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The Hiking pages simply list trails from the various sites on these pages that are generally 5 miles or longer. We've provided links to maps and some additional information where it's available. Trail names, lengths (one-way) and difficulty levels may differ among publications. Check at park offices or ranger stations for maps and guides. For the definitive guide to hiking in North Carolina, we recommend "North Carolina Hiking Trails" by Allen de Hart, which is a source for some of the information below.
Also, Joe Miller, the former outdoors/fitness reporter for The News & Observer in Raleigh, has published "100 Classic Hikes in North Carolina" and has a companion Web site.
Mountains-to-Sea TrailThe ongoing Mountains-to-Sea Trail project is to eventually extend across the state for approximately 900 miles from Clingmans Dome in the mountains to Jockey's Ridge on the Outer Banks. More than 350 miles of it have been completed. MST directions run west-to-east, then south-to-north on the coast. The following is from the Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail Web site (linked above). There are 40 planned segments; completed segments are listed. Several designated portions of the trail that are backcountry roads (suitable for hiking or biking) are not included in the list below. Difficulty is not provided, but expect mountain trails to be strenuous with difficulty decreasing toward eastern, flatter parts of the state. The Friends site has trail maps with its descriptions.
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Section 1: Clingmans Dome in Great Smoky Mountains National Park to Oconaluftee River (Blue Ridge Parkway Milepost 469.1) in Swain County. 26.4 miles.
Section 3: Soco Gap (BRP MP 455.7) to Balsam Gap (South) (BRP MP 443.1) in Jackson County. Of 12 miles planned, 3 miles from the Woodfin Cascades overlook to U.S. 23/74 are open and blazed.
Section 4: Balsam Gap (South) at BRP MP 443.1 (U.S. 23/74) to Bear Pen Gap (BRP MP 427.6) in Jackson County. 23.3 miles.
Section 5: Bear Pen Gap (BRP MP 427.6) to Beech Gap (BRP MP 423.2 and N.C. 215) in Haywood County. 8.2 miles. This very scenic section is an excellent day hike, says the Friends site.
Section 6: Beech Gap (BRP MP 423.2 and N.C. 215) to Pisgah Inn (BRP MP 408.6) in Transylvania County. 20.4 miles. Section goes through Parkway's Graveyard Fields and past Looking Glass Falls.
Section 7: Pisgah Inn (BRP MP 408.6) to Folk Art Center (BRP MP 382) in Buncombe County. 31.1 miles. Parallels BRP through Asheville.
Section 8: Folk Art Center (BRP MP 382) to Balsam Gap (North) (BRP MP 359.8) in Buncombe County. 21.7 miles. Through Craggy Gardens on BRP.
Section 9: Balsam Gap (North) (BRP MP 359.8) to Buck Creek Gap (BRP MP 344.1) in Yancey County. 22.1 miles. Includes Mount Mitchell State Park.
Section 10: Buck Creek Gap (BRP MP 344.1 and n.C. 80) to Woodlawn Park (U.S. 221) in Yancey and McDowell counties. 12 miles. Leaves the BRP.
Section 11: Woodlawn Park (U.S. 221) to Ripshin Ridge (N.C. 181) 34 miles. Includes the Linville Gorge area, one of the most scenic parts of the MST, and views from Shortoff Mountain and Table Rock. The trail also requires wading to ford the Linville River.
Section 12: Ripshin Ridge in Burke County (N.C. 181) to Beacon Heights (BRP 305.3) in Avery County. 23.2 miles. Scenic waterfalls.
Section 13: Beacon Heights (BRP MP 305.3) near Grandfather Mountain to Blowing Rock (BRP MP 291.9 and U.S. 321) in Watauga County. 23.7 miles. Goes under Linn Cove Viaduct and includes the Tanawha Trail.
Section 16: Horse Gap (BRP MP 261.2) to Laurel Springs (N.C. 18) in Ashe, Avery and Wilkes counties. 15.2 miles.
Section 17: Laurel Springs (N.C. 18) to to Devils Garden Overlook (BRP MP 235.7) in Ashe, Avery and Wilkes counties. 13.7 miles. Passes through Doughton Park. Also incorporates the Bluff Mountain Trail, which on clear days affords views of Mt. Rogers (elv. 5,729 feet), the highest peak in Virginia.
Section 18: Devils Garden Overlook (BRP MP 235.7) to Stone Mountain State Park headquarters (Roaring Gap) in Wilkes County. 9.5 miles.
Piedmont
Section 21: From Surry County boundary through Stokes County, the section includes the Sauratown Trail connecting Pilot Mountain to Hanging Rock, and 7 miles of trails in Hanging Rock State Park. 26.8 miles. Also used as a bridle trail.
Section 24: Summerfield Road at U.S. 220 to Bryan Park (off Lee's Chapel Road and Southshore Road) in Greensboro in Guilford County. 20.6 miles. This section includes six trails, including the Owl's Roost Trail, bordering three lakes, including Lake Brandt and Lake Townsend.
Section 27: Shinleaf Recreation Area campground at Falls Lake State Recreation Area to Falls Lake Dam on Falls of Neuse Road in Raleigh. 21.7 miles.
Coast
Section 36 (partial): Route includes the Neusiok Trail from the Neuse River at Pine Cliff Recreation Area (N.C. 306) north of Havelock to the Newport River at Oyster Point campground near Newport in Croatan National Forest. 20.9 miles.
Section 38: Cedar Island Ferry to Cape Hatteras National Seashore, to Jockeys Ridge State Park in Nags Head (N.C. 12 on Bodie Island) in Dare County. 111.5 miles. This section includes the Cape Hatteras Beach Trail.
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