The Wanderers is an easy hiking group that targets 3 to 4 miles with less than 900 feet of climb.  This group hikes at a rate of 1 to 1.5 miles per hour and selects hikes that fall within the R1 to R5 level of difficulty based upon the Pisgah Hikers rating scale.  The group takes breaks on uphill sections of trails to rest or smell the flowers or enjoy the views and take pictures.   To join this group, you should be able to hike 3 – 4 miles with some hills.

 

 

Assembly Area:   Lowe’s parking lot in Pisgah Forest/Brevard on the side closest to highway 64 unless otherwise stipulated in weekly email notices.  Alternate Assembly Areas may be selected depending on the location of the hike.

 

Departure Time: 9:00 in the Summer, 10:00 during the Winter

 

Hikes may be changed or cancelled based upon the weather weather forecast.

 

Car pooling is practiced but not required.   Driver fees are determined by the distance to the trailhead from Lowes.. 

 

 

Wanderers Spring 2023 Schedule

3/27    Eastatoe Trail – Art Loeb Loop
3 mi, 200’cl, R1, $0.00
From Lowes we hike the Eastatoe trail to the user trail up to the Art Loeb.  We hike the Art Loeb to the “sandbar” for lunch.  Then we hike the Eastatoe trail back to Lowes.         

4/3       Buck Spring – Poplar Creek
4.5 mi, 300’cl, R3, $3.00
From the Buck Spring trailhead on US276 we hike the Buck Spring trail to Poplar Creek and back.

4/10  Dupont – Triple Falls, High Falls, Covered Bridge
3.5 mi, 300’cl, R1, $2.00
From the Dupont State Forest Visitor Center we hike to Triple Falls, High Falls and the covered bridge.

Note:  Effective April 19 the “Wanderers” will return to the “Wednesday Wanderers” The group will hike on Wednesdays.

4/19   Daniel Ridge – Lanning Ridge
3.5 mi, 450’cl, R3, $4.00
From the Daniel Ridge trailhead we hike to Tom Springs Falls and Lanning Ridge road.  Then the Daniel ridge trail back to cars.

4/26    Gorges State Park – Rainbow Falls
4 mi, 500’cl, R5, $5.00
From the Rainbow Falls parking lot in Gorges State Park we hike to Rainbow Falls and back.

5/3   MST – Elk Pasture to Stony Bald Overlook
4 mi, 400’cl,R3, $6.00
After dropping a shuttle at the Stony Bald Overlook on the Parkway, we hike the MST from Elk Pasture Gap (at the junction of NC151 and the Parkway) to our shuttle at the Stony Bald Overlook.

5/10      John Rock
4.5 mi, 900’cl, R6, $1.50
From the Fish Hatchery we hike clockwise on the Cat Gap Loop and then hike the John Rock trail to John Rock for lunch.  We retrace our steps back to our cars.

5/17    Sycamore Cove
4 mi, 700’cl’, R4
From the Art Loeb parking lot we hike the Sycamore Cove Loop to the Black Mountain trail back to our cars.

5/24  Ravencliff Falls
4 mi, 400’cl, R3, $4.00
From the Ravencliff Falls parking lot on US276 we hike to the overlook and back. 

5/31    Graveyard Fields – Upper Falls
4 mi, 300’cl, R3, $5.00
From the Graveyard Fields parking lot on the Parkway we hike to the Upper Falls and back. We may stop at the Second Falls on the way.

6/7      Promontory Stump
3 mi, 200’cl, R1, $3.00
From the MST crossing on US276 we hike the MST to the Buck Spring trail.  We return via the Buck Spring trail to our shuttle at the Buck Spring trailhead on US276.

6/14    Sam Knob
4 mi, 600’cl, R4, $5.00
From the Sam Knob parking lot we cross the meadow and hike up to Sam Knob.  We visit each of the two knobs and have lunch at the south knob.

6/21    Twin Falls
4 mi, 300’cl, R3, $1.00
Starting from Avery Creek trailhead on Avery Creek Road we hike the Avery Creek trail, Buckhorn Gap trail and Twin Falls trail to Twin Falls for lunch.  We retrace our steps back to our cars on Avery Creek Road.  This hike has 26 stream crossings, most of them wet.  Please wear old hiking shoes and wicking socks.  We won’t be changing shoes at each crossing.

6/28    Slate Rock
4.5 mi, 800’cl, R6, $3.50
From the Pilot Cove trailhead on Yellow Gap Road we hike the Pilot Cove trail to the Slate Rock trail to Slate Rock for lunch.  We hike the Slate Rock and Pilot Cove trails back to ours.