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Hiking and Biking
 The Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian Trail
follows the Appalachian
Mountain range from Maine to
Georgia for over 200
miles through the Pisgah and Nantahala National
Forests. Eighty-eight
miles of the Appalachian
Trail pass through North
Carolina with an
elevation ranging
between 2,000 and 5,000
feet. The best time to
hike the trail is from
mid-May through October.
The trail is open to
foot travel only and
boasts a chain of
shelters spaced 8
to 12 miles apart. The
Appalachian Trail
follows segments of
mountain ranges from
Damascus Virginia,
through the Cherokee
National Forest to the
North Carolina-Tennessee
state line. Here, in the
Roan Mountain area, you
will find the highest
mountains along the
Trail, some above 6,000
feet. Along the
Appalachian Trail,
hikers discover the Roan
Highlands, well known
for their Rhododendron
Gardens and the
panoramic views of the
open grassy balds (blunt
summits covered by a
thick layer of native
grass). The Appalachian
Trail then continues
south along the state
line and through the
Pisgah National Forest.
The trail continues
through the Great Smoky
Mountains National Park.
It is important for
hikers to remember that
permits are required for
overnight stays in the
Great Smoky Mountains
National Park and that
reservations are
required to use the
shelters.
 The Grandfather Trail
The Grandfather Trail at
Grandfather Mountain is
an upper mountain ridge
trail. It offers hikers
a wide variety of
vistas, from
forests of spruce and
fir to rock walls, pinnacles and open
spaces with views of
mountains in every
direction. The trail
follows the crest of
Grandfather Mountain
from the Hiker’s Parking
area to Calloway Peak,
2.4 miles away. The pace
should be cautious as there are places where
progress is hand over
hand. At some very steep
sections, hikers use
in-place cables and
ladders. For the less
adventurous, there
is an
alternative route up the
McRae peak by way of
the Underwood Trail.
The Profile Trail
The Profile Trail is
also located on
Grandfather Mountain.
This Trail begins as a
scenic stroll through
seasonal wildflowers,
crosses the Watauga
River and then travels
through rhododendron
thickets and under a
hardwood canopy. The
upper sections (which
begin around Foscoe
View) can get noticeably
steeper, but there are
frequently spaced
benches for rest stops.
This trail offers a view
of the “Grandfather”
profile (look closely to
see the outline of
Grandfather asleep on
his back!) The path
becomes a demanding
trail a little over two
and half miles in. After
a climb of 0.3 miles,
the Profile Trail joins
the Grandfather Trail. A
permit is required to
hike this trail.
We invite you to view
all of our rental
properties and contact
us by phone at
828.898.9188,
e-mail us, or us or
online request form
to ask questions or
request reservations. |
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