Home >
Trailheads >
Blue Ridge Parkway >
Section 4 >
Trails
Blaze Color: White
USGS Map Number: 161
Other Map ID: BRP MP 359.8
This overgrown trail travels along the western ridge of the Black Mountains. Traveling through a forest of Spruces and Firs, and also northern hardwoods. There are at times excellent views of the Cane River Valley, the eastern Black Mountains and Mount Mitchell. This is a rugged, ridgeline trail, peaking at 5720', and at times the ridge drops off steeply on both sides - where the view is exhilarating. The northern terminus of this trail is on NC 197; from Big Butt the trail descends steeply on many switchbacks to the gap.
Other Map ID: BRP MP 364.2
Map on TopoZone
This excellent trail travels from the Craggy Gardens Visitor Center up to Craggy Flats and Craggy Knob, then down to the Craggy Gardens Picnic Area. You will first reach the intersection with the Mountains to Sea and Douglas Falls trails. From here on, the path is shared with the Mountains to Sea Trail. If you were to turn left, a strenuous, rough descent would take you to the spectacular 70 foot Douglas Falls. There is a much easier way to the falls - but which requires a lot of driving on gravel roads! This moderately steep, rocky, sometimes wet trail travels first through a northern hardwood forest and then through a Southern Appalachain "heath bald" of mostly Catawba Rhododendrons. You will reach the old trail shelter - built out of large chestnut logs - where the trail splits. Turn left to head into the Flats, where blueberry pickin' in late August and early September abounds. This spur leads shortly to a great overlook of the North Fork Reservior and Graybeard Mountain. Continuing past the trail shelter, you descend moderately through more northern hardwoods to the Craggy Gardens Picnic Area after 0.9 miles. You can start the hike from either end, hike out-and-back or arrange a car shuttle to hike one-way. See Also Craggy Gardens Best Hike.
Other Map ID: BRP MP 364.2
Best Hike Using This Trail
Pictures
HikeWNC Map
Map on TopoZone
Starting at the Craggy Dome overlook, this excellent trail travels to the top of a rather pointy mountain, where a spectacular 360 degree view awaits. It is moderately steep, quite rocky, sometimes wet, and has some log steps as well, but it is well worth the effort. Traveling through a northern hardwood forest, there is a spring about halfway up - this is the headwaters for Waterfall Creek, which flows over Douglas Falls further down the mountain. Near the top, the trail travels through a heath bald - where trees are lacking but the mountain is covered with heath shrugs such as catawba rhododendron, mountain laurel, and - best of all - blueberries! Visit in late August/early September, and return full of the luscious mountain-grown treat. Just below the summit, the trail splits - head right to reach the lower overlook; head left to achieve the 5700' summit. It is worth going to both overlooks. From the top, you can see the Barnardsville valley in the west, to Mount Mitchell and Big Butt in the north, to Graybeard Mountain and the North Fork Reservior in the east, and the visitor center and Craggy Flats and Craggy Knob to the south. This view is not to be missed!
Other Map ID: BRP MP 374.4
This trail climbs steeply from the Tanbark Ridge tunnel to a historic site along the Mountains to Sea Trail. Travels not far from a cascading stream through a mixed hardwood forest. Excellent displays of mountain laurel blooms can be found in mid to late June. An easier trail to the lodge site starts just off the parkway on Ox Creek Road, and is a Best Hike on this site. See also Rattlesnake Lodge Best Hike.
