WINTER INTO SPRING 2026 HIKING SCHEDULE

January 23 BENNETT GAP/PERRY COVE
4.3 miles), 800’ (est.) ascent, R6, car fee:  $1.00
A loop from Avery Creek Rd. we take Bennett Gap up to a good view of Looking Glass Rock for lunch, then back to Perry Cove (left), then right back to Forest Rd. 5054 to Bennett Gap then left to cars.

January 30 SOAPSTONE RIDGE
6.2 miles, 600’ climb, R6, $3.00
From the gauging tower off Yellow Gap Rd. we hike in on the South Mills River trail, take a right onto a “user trail” hike up Soapstone Ridge to Barnett Branch, right, then down to Pink Beds, right, right again

February 6 PANTHERTOWN, EXPLORING THE EASTERN SIDE
6 miles, 860’ ascent, 860’ descent, R7, car fee:  $5.00
Mac’s Gap trail, right at Little Green trail, diversion to Tranquility Point, back, diversion to Schoolhouse Falls, back to Panthertown Valley Trail, right, back to cars.

February 13 DANIEL RIDGE LOOP
5.6 miles, 900’ climb, R6, $2.00 car fee
From the Daniel Ridge parking we hike into the forest going clockwise completing the loop.

February 20 BENT CREEK/ARBORETUM
4.5 miles, 200’ ascent, R4, suggested car fee:  $5.00
A shuttle hike:  From Rice Pinnacle parking we hike out Deer Lake Lodge trail, left onto Hard Times Connector, left on Road 480, left on 480A (Old Bent Creek Gap rd., enter the Arboretum, right on Creekside trail, right on Wesley Branch trail to Visitor Center for lunch, take Carolina Mtn. trail to car(s) parked at the Arboretum entrance.

February 27 MST, CRAVEN GAP TO FOLK ART CENTER
5.4 miles, 300’ ascent, 1,125’ descent, R6, suggested car fee:  $5.00
A shuttle hike, we meet at the Folk Art Center about 9:45 AM, leave cars and carpool to Craven Gap to start the hike.

March 6 FISH HATCHERY TO MCCALL CEMETERY
7 miles, 830’ ascent R7, suggested car fee:  $2.00
An out and back hike from the Fish Hatchery.  We go up Cat Gap Loop, right on Butter Gap, right on Long Branch trail, right on Cemetery Loop a short distance to McCall Cemetery and return.  There is a good lunch stop back on Cemetery Loop near Long Branch trail.

March 13 GRAVEYARD FIELDS LOOP 2 (variation)
5 plus miles, 700’ ascent more or less, R8, $5.00
From Big Sam parking we hike out Ivestor Gap to Graveyard Ridge trail, turning right onto the Mountains to Sea Trail and returning to Rd 816 and hiking back to cars.

March 20 DUPONT STATE FOREST, QUARRY TRAIL
500’ ascent, 4.8 miles, R5, car fee $2.00
We will hike ahead of the Monday Rollers. An “in and out” hike, this hike begins at the Rich Mountain Rd. trailhead for the Cannon Creek Trail.  We follow this trail to Buckhorn Creek Trail and on to the Rock Quarry Road.   Lunch at the quarry, then return.

March 27 COVE CREEK/CANEY BOTTOM
4.7 miles, 700’ ascent, R4, $2.00 car fee
From parking (road from fish hatchery) we hike in on a gravel road and do the loop.

April 2 BRACKEN MOUNTAIN
5.5 miles, 730’ ascent/descent, R5, car fee:  $2.00
A lollipop trail, from parking we hike the Bracken Mtn. trail (blue), to the shortcut trail (yellow), then left onto Mackey Ridge trail (red).

April 9 BIRTHDAY HIKE
3.2 miles, 200’ ascent (estimated), R5
An out and back from my house.  Lunch on our deck after
April 16 OUT OF TOWN

April 23 HATCHER FALLS/TWIN(HIGH) FALLS
4.5 miles, 390’ climb, R4, $5.00
ANNUAL FLOWER HIKE
Go west on US 64, take a right on Hwy 107, go 8.1 miles.  It is just past a large pipe on left.  Take the sharp left turn on a dirt road (SR 1158).  Park along the dirt road.  North of Cashiers and on private property this is a great spring ephemeral hike with two beautiful waterfalls.

The trail head is 3 miles north of Glenville, off Hwy. 107.  The hike takes you into a box canyon with vertical walls approximately 200′ high. It features an awesome view of the magnificent falls directly in front of you.  This falls is on the west fork of the Tuckasegee River.  We will observe Hatcher Falls on our way to High Falls, located on a side stream flowing into the main river.  At this time of year we will observe many wildflowers along the way.

April 30 BUCK SPRINGS TO PISGAH INN
5.9 miles, 1,250 ascent, 65’ descent, R7, car fee: $4.00.
A shuttle:  leave a car at the Pisgah Inn, we will begin our hike at the Buck Springs parking on HWY 276.   There are 15 stream crossings and 8 switch-backs.  Let’s plan to have lunch at the Pisgah Inn?

May  7 MOUNTAINS TO SEA, GRAVEYARD FIELDS
6 miles, 1,100’ ascent/descent, R6, suggested car fee:  $5.00
From midway on Ranger Road 816 we hike around Black Balsam Mtn. to a junction with the Graveyard Ridge trail on the far side of Graveyard Fields, the go down to the lower falls for lunch.  We hike up to the BRP and hike back on that highway to 816, then return to our cars.

May 14 ESTATOE AND ANDY COVE
4.5 miles, 213’ ascent, R2, no car fee
Out and back from Lowe’s parking, it is a “lollipop” hike to and behind the Forest Service building.