HikeWNC Trail Details: Craggy Pinnacle
Description
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 blueberries. 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!
Please note that the Craggy Pinnacle trail's future existence is at risk, due to the prevalence of rare and endangered species of plants on or near the summit, and the impact that hikers leaving the trail has on them. The Blue Ridge Parkway Draft General Management Plan / Environmental Impact Statement recommends closing the trail completely. Visit the link to view the plan and comment on it until December 16. It might be years before a closure actually happens; until then, it is illegal to leave the established trail surface (for blueberry picking or any other purpose) by a Parkway Superintendent's Compendium issued in August of 2010.
Details
Trailhead: Craggy Gardens Area
Overall Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 0.73mi
Steepness: Climbs Moderately
Tread Condition: Some Obstacles
Other Map ID: BRP MP 364.2
Allowed Uses: Hiking
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