Located at milepost 316.5 along the Blue Ridge Parkway, Linville Falls moves in several distinct steps, beginning in a twin set of upper falls, passing through a small twisty gorge, and culminating in a high-volume 45-foot plunge. The Linville River flows from its headwaters high on the steep slopes of Grandfather Mountain and cascades through these falls as it begins a nearly 2,000 foot descent through this rugged and spectacularly beautiful gorge. Linville Falls has the highest volume of any waterfall on the northern edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Towering hemlocks, dense stands of rhododendron, and native wildflowers grow along the trails that begin at the Visitor Center and encircle the falls. I hiked the Linville Falls trail system on Thursday, May 16, 2019 beginning at 12:00PM and finishing about 3:00PM. My plan was to explore all the trails that depart from the Linville Falls Visitor Center.

Linville Falls Trail System Map

This day was a two-pronged treat for me. First, driving the ~80 miles from the North Carolina Arboretum to Linville Falls on the Blue Ridge Parkway with its many exciting features along the way. Second, hiking the trail system at the location with the ability to view this dramatic waterfall from five different vantage points.

The Parkway drive is like a roller coaster, going up and down and around, traveling from 3,000 feet to above 6,000 at Craggy Gardens and Mt. Mitchell, then back down to the Crabtree Falls region and on to Linville Falls. The foliage was a mixture of spring green at the lower elevations, to still waiting up at the very tops. As usual, Craggy Gardens was awash in morning fog, but was bluebird clear on the way back in the afternoon.

The Linville Falls recreation area is located at mile 316.5 on the Parkway. It includes a campground, picnic area, and trail system that surrounds the waterfalls. Two main hiking trails lead to multiple views of Linville Falls. Both begin at the Visitor Center and pass through remnants of a virgin hemlock forest mixed with other familiar tree species such as white pine, oak, hickory, and birch. A colorful and varied display of wildflowers decorates the trails in spring. A third trail makes a short trip to a smaller waterfall on Duggins Creek.

Erwins View Trail

This is a moderate 1.6 mile round-trip walk, offering four distinct overlooks, each revealing a different aspect of the Linville Falls area. Go past the Visitor Center and cross the footbridge over Linville River. You will have a rise over the first couple hundred yards followed by the same grade decline.

The first overlook is a half mile from the Visitor Center, and is a moderate walk with a slight loss of elevation. Here, the Linville River spills gently over the twin upper falls where it widens and pauses before picking up momentum. Drifting into a narrow twisty canyon, the water suddenly spirals out of sight and crashes loudly 45 feet over the lower falls.

The next overlook, Chimney View, 0.7 mile from the Visitor Center, is the first point on the trail where the lower falls can be seen. It offers an opportunity to photograph both the upper and lower falls. You can also see the Plunge Basin Overlook across the river. This overlook is named for the chimney-like rock outcroppings located to the right of the waterfall. The trail here is fairly strenuous, with a couple hundred feet of elevation gain, then you give some of it back as you descend several stairs to the platform.

Continuing farther up the hill, at Gorge View Overlook you can see the Linville River cutting its way through the Linville Gorge Wilderness Area. Unfortunately no looks at the iconic Hawksbill and Tablerock Mountains as they are around the bend out of view.

Just another 150 feet and the Erwins View Trail ends at Erwins View Overlook, 0.8 mile from the Visitor Center. From this vantage point you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Linville Gorge and a somewhat distant view of the upper and lower falls. You might want to bring a zoom lens to get your best shots.

Linville Gorge Trail

The trails to Linville Gorge (1.4 miles round trip) and to Plunge Basin (1 mile round trip) also start at the Visitor Center, on the parking lot side of the restrooms. The trailhead is kind of hidden among the rhododendrons.

The trail to Linville Gorge forks two tenths mile from the Visitor Center, with the right fork taking you to Plunge Basin Overlook where you can view the lower falls and the Chimneys. I think this one is the best view of all. That’s the look in the photo at the top of this post. If you happen to time it just right, when the rhododendron is in bloom, or when the oaks and hickories are crimson and gold in fall, it only adds to an already spectacular scene. The last 100 feet down to the platform consists of several stairs. Remember that on the way back up.

The left fork of Linville Gorge Trail winds down through rock cliffs to the bottom of the falls where the force of the cascading water creates a large pool. Don’t be tempted to swim here. It is quite dangerous, and also prohibited. Both of these trails are moderately strenuous, especially on the way back up.

Speaking of Linville Gorge, the Wilderness Area has more than a dozen other trails for the serious-minded hiker. I have trekked several of them in the past. You can see my reports here. By the way, did you know that Linville Gorge Wilderness was the first so designated back in the 1960s? The 1964 Wilderness Act created the National Wilderness Preservation System, which protects nearly 110 million acres of wilderness areas from coast to coast… and Linville Gorge was the very first.

Once you’re returned to the Visitor Center, don’t forget to give Duggins Creek Trail a chance. It starts the same place as the gorge trail and heads to the left. It is three tenths of a mile through thick forest to a footbridge over Duggins Creek where you get a somewhat muted view of Duggins Creek Falls through all the rhododendron that lines the creek. This one is actually best viewed in winter when there is not as much foliage obstructing the view.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

Most of the attention in Linville Gorge is focused on the northern features. There are more trails, higher peaks, and family recreation areas. But the south gorge is every bit as compelling and beautiful, with spectacular panoramic views up the gorge and westward to Pisgah National Forest and the Blue Ridge Mountains. Shortoff Mountain is a thousand feet lower than its more famous brethren to the north — Tablerock and Hawksbill — but it also offers unobstructed views of Lake James to the south. Hiking this trail is a sweet shortcut to the sheer cliffs on the rim of Shortoff Mountain. They stand high above the Linville River below, so watch your step, but enjoy the scenic gorge that surrounds you. This hike occurred on Thursday, October 6, 2011 from 9:55am to about 1:40pm. The plan was to take the Shortoff Mountain Trail from Wolfpit Road to the summit of Shortoff Mountain and wander around on the plateau checking out the scenic views of Linville Gorge. Return would be via the same trail.

View Shortoff Mountain Trail, Linville Gorge Wilderness in a larger map

Drought induced fire ravaged Shortoff Mountain twice in the past decade, first in 2002, then again in 2007. It’s a double-edge sword however. The blackened tree stumps and remains are tolerable because the vistas are wide open. Without the tree cover, everything that was previously not visible along the trail now comes into view. The forest is doing a good job of regenerating already, and we happened to hit it just as the sumac and other low-lying ground cover were displaying their richest autumn regalia. Without the forest cover though, be sure to be prepared for bright sunshine with sunscreen and a cap.

All of the 1300 feet of elevation gain on this hike occurs in the first mile, so it is a steady upward climb right from the trailhead. We began to see evidence of those fires almost immediately, and also the erosion that occurred before revegetation. The trail itself has become a drainage channel from the mountain above, so it is very rocky and beginning to trench in spots. I would definitely recommend wearing thick soled hiking shoes or boots so your feet can withstand all the rocks.

After about 15 minutes of climbing, be sure to start looking behind you because Lake James and the surrounding valley are there to behold. At first we could see the fingers of the Linville River backed up behind the dam. The higher we climbed, more of the full expanse of the lake came into view, including the section behind the Catawba River Dam. The South Mountains are visible beyond the lake, and the massive edge of the Blue Ridge Escarpment appears to the west.

As we cleared the few stands of trees near the bottom that were spared in the fires, the trail began to get steeper; so the switchbacks started. Nearly all the rest of the upward climb is done on switchbacks — a good thing — because it’s a significant incline. After about a half mile of climbing we reached the beginning of the rocky outcroppings, and our first views within the south end of Linville Gorge itself. These outcrops are like benches; nice places to sit and rest for awhile. The thread that is Linville River is visible below, but mostly guarded by the thick forest along the river’s edge.

The lower trail goes through one more series of switchbacks before reaching the plateau. You’ll know you are there when you pass a small piped spring along the right side of the very narrow trail. The spring water immediately drops off the left side of the trail to the depths below. Just around the bend is a short spur trail to the first cliff overlook. It’s a long way down, so be very careful. There are plenty of toe snags to trip and stumble — not a good place to do that. From this first cliff we could see the western edge of Lake James to the south, and northward the very large rock wall along Shortoff Mountain’s western rim that is home to the peregrine falcons. Rock climbers love this cliff wall, but it is closed to climbing during the falcon nesting season from January 15 – August 15.

The 2883′ top of Shortoff Mountain is a large plateau. The trail alternates between following the cliff edge, and plunging into the young, rejuvenating forest… and it’s flat. Whew, what a relief! On this early October day we were treated to excellent autumn colorings from the ground cover and wildflowers. From purple daisies to the bright yellow of the goldenrod, the red sumac and the evergreen pine, all topped by a brilliant blue sky that was crystal clear. It was a visual Fall delight.

Pausing for a few breaks on the way up, it took us an hour and 20 minutes to reach a very large opening along the western cliff face that gave us our first complete view of the full gorge northward. There is a rock rim about 50 feet long with bench like terraces that looked exactly like lunch. We dropped our packs, pulled out our sandwiches and fruit, and sat in awe of the stellar view of Tablerock and Hawksbill Mountains to the north. We could make out the river artery 1300 feet below and Linville Mountain along the western flank. Further north up Jonas Ridge was Sitting Bear Mountain and the gaps between mountains where the trails down to the river begin.

In the near distance we could see The Chimneys on the southern side of Tablerock Mountain and the sharp slope down to the North Carolina Wall, another haven for rock climbers. We talked fondly of that really windy day when we hiked down that slope to peer into The Amphitheater, as well as looking south at the cliffs of Shortoff where we were now enjoying our lunch. I love the perspective I am developing by seeing all the features of Linville Gorge from each other; and there’s so much more yet to explore as there are 39 miles of trails within the wilderness. I’ve only done about half so far.

After getting sated and re-energized by lunch, we continued our northward trek. The famous Mountains to the Sea trail joins the Shortoff Trail on the plateau and is identified by white blaze circles on trees. I was frankly surprised to see the blaze marks because I didn’t think they were allowed in designated wilderness. We passed two camping areas, well protected within the pines that were spared by fire. We saw a camping couple at the first, still enjoying the hammocks they had deployed amid the pines. The 2nd camping area had another overlook to explore. Following a bit of rock scrambling, we found a nice view of the west rim of the gorge.

The trail curls toward the center of the plateau from this point and becomes a nice stroll through young forest. There wasn’t any particular other destination for us, so it just became a matter of when to turn back, as eventually the trail winds tortuously down into Chimney Gap. We were quite surprised to come upon a marshy area with a small pond about 30 feet in diameter. It was quite scenic, with tall grasses around, and a clutch of colorful deciduous trees behind it. This seemed as good a place as any to turn around. If we missed the best overlook, or some other awesome sight by not going far enough, perhaps Lori Beth from Hiking the High Country can give me a swift kick in the behind.

On the way back we stopped at what I thought was the best overlook. The campers from before were up and about now and packing their gear away. Being a Meanderthal, I boldly asked if it would be okay to interrupt their solitude and walk to the overlook through their campsite. They were extremely gracious, even joking that they didn’t own the wilderness. I’m really glad we stopped. This was the best and closest view of the giant massifs to the north up gorge. We also happened to catch a trio of buzzards floating high above on the wind currents checking to see if we old farts might be a meal. Joe Miller in his 100 Classic Hikes in North Carolina thinks this might be one of the best views in all of NC, and it is certainly right up there. Stunning!

We thanked the campers again on the way out and headed back south. We stopped one more time at all the overlooks to get some more pictures and marveled for the umpteenth time how majestic and awesome Linville Gorge is. It happens every time I go. Maybe one day I will move closer so it isn’t a two hour drive. On the way down the sun was higher in the sky, so we weren’t looking directly into it at Lake James like we were on the way up. The afternoon sun seemed to make the foliage even brighter and more colorful than before. While the fires left ugly scars on the mountain that will last for decades, they also enabled views that didn’t exist before when there was a forest canopy. I think an even trade.

I have yet to have a bad experience in the Linville Gorge Wilderness. The scenery and atmosphere are awe-inspiring whether hiking along the ridges and cliffs on the east rim or dropping down into the gorge for whitewater river adventures from the west. Shortoff Mountain is no exception. It is a wonderful, and short hike, enabling us to take our time and really enjoy the grand vistas. This trail sure is a whole lot easier than wandering through Chimney Gap from the north to get there. My special thanks to Lori Beth de Hertogh for turning me on to this quick and sweet shortcut to Shortoff Mountain.

For additional tips, information, and useful links, please visit the following: Tips on Linville Gorge

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

I will probably always be comparing Linville Gorge west rim trails that go down to the river to the Babel Tower Trail because that is the first one I hiked. Conley Cove is not quite as difficult because, unlike the straight-line trail that is Babel Tower, Conley Cove is a long continuous series of switchbacks. But, it is still a stern test of strength and stamina. This popular area has the unique distinction of having both a vista trail and a gorge trail. Before heading down, down, down into the gorge, the Rock Jock Trail enables hikers to find an overlook on the west rim that offers views of Sitting Bear, Hawksbill, Tablerock and Shortoff Mountains along the east rim. Throw in a great look at The Chimneys and The Amphitheater, and Rock Jock is an ideal spot for taking in all the east rim features from across the gorge. This hike took place on Thursday, May 19, 2011. We started at 10:00AM and finished about 3:30PM with lots of scrambling around on the boulders at river level to find the best pictures. The goal was to take the Rock Jock fork to check out the rim views before backtracking to the Conley Cove Trail for the descent into the gorge. If possible, we hoped to go about ½ mile upriver along the Linville Gorge Trail, then return to the west rim the way we came.

View Rock Jock and Conley Cove Trails, Linville Gorge Wilderness in a larger map

As I was putting my gear on to start this hike, I was going through a mental checklist like I always do. Have I changed from my sneakers to my hiking shoes? Have I put my gaiters on? Pack? Camera? Sunglasses? As my brother and I headed out on the trail, I just had this feeling I was forgetting something. You know, you’ve felt it before. Well, about ¼ mile down the trail it hit me. My sandwich! Good thing I remembered. So back to the car to get it out of the cooler. I’d much rather do the extra ½ mile to backtrack than get to the bottom of the trail and realize I didn’t have my lunch. Man does not live on granola bars alone.

Not far past where we turned around before, we came to the split that goes to Rock Jock Trail. This trail is unusual for the west rim in that it is an overlook trail. Everything else on the west side goes down into the gorge. Not far up the path is a campsite, and a shortcut trail to the west rim road that would save half a mile if you were only going to Rock Jock. The laurels and rhodies were just starting to bloom; probably about four days early for the peak flowering. Oh well, the blooms that were out were lovely. The trail is mostly level with a moderate gain of about 200 feet over 1.4 miles, so it’s an easy hike for all ages. Easy, as in not strenuous, but it is rocky and narrow. Be careful with children near the cliffs though.

The trail reaches the cliff area and follows the ridge for about ¼ mile. This was the prime photo taking opportunity for me, but like Wiseman’s View it is best in the late afternoon when the sun is behind you. I’ve been to Linville Gorge enough now that I can recognize all the landmarks on the east rim. From north to south they are Sitting Bear, Hawksbill, Tablerock, The Chimneys, The Amphitheater, Chimney Gap, and lastly Shortoff Mountain. I couldn’t quite see Lake James from Rock Jock, but I know it was hidden down there behind Shortoff. I think the vista here rivals Wiseman’s View and you can see the south gorge better simply because it is closer. There are nice rocks to sit a spell and enjoy all that surrounds you. Even though it isn’t on a lot of the maps, Rock Jock Trail continues on southward and meets up with the rim road again, but we turned around at this point to go back to the Conley Cove Trail.

Well, it was time to take the plunge. All the west rim trails to the Linville River are steep and treacherous. Once you make your commitment to go down, you know it will be a tough, rough haul getting back up. I’m glad I remembered that sandwich. Conley Cove Trail is a series of many, many switchbacks. It crosses under the cliffs that were part of Rock Jock for the first little while. The trail is very narrow, the spring botany was already beginning to surround the trail. Like other gorge hikes it is also rocky, so I was careful at all times to watch where I stepped. Occasionally there was a small clearing in the trees where there was a nice glimpse at Tablerock Mountain. We passed a couple duos of hikers who were coming back up and each was huffing and puffing, a friendly reminder of what we had in store later. Two of the guys were with the Department of Fish and Game and were carrying fish tank packs on their backs. They had been down at the river stocking trout. Cool.

It’s 1.35 miles total down to the river. It took us about 55 minutes with a few stops for photos. When we reached the river there were probably a dozen primitive campsites. I assume this area is called Conley Cove… seemed good to me. We promptly plopped down on a great big log and had lunch. That sandwich I almost left in the car sure hit the spot. The water in the river was relatively tame here, but our plans were to head up river and look for some whitewater.

Near one of the fire circles I saw about a dozen red-spotted purple butterflies seemingly having an orgy. As I got closer, I could see they were having a feeding frenzy on 5-6 dead bumblebees. You learn something new every day out in the wilderness. Using the Linville Gorge Trail, a few hundred yards upriver, there was a series of boulders that crossed the river just right so I could hop from one to another and get out in the middle of the river. The photo at the top of this post came from that spot. From here, my brother and I kinda played photo tag. He went a hundred yards upriver and we exchanged shots of each other. Then, I leapfrogged him a hundred yards beyond and we exchanged pictures again. Finally we could see there was a pretty decent sized waterfall maybe 300 yards upstream. Getting there was the challenge. We couldn’t do it at river level, because it got more canyon-like.

The gorge trail started climbing steeply uphill, and uphill more until we were quite a ways from the waterfall that was our goal. We thought maybe we could go past the falls on the trail and it would come back to the river, but we ran into a roadblock. There have been some pretty severe wind storms in this area the past month (like most of the country), and we ran into a whole mess of downed trees. The trail was completely blocked with no way around. It was too steep to go down, and fruitless to go up, so we backtracked and looked for another spot to access the waterfall. Eventually we found a place where we could bushwhack about 50 feet downhill and reach the river bank near the falls. We had to scramble over some rocks and logs, but found a great place to view from. My brother setup his panorama tripod and captured the whole scene in 360°. We stayed for a bit to enjoy the water and the sunshine.

On the way back down gorge, we went maybe 200 yards past Conley Cove just to check it out, but didn’t see anything that looked promising, so we decided to gut check and start the climb. The hike back up the Conley Cove Trail was a trudge as I suspected, but frankly it wasn’t as hard as Babel Tower because of the switchbacks. I had plenty of water left, so I made sure to stay hydrated. We saw a couple more pairs of hikers who were getting a late start going down to the river. The beardtongue had really blossomed while we were down at the river, so that was a nice treat to take our minds off the climb. It took us 70 minutes to get back to the car from the river — not too shabby for a couple of fifty-something Meanderthals.

For additional tips, information, and useful links, please visit the following: Tips on Linville Gorge

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

Linville Gorge runs north to south and has two entirely different rims. Trails on the west rim start on top and go down into the gorge to Linville River. Trails on the east rim go to a series of mountains that offer views into the full length of the gorge, and of the North Carolina Piedmont to the east and the Black Mountains to the west. There are a couple downward trails on the east rim, but the biggest attraction is the mountains. It is fully 2000 feet from these mountaintops to the Linville River below. Hawksbill and Tablerock Mountains are two of these peaks on the east rim that stand tall above the gorge. This hike occurred on May 20, 2011 beginning at 8:00AM and ending about 2:30PM. The plan was to climb Hawksbill Mountain first, then drive south on FR 210 to the Tablerock picnic area and climb to the summit of Tablerock Mountain. Returning to the picnic area we would then take the Shortoff Trail through The Chimneys and on to the North Carolina Wall and The Amphitheater. It would be a full day since we had a 2 1/2 hour drive back home.

View Hawksbill and Tablerock Mountains, Linville Gorge Wilderness in a larger map

It’s a good idea to stretch before any hike, but Hawksbill starts up right from the trailhead, and continues up for the entire 7/10 mile. Most hiking and trail guides rate this climb as moderate, mostly because it is short. It is quite strenuous though, so I always make sure to limber up. The trail itself is not in the best condition, basically a trench from over use that has become a drainage channel for storm runoff. That compounds the problem by adding lots of rocks to the channel. There are two areas on the trail where the problem has become so severe, the trail volunteers have built detours around the troublesome footage.

My brother and I happened to catch the beginning of rhododendron season on this mid-May morning. It’s a good thing digital photography is essentially free as I was shooting nearly every rhodo bloom I came upon. My brother is the one who taught me to pace myself on the trail. I sometimes tend to be a jackrabbit because I am anxious to see what awaits me, but then I wear down by the end of the day. On this day it was a good idea to stop and smell the rhodies, as there were lots of short bursts of strenuous climbing throughout the day.

The last tenth mile before the faux summit is probably the hardest. One of the trail detours is here, and it climbs very steeply over rocky terrain. When we reached the top, the trail split, to two different overlooks. The actual summit of Hawksbill Mountain is to the right, then up about another 200 yards.

The summit of Hawksbill is exposed granite, with lots of layers reaching out like scales on a fish. The tips are both pointed and jagged, creating an effect that looks like the bill of a hawk, hence the name. The profile of the mountain is unmistakable, you can recognize it from miles around as you approach Linville Gorge. There is scattered vegetation among the rock that makes up the summit overlook. There is rhododendron of course, but also mountain laurel, and the nicest surprise for our visit… the sand myrtle was in full bloom and looked delightful.

The views from the summit are 360 degrees. To the north is Sitting Bear Mountain and the north gorge, looking east reveals a massive forest that runs to the NC piedmont, the southern view is of Tablerock and Shortoff Mountains with The Chimneys in between, and the Black Mountains can be seen in the distance to the west. It is a magnificent spot with lots of places to sit and enjoy the surroundings — and catch a little breather. I never can decide which direction I like best, they are all wonderful. Back down to the faux summit, taking the left fork of the trail goes to the southern end of Hawksbill to an overlook that provides a closeup view of Tablerock Mountain and the south gorge below. This isn’t quite as high as the summit, but has the best southerly view. The return trip to the trailhead is the same path as up, and always seems a whole lot quicker than the climb. It is, after all, only 0.7 mile. I always like popping back out to the parking area because it’s time to head to the next trail.

There’s a bit of a drive down Forest Road 210 to get to the Tablerock Picnic Area parking. It is first 2.0 miles to the turnoff, then a right turn begins climbing steeply up the gravel road. The first time you do this, you will be surprised after about a mile and a half when you reach a smoothly paved asphalt road, out there in the wilderness. This is the steepest part of the road. My guess is they got tired of bringing a road grader up there every year to get rid of the washboard effect and decided to pave it. Finally, 2.8 miles up Tablerock Road is the parking area. There is room for dozens of cars, and there are several picnic tables and campsites for families of all ages. There are also pit toilet restroom facilities.

The trail to the summit of Tablerock Mountain is on the northern end of the parking area. It is 1.0 mile to the top on a trail that is more gradual than Hawksbill. There are a couple other nice differences from the Hawksbill trail. The Tablerock trail is a lot better maintained as it is also the Mountains to the Sea Trail at this point. As you climb, unlike Hawksbill which is totally in the woods, there are clearings in the Tablerock trail where there are nice views to the west and the south. The clouds were doing particularly unusual things on this day so we got quite a show on our way up. There was blue sky, puffy white clouds, and grey threatening clouds. It seemed like the sky changed around every bend in the trail.

The summit of Tablerock is quite long, probably 200 feet of accessible area. I can’t see quite as much up there because it isn’t as high as Hawksbill, plus there is more vegetation on Tablerock, but because of its length there are a variety of viewing points. One difference from Hawksbill is the clear view of the western half of Lake James. The eastern side of the lake is hidden behind The Chimneys and Shortoff Mountain. The Chimneys are very clearly visible — I can follow the narrow ridge that approaches the cliffs — it makes me want to go there, so invariably I do. Tablerock is also said to grow an endangered plant, golden heather. Linville Gorge is apparently the only place in the world where it is found. Unfortunately, on my two trips to the top of Tablerock, I have yet to see any blooming.

Turning around to the north, the stony visage of Hawksbill is seemingly close enough to touch, and the Linville River carves its relentless canyon through the bottom of the gorge. If you are into panoramic photography, both Tablerock and Hawksbill have excellent surfaces for stabilizing your tripod. You probably don’t want to get caught up top in bad weather, because you are so exposed, but so far I have been fortunate. I tend to want to explore every little nook on the mountaintop, so I usually stay close to an hour. Jumping from rock to rock is almost like a childhood game of hopscotch. It’s great fun. The return to the parking is via the same trail. My brother and I continued on to the Shortoff Trail after we got down, but I have already written about that previously.

I am simply fascinated by the beauty that can be seen from these two mountains that overlook Linville Gorge. I never get tired of looking in every direction each time I go to the top of the gorge. If I lived closer, I would hike every square inch of Linville Gorge. Some call it the Grand Canyon of the East. I don’t know that I would go that far, but Linville Gorge Wilderness is indeed a treasure.

For additional tips, information, and useful links, please visit the following: Tips on Linville Gorge

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

Explorer William Linville and his sons were scalped by Indians in 1766 in what would eventually become known as Linville Gorge. I do believe I’d be fine with going through life not having anything named for me. The Linville Gorge Wilderness in Burke County, NC was one of the first protected areas in the country under the Wilderness Act of 1964. I’ve enjoyed this rugged country a number of times now. The west rim of the gorge is known for its steep descents down to Linville River, while the east rim is a series of spectacular mountaintop climbs that offer 360 degree views of the gorge below and the surrounding Pisgah National Forest. The area is isolated and primitive… you would expect that in a wilderness area. I’ve learned to be totally focused on what I’m doing when hiking Linville Gorge Wilderness. This hike took place on Thursday, April 28, 2011. We started at 9:50AM and finished about 1:15PM with longish stops at the river to marvel, and on the Babel Tower for lunch. The goal was to descend the Babel Tower Trail to the Linville River at the bottom of the gorge, then stop at Babel Tower on the way back up.

View Babel Tower Trail, Linville Gorge Wilderness in a larger map

The last time I did this hike I must have been having a bad day because when I finished, I was whupped. I sweat so much that day, I could ring my shirt out. I hung it out the car window to dry while I was driving back to the main road. I learned on that day, again, not to wear cotton on a hot summer day. So, I knew to expect to be tired. I exercised a little bit less the day before. I went on a day when the temperature was in the high-fifties rather than the mid-eighties, and I wore seasonal appropriate, wicking clothing. This was still a very strenuous hike despite the short length. The bottom line was, the climb back up is 1300 feet in just 1.3 miles. The down was no slouch either. It was rugged, rocky primitive terrain that was hard to navigate. The trail starts out benign enough, but within 1/4 mile we encountered the roots, and then the rocks. Babel Tower is a wilderness trail. Yes, there is a modicum of maintenance, but there is something new every step waiting to stub your toe, or sprain your ankle. There are downed trees across the trail. Some we went over… some we went under… some we went around.

What I wasn’t expecting was blooms on the mountain laurel. That usually happens around here in mid-May, but it seems everything has been a couple weeks early this year because of a very mild February. We saw the first bloom at about 3300 feet. The further we went down, the more there were. The wild iris was also blooming its magnificent shade of royal blue. The flowering was truly an unexpected treat. After about 1/2 mile, the trail begins to pop out of the forest a bit, so there are views of the north gorge. It’s a nice introduction to the beauty that lies ahead. Over the course of the next 1/3 mile down to Babel Tower there are occasional outcroppings that offer long distance views to the south of Hawksbill Mountain and Table Rock Mountain, as well as the first glimpse of Babel Tower below.

We reached Babel Tower after about 50 minutes, but saw there was a couple packing up their camp. So we decided to continue down the trail to the river, and to visit the tower on the way back up. The last 200 feet of down is done in about two tenths of a mile. Here the Babel Tower Trail merges with the Cabin Trail and the Linville Gorge Trail. This is the most treacherous, rugged stretch. We scrambled over and around large boulders and massive root systems. We definitely were on our toes to avoid slips, trips and falls. All along the trail we could hear the river rushing below, an encouraging sign that heightened our excitement. About 200 yards from the river, the trail makes a very sharp right turn (make note of this for your return back up), then heads very steeply down. I had to do some sliding on my butt to get safely down some of the rocks left slippery by the previous night’s rain.

Let me tell you, the climb to the bottom was worth every root and rock and sticker bush along the way when I stepped out of the forest and onto the rocks that lined this stretch of the Linville River. There are rapids there, so my ears were filled with the exhilarating sound of roaring water. The mountain laurel were in full bloom and the tulip trees were beginning to open their petals so my nose inhaled their succulent scents. Both upriver and downriver the scene was enlightening. There were cascading creeks stumbling down the mountainside to add their bounty to the river. The night before had been the horrible storms that came through this area after leaving their unimaginable devastation in Alabama, so the river was running mightily.

My buddy and I stayed about 30 minutes swallowing the scenery, and a snack. There were a lot of rocks here to clamber on and over, so I examined the rapids from every angle. There is a trail that runs the 12-mile length of Linville Gorge along the river’s edge. In this area, however, there was no obvious way to navigate the sheer, canyon-like walls of rock. I understand why the gorge trail leaves the river and climbs up and over Babel Tower at this point. We hated to leave, but were also anxious to see what Babel Tower had to offer on this day.

As hard as that final descent was, the climb back up was even harder. It was very strenuous, on lungs and on thighs. Having been here before though, I was excited about what was waiting above. We got temporarily lost and confused for a minute when we couldn’t make out the trail. Finally, my friend noticed an arrow carved in the back side of a hemlock tree that indicated the proper direction. This was that sharp turn I mentioned above. After about 25 minutes of huffing and puffing we reached Babel Tower, and a small crowd. The couple we encountered before had finished packing, but were still there, and now they were joined by a family from the Boston area made up of two teen children, their dog, and their stressed forty-something parents. I asked the couple how the storm was the night before, and they said it was really, really windy. We kind of traded places with all of them, as they headed down to the river, and we stopped to explore Babel Tower.

The granite tower stands 60-70 feet high and has sheer cliff faces on three sides that drop more than 200 feet to the river below. Be sure to watch your step. There are several flat, protected areas that are ideal for camping. The northerly view featured rapids on the river, and the southerly view was filled with Hawksbill and Table Rock Mountains. We could also see the east rim of the gorge, inviting us to explore sometime. Seemingly the entire surface was covered with blooming mountain laurel, a pink sensual delight. As we stopped for lunch, we pulled out the trail map to examine the destinations of all the trails that wind in and out of the ridges and gaps along the west rim of the gorge. You can hike for days in the Linville Gorge Wilderness.

Time to suck it up and take on the brutal challenge that was the return up Babel Tower Trail. We had plenty of time, and I knew from experience not to be in any hurry. We paused for a couple moments breather and a few pictures every 15-20 minutes. About half way up was a strategically perfect log placed right on a bend in the trail that overlooks the east rim and the north gorge. It was an ideal opportunity to take our packs off for a few minutes and review all the beautiful sights we had seen. I was pleased with my stamina so far; I was sucking wind by this point the summer before. The last 1/2 mile is a reminder of the loose rocks and roots we encountered on the way down. I can’t stress enough the importance of paying attention along this stretch of the trail. It would be so easy to trip and fall or turn an ankle. We reached our car barely more than an hour after we left Babel Tower. I was amazed how much better I felt than last summer, and won’t be intimidated by this hike in the future. It was a great day; beautiful weather, fantastic scenery, and a pure delight being out and about in the Linville Gorge Wilderness.

For additional tips, information, and useful links, please visit the following: Tips on Linville Gorge

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

Formal protection of the Linville Gorge began in 1952, when the land was purchased with funds donated by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. When the Wilderness Act was approved by Congress and signed into law by President Johnson in 1964, the Linville Gorge Wilderness became one of the first formally designated Wilderness areas of the new National Wilderness Preservation System. Wonderful news for future generations, as this wilderness that covers more than 12,000 acres will remain in the same pristine condition for centuries to come. The area is filled with trails that wind through thickets of mountain laurel and descend into Linville Gorge, one of the most rugged and scenic gorges in the east. It is fully 2,000 feet from the gorge’s rim to the Linville River below. This hike occurred on October 21, 2010 beginning at 8:30AM and ending about 2:00PM. The plan was to climb Sitting Bear Mountain on the east rim in the north gorge, then drive south on FR 210 to the Tablerock area and take the Shortoff Trail through The Chimneys and on to the North Carolina Wall and The Amphitheater.

View Sitting Bear Mountain and Shortoff Trail, Linville Gorge Wilderness in a larger map

It’s nearly a 2 1/2 hour drive from our homes to the Linville Gorge, so we got a very early start on this day. We arrived at the Sitting Bear Mountain trailhead at about 8:30AM. The trail to the summit is not long, it’s only about a mile round trip, but the last half of the climb is some of the steepest terrain I have ever hiked on. Hands were required on this dirt trail. On this particular day we were also faced with a steady 25 mph wind with gusts at 40. The summit of Sitting Bear is a very exposed rock outcrop with a several hundred foot drop on the gorge side, so that wind definitely got our attention. But the view south down gorge is stupendous. You can see each of the mountains on the east rim lined up; Hawksbill, Table Rock, and Shortoff, with the Chimneys in between. There is also a beautiful view north of Pisgah National Forest, and the west rim across the gorge.

On the way back down, we took a little diversion on the Devil’s Hole Trail. It heads down into the gorge and we wanted to see how steep is was for a potential future hike. We went about 1/4 mile down, then came back up.

It is approximately three miles on FR 210 south to the connecting road to Table Rock, then another 0.7 mile up the very steep, but partially paved, Tablerock Road. There is a nice picnic and parking area at the top of the road, and trailheads to Table Rock Mountain (another very nice hike in itself) and down gorge on the Shortoff Trail (also part of the Mountains to the Sea Trail).

The first thing I noticed on the Shortoff Trail is that it is a very narrow ridge with steep drops on both sides, and boy was it windy.
It’s about 15-20 minutes to a series of bluffs where we could get right on the edge, like Polaroid Point, and see the Linville River way below, and view the two Tablerock Mountains behind us. There is a deep drop in the trail, then scrambling up and over rock, and squeezing through slots to get to the area known as The Chimneys. This is an extremely popular area with experienced rock and rope climbers. On the day we were there, they were conducting a climbing school for college students. The wind was making just about everyone balk at scaling 40′ to the top. I couldn’t blame them.

It had been recommended to us, by someone who had been on this trail before, that we look for the side-trail to the North Carolina Wall and The Amphitheater. Supposedly there was a cairn of white quartz setup on the right side of the trail about 10 minutes past The Chimneys that marked access to these features. We were told if the Shortoff Trail starts descending steeply into Chimney Gap that we have gone too far. Well, we found the cairn and started down the side of the gorge. This trail descended quite steeply too.

The recommendation we received was spot on. It was very much worth it to hike down to the NC Wall and Amphitheater. The rock is sheer and there are great views into the gorge, as well as long distance views of the south and north gorge. The photo at the top of this post of Linville River and Shortoff Mountain was take from here. We stopped for lunch at this spot and stayed for probably 45 minutes because it was quite magnificent. Too bad it was so windy. We really had to be careful when we got near cliff edges. The trail down to the Wall and Amphitheater was not real well trodden, so we had a short bit of trouble getting back up the right way, but eventually we made our way back to the Shortoff Trail. We hiked a little bit further south, just to the edge when the trail begins plunging into Chimney Gap, then turned around for our return. When we went back by The Chimneys, those cautious, inexperienced college rope climbers were still doing more talking than climbing.

Best HikeIt took us 5 1/2 hours on this day, but we stopped a lot to take in the scenery, and enjoy the day. Linville Gorge is a fabulous place. I’ve been on hikes from the west rim down into the gorge on the Babel Tower Trail, and to the summits of Hawksbill and Tablerock Mountains, where there are stunning views of the river a couple thousand feet below. If I didn’t live so far away, I am positive I would hike in the gorge a lot more frequently that I do. There are two dozen maintained trails in the Wilderness area, some with very strenuous hiking. Because the area is designated wilderness, there are only trailhead markers, no other signs or blazes inside the wilderness. So topo maps and a compass will be handy. Linville Gorge also is a haven for kayakers and fishing enthusiasts. I rate Linville Gorge Wilderness as a best hike.

For additional tips, information, and useful links, please visit the following: Tips on Linville Gorge

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.