Yellow Mountain: Yellow Mountain contains 4.8 miles of
slopes that ascends to an elevation of 5,127 feet.
Whiteside Mountain: Whiteside Mountain has a two (2) mile
loop that ascends to an elevation of 4,940 feet.
Rock Mountain Trail Just a 0.8 miles trip to 4,400 ft. elevation
slopes that ascends to an elevation of 5,127 feet.
Whiteside Mountain: Whiteside Mountain has a two (2) mile
loop that ascends to an elevation of 4,940 feet.
Rock Mountain Trail Just a 0.8 miles trip to 4,400 ft. elevation
| For Directions to these trails click the "walking Ladies" image above. |
Chimney Top Trail: A reasonable jaunt of 1.6 miles to 4,618 ft. elevation
Lake Trail: 1.5 miles around 35 acre Hampton Lake
Panthertown Valley: 6,700 acres of high mountain valley provides scenic view of waterfalls, flowing
streams and beautiful foliage for hiking and biking enthusiasts alike.
SCALY MOUNTAIN: 3.2 miles (round trip). Trail head: Hickory Gap Road (SR 1621). Features: Impressive
views from summit of Scaly Mt. (4804') looking towards Georgia.
JONES KNOB/WHITEROCK MOUNTAIN: 0.6 miles (round trip) to Jones Knob; 4.6 miles (round trip) to
Whiterock Mt. Trail head: Jones Gap. Features: Easy hikes, rock outcroppings, and views of the Nantahala
Mts. to the west.
CHINQUAPIN MOUNTAIN: 3.2 miles (round trip). Trail head: Glen Falls parking area. Features: Numerous
stream crossings and several views from Chinquapin Mt. (4,160') into Blue Valley at vistas along the trail.
SUNSET ROCK: 1.2 miles (round trip). Trail head: Horse Cove Rd., across from the Highlands Nature
Center. Features: A rock outcropping overlooking Highlands and Horse Cove; trees marked and identified
as part of the Town of Highlands "Highlands Trees" project. (Maps are available at the Highlands Chamber
of Commerce office.) Directions: From Highlands, travel east on Main St., past the shops and houses to the
Nature Center on your left. Park in the parking area on the right side of the street. Follow the gravel road
on the left side of the parking area. At the top, trails on the right and left go to overlooks.
YELLOW MOUNTAIN/SHORTOFF MOUNTAIN: 3 miles (round trip) to Shortoff Mt., 9.6 miles (round trip) to
Yellow Mt. Trail head: Cole Gap on Buck Creek Rd. Features: A short, easy hike to a view of the Buck
Creek area; Shortoff Mt. has views to the South; Yellow Mt. has views in all directions. The trail to Yellow Mt.
is a difficult trail, traversing three of the area's scenic mountains, with many steep ascents and descents.
SLICK ROCK: 0.2 miles (round trip). Trail head: Bull Pen Rd. Features: Granite rock outcrop covered with
mosses. The hike is a short one, but the summit offers an impressive view of the mountains. Because the
slope faces directly east, this is a beautiful place to watch a sunrise.
HURRAH RIDGE/WEST FORK TRAILS: 2.1 miles (round trip). Trail head: End of Blue Valley Rd. (FS79).
Features: The Hurrah Ridge trail is part of an historic trail used by Blue Valley residents to drive livestock
up to grazing grounds in "The Flats" of Scaly Mountain.
WHITESIDE MOUNTAIN: 2 miles (round trip). Trail head: Whiteside Mt. parking area. Features: This
moderate loop trail offers spectacular views from a high ridge top, 2,100' above the valley floor. Whiteside
Mt. (4900') has the highest sheer cliffs in the Eastern US (400 -- 750').
CLIFFSIDE LAKE RECREATION AREA: There are numerous hiking trails in the area, including an
interpretive loop trail describing shrubs and trees along the Clifftop Vista Trail. The half-mile loop around
the lake offers hikers an easy walk that is quite level.
ELLICOTT'S ROCK / BAD CREEK TRAILS: 7 miles each (round trip) Trail head: Bull Pen Rd. Features:
Ellicott's Rock is a rock embedded in the Chattooga River bank bearing the letters NC, carved by surveyor
Andrew Ellicott. He thought this to be the intersection of GA, NC, & SC. The actual point of intersection is
Commissioners Rock, bearing the symbols NC/SC 1813, 10 feet downstream.
FODDERSTACK POPLAR: 100 yds. (round trip). Trail head: Rich Gap Rd. Features: Large yellow tulip
poplar, the second largest tree in the state and third largest in the East.
WHITEWATER FALLS TRAIL: 0.6 miles (round trip). Trail head: Whitewater Falls parking lot. Features:
Whitewater Falls is the highest in the eastern US (411') and is an easy walk on a paved trail. Directions:
Take Highway 64 East to Cashiers, turn right onto Highway 107 South for 9.3 miles. At Whitewater Falls
sign, turn left to SC 130. Continue 2.3 miles to stop sign and turn left onto Whitewater Rd. (SR1171).
GLEN FALLS: 1.4 miles (one way; 15 minutes to first falls). Trail head: Glen Falls parking lot. Trail end:
Forest Service Rd. (79C) in Blue Valley. Features: Three cascading waterfalls and beautiful stream. One
of the advantages of this trail is that you can return after seeing the first or second waterfall, and still have
an enjoyable walk.
THE NARROWS: 4 miles (round trip). Trail head: Whiteside Cove Rd. Features: Chattooga River forced
into a narrow channel, cascading river, swimming hole.
CHATTOOGA LOOP TRAIL: 2 miles (round trip). Trailhead: HorseCoveRd. Features: A pleasant walk
through the woods and then along the river, ending with a spectacular view of rock formations &am Bull Pen
Bridge, known as "The Iron Bridge."
Lake Trail: 1.5 miles around 35 acre Hampton Lake
Panthertown Valley: 6,700 acres of high mountain valley provides scenic view of waterfalls, flowing
streams and beautiful foliage for hiking and biking enthusiasts alike.
SCALY MOUNTAIN: 3.2 miles (round trip). Trail head: Hickory Gap Road (SR 1621). Features: Impressive
views from summit of Scaly Mt. (4804') looking towards Georgia.
JONES KNOB/WHITEROCK MOUNTAIN: 0.6 miles (round trip) to Jones Knob; 4.6 miles (round trip) to
Whiterock Mt. Trail head: Jones Gap. Features: Easy hikes, rock outcroppings, and views of the Nantahala
Mts. to the west.
CHINQUAPIN MOUNTAIN: 3.2 miles (round trip). Trail head: Glen Falls parking area. Features: Numerous
stream crossings and several views from Chinquapin Mt. (4,160') into Blue Valley at vistas along the trail.
SUNSET ROCK: 1.2 miles (round trip). Trail head: Horse Cove Rd., across from the Highlands Nature
Center. Features: A rock outcropping overlooking Highlands and Horse Cove; trees marked and identified
as part of the Town of Highlands "Highlands Trees" project. (Maps are available at the Highlands Chamber
of Commerce office.) Directions: From Highlands, travel east on Main St., past the shops and houses to the
Nature Center on your left. Park in the parking area on the right side of the street. Follow the gravel road
on the left side of the parking area. At the top, trails on the right and left go to overlooks.
YELLOW MOUNTAIN/SHORTOFF MOUNTAIN: 3 miles (round trip) to Shortoff Mt., 9.6 miles (round trip) to
Yellow Mt. Trail head: Cole Gap on Buck Creek Rd. Features: A short, easy hike to a view of the Buck
Creek area; Shortoff Mt. has views to the South; Yellow Mt. has views in all directions. The trail to Yellow Mt.
is a difficult trail, traversing three of the area's scenic mountains, with many steep ascents and descents.
SLICK ROCK: 0.2 miles (round trip). Trail head: Bull Pen Rd. Features: Granite rock outcrop covered with
mosses. The hike is a short one, but the summit offers an impressive view of the mountains. Because the
slope faces directly east, this is a beautiful place to watch a sunrise.
HURRAH RIDGE/WEST FORK TRAILS: 2.1 miles (round trip). Trail head: End of Blue Valley Rd. (FS79).
Features: The Hurrah Ridge trail is part of an historic trail used by Blue Valley residents to drive livestock
up to grazing grounds in "The Flats" of Scaly Mountain.
WHITESIDE MOUNTAIN: 2 miles (round trip). Trail head: Whiteside Mt. parking area. Features: This
moderate loop trail offers spectacular views from a high ridge top, 2,100' above the valley floor. Whiteside
Mt. (4900') has the highest sheer cliffs in the Eastern US (400 -- 750').
CLIFFSIDE LAKE RECREATION AREA: There are numerous hiking trails in the area, including an
interpretive loop trail describing shrubs and trees along the Clifftop Vista Trail. The half-mile loop around
the lake offers hikers an easy walk that is quite level.
ELLICOTT'S ROCK / BAD CREEK TRAILS: 7 miles each (round trip) Trail head: Bull Pen Rd. Features:
Ellicott's Rock is a rock embedded in the Chattooga River bank bearing the letters NC, carved by surveyor
Andrew Ellicott. He thought this to be the intersection of GA, NC, & SC. The actual point of intersection is
Commissioners Rock, bearing the symbols NC/SC 1813, 10 feet downstream.
FODDERSTACK POPLAR: 100 yds. (round trip). Trail head: Rich Gap Rd. Features: Large yellow tulip
poplar, the second largest tree in the state and third largest in the East.
WHITEWATER FALLS TRAIL: 0.6 miles (round trip). Trail head: Whitewater Falls parking lot. Features:
Whitewater Falls is the highest in the eastern US (411') and is an easy walk on a paved trail. Directions:
Take Highway 64 East to Cashiers, turn right onto Highway 107 South for 9.3 miles. At Whitewater Falls
sign, turn left to SC 130. Continue 2.3 miles to stop sign and turn left onto Whitewater Rd. (SR1171).
GLEN FALLS: 1.4 miles (one way; 15 minutes to first falls). Trail head: Glen Falls parking lot. Trail end:
Forest Service Rd. (79C) in Blue Valley. Features: Three cascading waterfalls and beautiful stream. One
of the advantages of this trail is that you can return after seeing the first or second waterfall, and still have
an enjoyable walk.
THE NARROWS: 4 miles (round trip). Trail head: Whiteside Cove Rd. Features: Chattooga River forced
into a narrow channel, cascading river, swimming hole.
CHATTOOGA LOOP TRAIL: 2 miles (round trip). Trailhead: HorseCoveRd. Features: A pleasant walk
through the woods and then along the river, ending with a spectacular view of rock formations &am Bull Pen
Bridge, known as "The Iron Bridge."
Waterfalls
| Hiking in North Carolina |
All photos copyright by Photos by Jake
Local Hiking
| Link to More Hiking Information |
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