Home >
Best Hikes >
Hikes by Difficulty (Most Difficult)Easy | Moderate | More Difficult | Most Difficult
This page includes all Most Difficult hikes. Click any Climb or Tread rating for details about the ratings.
| Harper Creek Waterfalls | Mount Mitchell | |||||||||
A wilderness experience awaits along Harper Creek. However, this is a relatively gentle encounter with wilderness due to its short length, moderate grade, and sparse (but useful) trail blazes. From intimate creekside scenes, to long-distance views, to close-up encounters with two major waterfalls, excellent scenery lies along this hike. You'll follow a major, free-flowing stream for several miles and cross it a total of 12 times, getting you wet up to your knees. Not recommended in winter or during high water. |
Starting at the Black Mountain Campground on the Toe River, this hike climbs 3600' over 5 1/2 miles, making it one of the toughest climbs in the area. You'll enjoy a varied forest that changes with the elevation and, of course, spectacular views. Much of the forest is old-growth, and you'll pass through stands of Red Spruce that help explain why this tree was such a valued resource. A side loop to a majestic alpine meadow helps provide round-trip variety. | |||||||||
