersect with the Art Loeb. Take the Art Loeb over Black Balsam and Tennant Mtn. until you get out to Shining Rock. Camp at Shining Rock Gap or wherever looks good. The next day take the Ivestor Gap Trail and the Flat Laurel Creek trail back to 215 and walk about .5 miles north to get back to your car.
I am coming from charlotte. Just moved here and haven't updated my profile
Cool. This gives you many more options.
Check out the Wilson Creek/Harper's Creek area south of Grandfather Mountain (which also shouldn't be missed).
Also Linville Gorge Wilderness has some superb terrain, though even in the Gorge proper, the river trail is VERY rough.
Don't miss the Black Mountain Crest Trail, at mount Mitchell. Park HQ to Deep Gap (camp) and back is a good week, while Commissary Ridge also makes a nice campsite.
Just a few....
Don't miss the Black Mountain Crest Trail, at mount Mitchell. Park HQ to Deep Gap (camp) and back is a good week
meant to say trip. it is an overnight.
Hey Tucker,
As "buliwyf" had mentioned I released a thru-hikers manual for the MST on February 7th 2009. It has gotten good reviews from some hikers who have already used it and from people who bought the first edition. It is a quick reference guide to this trail. The places that everybody mentioned here are very good spots. If you like creek crossings the suggestion of Harpers Creek is one of my favorites along the MST. Make sure you wear Tevas or some kind of sandal because you will be taking off you shoes a lot. I believe there are at least 15 fordings in that section.
Have fun, Hike fast and take chances.
Taba
Tennessee Viking
02-13-2009, 23:29
Carvers Gap (Roan Mtn) to Hampton,VA
OR
Hampton,TN to Damascus,VA
:D
Just got back from Roan, its wet and mucky with a little of ice. Grassy Ridge is a slippery with the leaf litter.
theinfamousj
02-13-2009, 23:48
Check out the Wilson Creek/Harper's Creek area south of Grandfather Mountain (which also shouldn't be missed).
My first backpacking trip was to Wilson Creek. IIRC, there is a loop trail there. It was fantastic. Don't carry more than 500 mL of water. You'll have ample opportunity to refill.
(Mini-thread Hijack: Can anyone PM me driving directions to Wilson Creek? I want to hike it again but google has failed me. I've got the loop still in the GPS, but the GPS cannot give me driving directions.)
My first backpacking trip was to Wilson Creek. IIRC, there is a loop trail there. It was fantastic. Don't carry more than 500 mL of water. You'll have ample opportunity to refill.
(Mini-thread Hijack: Can anyone PM me driving directions to Wilson Creek? I want to hike it again but google has failed me. I've got the loop still in the GPS, but the GPS cannot give me driving directions.)
This is the best route I could come up with for you. They look like long winding drives.
From Blue Ridge Parkway take Reelsboro Road east (NC-1511) to Edgemont, this road may change to a National Forest Road or take Blowing Rock Road (US-321) north to left on Main St. NW (US-321A) heading south then turn right on Collettsville Rd. (NC-90) stay on Collettsville Rd. to Edgemont When you pass collettsville the road will change names to Edgemont Rd.
Scot "Taba" Ward
US-321 north from Lenoir and Reelsboro is south on the Blue Ridge Parkway from US-221 and will be on the right
A New Convert
02-23-2009, 19:27
Uwharrie national forest trail. 21 miles, creeks rather flat land.
Tucker
We take the scouts to Wilson Creek and Uwharrie all the time. Both are great areas that offer many loop opportunities. If you go to Wilson Creek, watch out for the Harper Creek Falls Trail (trail # 260). It has more than 10 creek crossings. It's great in the summer but it sucks this time of year. Wilson Creek also has some really nice waterfalls and swimming holes.
South Mountains State Park is only about an hour from Charlotte and has some great backcountry campsites and a cool waterfall. The only issue is you spend much of the time on old timber roads instead of single track hiking trails. It's also the closest trout fishing to Charlotte.
PM me if you want some ideas for loops.