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.

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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.

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.

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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.