This year, though, we run it with added enthusiasm because one of the trails mentioned has just reopened after being closed for nearly a year: the Mount Mitchell Trail at Mount Mitchell State Park. A couple quick caveats:

• Until earlier this week, Mountain Mitchell had been closed because of damage caused a year ago by Hurricane Helene. The closure was the result of extensive damage to the Blue Ridge Parkway, the only way to reach the ridgeline park. This week, the Parkway reopened. Or a portion of it did.
• You can now get to Mount Mitchell via the Parkway, but only if you are coming from Asheville; the Parkway remains closed from just north of Mount Mitchell to milepost 334 near Little Switzerland. 
• And if you’re thinking, “I don’t need to drive up from Asheville, I’ll just hike up the Mount Mitchell trail from the Black Mountain  Campground,” well, that trail remains closed.

OK, all that said, now we move on to our fall hikes. Specifically, our 10 thoughts on the subject based on two thingsL

1. The temperature. Hike in the mountains and you could be starting out in temperatures in the 40s!
2. Fall color. Hike in the mountains, and high enough in the mountains (above 5,500 feet), and you could see the start of some pretty good color.

Now, our recommendations, all of which are all in the mountains. Enjoy!

North Carolina

1. Black Mountain Crest Trail

Mount Mitchell State Park

North Carolina

Might as well start at the top, atop 6,684-foot Mount Mitchell, the highest point on the East Coast. Anchoring the north end of the Black Mountain Crest Trail, you can start from the state park’s snackateria and hit several peaks above 6,000 feet and see a good color show consisting of fire cherry, yellow birch, mountain ash and mountain maple. Note: the Crest rail is technically challenging, with mild scrambling in spots. Fortunately, the best view is from the nearest peak: Mount Craig.

More info here.

2. Tanawha Trail / Mountains-to-Sea Trail

Blue Ridge Parkway

North Carolina

The 13-mile Tanawha at the base of Grandfather Mountain is best known for its rocky southern half. But put in at Boone Fork and head north and you’ll spend time initially in a mature hardwood forest, later in small rolling meadows that offer intimate exposure to the Blue Ridge’s less aggressive side. You’ll also find more potential for early color on the northern end. Additional advantage: paralleling the Blue Ridge Parkway as it does, you’ll find it super easy to set shuttles — along the 13.5-mile length of the trail there are 11 access points.

More info here.

3. Linville Gorge

Pisgah National Forest

North Carolina

One of our favorite hikes in the state, the 2.2-mile trail up to Shortoff Mountain from the end of Wolf Pit Road is a good climb, but pays off in three miles of trail with repeated outcrop views up the gorge, down into the gorge and beyond, to Lake James. On a clear, crisp fall day you may not experience better color. In spots, the gorge rises 1,300 feet above the Linville River (which drops 2,000 vertical feet from the north end to the south), offering one of the most awe-inspiring views in the state. If you’re comfortable hiking in the dark (back to your car) and driving a windy forest service road in the dark, plan to be on Shortoff around sundown for one of the best sunsets around.

More info here.

4. Mountain Trail

Pilot Mountain State Park

North Carolina

Pilot Mountain, with its distinctive knob towering 1,400 feet above the surrounding countryside, is a hot spot when autumn’s colors heat up. Avoid the resulting crowds by picking up the 4.5-mile Mountain Trail from the little-used Corridor Access. The connecting Grindstone Trail takes you to the top, for great views. Another option for avoiding fall crowds: take the new 3.3-mile Pilot Creek Trail, which starts low on the north side of the park and connects with the Mountain and Grindstone trails for a trip to the summit.

More info here.

4. Uwharrie Trail: Sections 3 & 4

Uwharrie National Forest

North Carolina

So maybe you live in the Piedmont and don’t have time to visit the mountains but still want a mountain-like experience: you need to pay a visit to North Carolina’s under-appreciated mountain range, the Uwharries. Located within an hour and a half of Charlotte, the Triad and the Triangle, the Uwharries offer peaks reaching 1,000 feet (hey, it’s the Piedmont!) and one awesome view, which you can reach from the Jumpin’ Off Rock trailhead. Take the Uwharrie Trail north following a creek for a ways, then climbing Little Long Mountain for the best view in the Uwharries. Continuing north, it tops out on 1,020-foot King Mountain, the highest point on the Uwharrie Trail. Lots of good fall hardwoods along the way.

More info here.

5. Summit Trail

Elk Knob State Park

Todd

Elk Knob is the perfect early season fall destination. At 5,520 feet, it offers unsurpassed views (nearly 360 degrees), but it’s the view to the north that’s especially captivating in fall. We’ll let the park website explain why: “Elk Knob contains an excellent example of a northern hardwood forest … typically found above 4,000 feet in elevation [are] sugar maple, yellow birch, American beech, and yellow buckeye.” That is, the trees that give forests in New England their vaunted glow. In addition, from atop Elk Knob you can see Three Top and Bluff mountains, Mount Jefferson, Grandfather Mountain, Mount Mitchell, Mt. Rogers in Virginia and the Iron Mountains in Virginia and Tennessee. And it’s not just the summit: the 1.9-mile hike to the top is one one of the most well-crafted trails around.

More info here.

6. Moore’s Wall Loop Trail

Hanging Rock State Park

Danbury

Mountain-top 360-degree views are few in the Piedmont. At Hanging Rock, you have two. Hanging Rock proper is just 1.3 miles from the Visitor Center, making it a popular choice for the masses who descend on fall weekends. Less popular is the 4.7-mile Moore’s Wall Loop, which, regardless of whether you hike it clockwise (our choice) or counter, requires payment in leg labor for the resulting views. Ah, but what views they are: to the west (Blue Ridge) and north (Virginia’s George Washington National Forest) you can watch the color cascading your way. Or, hiked in late October into November, look south and east to see the Piedmont light up in the distance.

More info here.

Virginia

1. Hawksbill Mountain

Shenandoah National Park

Virginia

At 4,050 feet, Hawksbill is the highest point in the Shenandoah National Park, and thus, presumably, the first place to spot fall color. Take the steep 1.7-mile out-and-back or the 2.9-mile loop trail, from MP 45.6 on Skyline Drive. Connect to the Appalachian Trail to extend your hiking time. The hike is a favorite of our GetHiking! Charlottesville group.

More info here.

2. Rock Castle Gorge

Blue Ridge Parkway

Virginia

A hidden favorite that’s surprisingly close to the Triad area. Start from the base, at the VA 605 access and get your climbing out of the way early, with a 3-mile hike up the Blue Ridge Escarpment to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Here, follow the trail south for 3.5 miles through mountain meadows (the cows are friendly), until a rocky 1.5-mile descent back into the gorge. Your last 2.8 miles is a steady descent on old roadbed along Rock Castle Creek. A 10.8-mile with enough distractions to keep your mind off the fact the elevation on this hike ranges from 1,700 to nearly 3,600 feet. Along the way you’ll pass through rhododendron hells, along a frisky mountain stream, past long-abandoned buildings.

More info here.

Peaks of Otter

3. Peaks of Otter

Virginia

It gets a little crowded, though the challenging terrain thins the crowds on certain trails. In fact, that’s one of the advantages here. Got a mix of hikers in your group? The die-hards head one way, the strollers another. The latter will also appreciate the civilities here: the visitor center, the lodge, the restrooms.

More info here.

4. Mount Rogers

Mount Rogers National Recreation Area

Virginia

Mount Rogers and the adjoining Grayson Highlands State Park offer a trip out West in southwest Virginia. Rock outcrops and vast open spaces offer the type of wide-open experience folks head to the Rockies for. The only place you won’t find a view? Atop Mount Rogers, at 5,729 feet the highest point in Virginia.

More info here.

The post 10 of our Favorite Fall Mountain Hikes appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Thing is, not all mountain hikes require driving high into the mountains to reach. Below are five of our favorite winter mountain hikes that offer the thrill of a winter in the mountains minus the angst of driving there.

Doughton Park

Roaring Gap

Think of Doughton Park and its 30 miles of hiking trail and you think of the Blue Ridge Parkway, which is often closed by ice for long stretches in winter. Not if you enter from the Longbottom Road access, which sits more than 1,800 feet below the summit. From the trailhead you can pickup three trails to the park’s mountaintop meadow: Cedar Ridge (our pick), Grassy Gap Road and Flat Rock Ridge. Using those trails plus the Mountains-to-Sea Trail/Bluff Mountain Trail at the top, you can create loop hikes of up to 18 miles. And because you’re hiking up the Blue Ridge escarpment’s steep northern and eastern exposure, snow tends to stick around a bit.

More info here

Mount Mitchell Trail

Burnsville

Not even the highest peak east of the Black Hills is immune to a winter assault. Although Mount Mitchell State Park, named for 6,684-foot Mount Mitchell, is frequently closed because it’s accessible via the Blue Ridge Parkway, the 5.5-mile Mount Mitchell Trail remains open to the hardiest — and best prepared — of explorers. The trailhead off the Toe River is below 3,000 feet, meaning it can be dry and pleasant at the base, as wintry as it gets 3,700 feet up on the summit. The first 3 miles or so of this trail are surprisingly mellow, a climb to be sure but eased by switchbacks. Then, it hits some troughs that are not only steep but can fill with ice. Be exceptionally cautious and well prepared for this hike.

More info here

Linville Gorge, Shortoff Mountain

Nebo/Lake James

From the well-known gorge’s West Rim, the trails all descend into the gorge, offering little in the way of views (not to mention that access via the “Kistler Memorial Highway,” a gravel pothole-fest is sketchy in the best of weather). The main access on the East Rim is Tablerock Mountain, which closes in winter. That leaves the 2-mile hike up to Shortoff Mountain on the East Rim’s south side as your best option. Note: this is not a 2-mile cakewalk: it’s steep in spots and gets rutted. But it’s southern exposure keeps it mostly clear of snow and ice, and the reward — another couple miles of hiking along Shortoff’s rocky, pine-pocked plateau is well worth the effort.

Learn more here

Rich Mountain Loop

Hot Springs

What could be better than beginning and ending a hike in Hot Springs, elevation 1,500 feet? The first 8 miles, on the Appalachian Trail, is a steady climb, and includes an awesome view of the French Broad River and the town of Hot Springs (see photo). Continue climbing through a mature hardwood forest and mountain clearings. Pass Tanyard Gap and continue to the spur to the fire tower atop 3,700-foot Rich Mountain for more great views on a clear day. There’s a slight retreat on the AT before picking up Roundtrip Ridge Trail for the mellow hike back to town. Twice on this hike we’ve encountered a well-defined snow line at about 2,500 feet. 12.3 miles roundtrip.

Learn more here.

Art Loeb Trail: North End to Shining Rock Ledge

Canton

Consider this a backdoor entrance into the Shining Rock Wilderness in winter. Most of us are used to entering Shining Rock via the Black Balsam access off the Blue Ridge Parkway. Alas, this is the highest run of the parkway, generally above 5,000 feet in elevation, and it’s closed by snow and ice much of the winter. Enter via the north entrance, at the Daniel Boone Boy Scout Camp and the low elevation road is generally clear. You begin to make up elevation quickly once on the trail, gaining nearly 2,000 vertical feet in the first 3.5 miles up to Deep Gap — and nearly 1,000 more vertical feet if you continue the mile or so to the summit of 5,968-foot Cold Mountain. At Deep Gap, you also have the option of hiking south of the Art Loeb Trail along the Shining Rock Ledge (it’s 2.5 miles along the Ledge to Shining Rock).

Learn more here.

The post 5 Mountain Hikes Accessible in Winter appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

GetBackpacking! Appalachian Trail from Carvers Gap to US 19E

• July 16-18
• $145

The 14-mile stretch of the Appalachian Trail between Carvers Gap and US is perhaps the most scenic stretch of the AT in the Southeast. We take our time and savor this hike, over Round and Jane balds, over Hump and Little Hump mountains, and past all the scenic hardwood splendor along the way on this 3-day, 2-night backpack trip. Includes shuttle and post-hike shower.

Learn more here.

GetBackpacking! A Wilson Creek Water Adventure

• Aug. 6-8
• $125

Join GetBackpacking! and beat the summertime crowds that descent on Wilson Creek area of the Pisgah National Forest with this summer visit. On this two-night, three-day backpack basecamp trip we’ll hike 4 miles in full pack and about 14 in day packs, exploring Hunt-fish Falls, Gragg Prong, Bee Mountain, Lost Cove Creek, South Harper Creek Falls, Harper Creek Falls, Harper Creek and Persimmon Ridge.

Learn more and sign up here.

GetHiking! New River Paddling and Hiking Weekend

• July 30 – Aug. 1
• $185

Enjoy a mountain weekend of paddling on a placid stretch of the New River in North Carolina, and hikes up both Mount Jefferson and Elk Knob, both with sweeping views of the North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee mountains. This is a basecamp weekend with meals included.

Learn more and sign up here.

GetOriented! Finding Your Way in the Woods

• Eno River State Park, Durham: June 13
• Umstead State Park, Raleigh: July 11
• $65

In just two weeks you can become a bonafide backpacker in time for the prime fall hiking season. We start with a gear session via Zoom, then meet for a 5-hour in-field training session before our weekend graduation trip to South Mountains State Park.

• Learn more and sign up for the Eno River State Park class here (SOLD OUT)
• Learn more and sign up for the Umstead State Park class here

GetBackpacking! Intro to Backpacking class

• Sept. 8, 11, 24-26
• $225

In just two weeks you can become a bonafide backpacker in time for the prime fall hiking season. We start with a gear session via Zoom, then meet for a 5-hour in-field training session before our weekend graduation trip to South Mountains State Park.

Learn more and sign up here.

GetBackpacking! Basecamp Weekend in the Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock/Citico Creek Wilderness

• Sept. 16-19
• $195

Enjoy a four-day wilderness immersion, exploring the Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock/Citico Creek wilderness areas of North Carolina and Tennessee. We establish basecamp a mile and a half in, then do a pair of 12-mile daypack hikes exploring this 33,000-acre wilderness straddling the North Carolina/Tennessee line.

Learn more and sign up here.

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For late fall we have three backpack trips suited to people who may have burned through their vacation, for the winter, we have three weekend trips to our most iconic locations. Here’s the lineup:

Weekend Quick Escapes

It’s the end of the year, you’ve burned through your vacation time, yet you’ve love to get in another backpack trip or two — maybe three. Our Weekend Quick Escapes are designed for just that: You can work until 5 on Friday afternoon, then drive to the trailhead for a short hike to basecamp and be set up by 8. Saturday is a long day hike, Sunday we do a shorter day hike, before heading home in the early afternoon. A lot of adventure in a little amount of time. 

• Rock Castle Gorge (Virginia), Nov. 13-15. From the primitive camp at the base of the gorge we’ll day-hike the 11-mile Rock Castle Loop on Saturday, then stop for a 5-mile hike at Fairy Stone State Park on the drive home. 10 hikers. THIS TRIP IS SOLD OUT.
• Doughton Park, Dec. 4-6. We’ll hike in a mile to basecamp off Longbottom Road Friday evening, then day-hike the 16-mile Cedar Ridge/Bluff Mountain/Grassy Gap Loop Saturday. Before heading out Sunday, we’ll hike up Cabin Creek to the Caudill Cabin. 10 hikers. Learn more and sign up here.
• Birkhead Mountain Wilderness, Uwharrie National Forest, Dec. 18-20. Friday evening we hike in 3 miles to Camp 5; Saturday, we do an 11-mile day-hike exploring the wilderness; Sunday, we hike out, then do a short hike up to Little Long Mountain for the best view in the Uwharries. Learn more and sign up here.

Winter Series

We’ll do three backpack trips this winter, one likely to have winter conditions, one trying to avoid winter conditions, a third … well, we’ll see.

• GetBackpacking! Neusiok Trail, January 8-10. Our annual trip on this 21-mile coastal trail through the Croatan National Forest. Friday thru Sunday in a forest that ranges from pine savannah to coastal woods to rolling terrain resembling the Piedmont to a finale along beach fronting the mile-wide Neuse River. Registration opens in December. If you’d like early notice about when registration opens, email joe@getgoingnc.com 
• GetBackpacking! Appalachian Trail, Feb. 19-21. It’s our fifth year for this trip, which begins atop Max Patch and ends in the town of Hot Springs. We’ve had snow on this trip, we’ve had 70-degree days. 3 days, 2 nights, 21 miles. Registration opens in December. If you’d like early notice about when registration opens, email joe@getgoingnc.com 
• GetBackpacking! Linville Gorge, March 12-14. We didn’t visit the gorge in 2020 because of its pandemic-provoked popularity. We’re hoping that a visit early in the year will help us find the solitude we seek in this designated wilderness. We’ll basecamp atop Shortoff Mountain Friday evening, then spend Saturday day hiking the gorge’s east wall. Registration opens in December. If you’d like early notice about when registration opens, email joe@getgoingnc.com

The post GetBackpacking! Winter 2020-21 appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Every Thursday until the world reopens, we’re going to share with YouTube videos of the outdoor world. Each week will have a different focus. This week’s: The places our GetBackpacking! program hopes to visit this year.

OK, so maybe we can’t hike some of the places we want. But somebody has, and odds are they’ve posted a video about it on YouTube. They may not be the real thing, but they do provide voyeuristic escape, a bit of humor (both intentional and otherwise), and they can inspire your planning for trips in the hopefully not-too-distant future. And the videos cover just about every trail you can imagine.   

For instance, this coming weekend our GetBackpacking! group was supposed to head up to Roan Mountain for a 14-mile hike on the Appalachian Trail. Ah, Carvers Gap to US 19E in the spring: perhaps the most scenic stretch of trail in the Southeast in the most inspiring season of the year. 

Sigh.

In lieu of an actual visit, we’ll start with revisiting one of our trips from last year, with this short recap on our GetGoingNC! YouTube Channel.

Then, we can get a different perspective on the trail by tagging along with HikingFreak on his trip there last September. And to help envision a longer version of the hike, we can go with

Zpacks on his 50-mile trip on the AT in 2017, which included this stretch.

Some other regional options:

Shining Rock Wilderness

We had to postpone our trip at the end of this month to Shining Rock. In the meantime, check out these videos, including the channel, title, duration, date and a one- or two-sentence description.

Explore Your Land’s “Shining Rock Wilderness Loop,” 22:15, January 2019. Captures the essence of wilderness exploration by starting out on the wrong trail. Watch here.

Golden Blaze’s “Backpacking in the Shining Rock Wilderness,” 9:26, May 2017. A solo loop including Art Leob Trail, Chestnut  Bald, Silvermine Bald, Black Balsam Knob, Tennent Mountain, Shining Rock, Sams Knob. Watch here.

TrailTakers’ Solo Backpacking in the Shining Rock and Middle Prong Wilderness, 59:51, July 2018. Includes Shining Rock’s wacky neighbor, the Middle Prong Wilderness. Five days, four night solo trip. Watch here.

Southeast Backpacker’s “Shining Rock/Flat Laurel Backpacking 2-Night,” 8:32, February 2017. A winter trip by SB, who notes at the beginning that he hasn’t been out in a while. Hijinks ensue. Watch here.

Art Loeb Trail

The Art Loeb was to be one of four thru-hikes we were planning this year, and hopefully we’ll still be able to pull it off. Until then, we’ll watch these videos to help with trip planning.

Wolf Packs’ “Art Loeb Thru Hike,” 27:14, September 2017. Hiked from north (Daniel Boone Boy Scout camp south to Davidson River Campground. Watch here. 

Golden Blaze’s “Art Loeb Thru Hike,” 14:32, March 2018. Two buddies hike the 30-mile trail with good humor, which is good because it’s not an easy hike. Watch here.

Shug’s “Art Loeb Trail Thru-Hike with the Hickery Brothers,” 11:58, October 2014 (Part I). Shug lives in Minnesota, grew up in Charlotte and shoots some of the most entertaining backpacking videos around. Watch here.

The Blackalachian’s “Art Loeb Trail 2020,” 29:31, February 2020. Yup, one of the last videos before the shut-down.

Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock-Citico Creek Wilderness

Another trip we do every year, and a trip I hope we can do in August. 

GetBackpacking! “Joyce Kilmer/Slickrock Wilderness,” 1:39, July 2019. A tidy recap of our visit last year. Watch here.

Zachary Robbins’ “Backpacking The Hangover: Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness,” 22:28, October 2017. A 3-day trip in one wild, wild place. Watch here.

Bryan DeLay’s “Slickrock Creek-Yellowhammer Gap Loop, Joyce Kilmer Slickrock Wilderness,” 11:59, January 2017. A three-day in winter, with lots of crossings of Slickrock Creek. Bold. Watch here.

Wilson Creek

GetBackpacking! “Hiking for Shutins: A Virtual Visit to Wilson Creek,” 3:30, Summer, 2019. Our last visit, last summer, including Hunt-Fish Falls, Gragg Prong, Big Lost Cove Cliffs. Watch here.

Side Trail Adventures’ “Backpacking on Harper Creek Trail,” 28:25, February 2019. We don’t go here in winter because of all the creek crossings, so it’s all the more interesting to tag along on a winter trip. Watch here.

Preloheded Hiking’s “Lost Cove Loop,” 22:02, October 2019. Fourteen-mile loop with 15 creek crossings. Watch here.

Southeast Backpacker’s “Wilson Creek: Hunt Fish Loop,” 11:20, May 2014. A spring visit to the popular Hunt-fish Falls area. Watch here.

Linville Gorge

We try to hit Linville three times a year, on different levels: an intro to Linville, a basecamp trip from Shortoff, and the southern half of the Grand Loop (which is in our GetBackpacking! video).

GetBackpacking! “90 Second Escape: Linville Gorge,” 1:30, June 2015. Snippets from our successful trip on the southern half of the gorge’s Grand Loop. Watch here.

Sintax77’s “Hammock Camping in the Linville Gorge,” 54:25, July 2014. A four-day visit, an hour-long video: a good intro to the gorge. Watch here.

River Kings’ “The Linville Gorge Loop: Is That All Ya Got,” 1:51, May 2019. High water on the river, “sketchy weather” — pretty much sums up a visit to the gorge. Watch here. 

Outdoor Adventures’ “Linville Gorge: 2-Day Backpacking the Grand Loop,” 57:54, April 2018. WARNING: includes a sequence of backpackers eating Spam. Watch here.

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