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Brevard Hiking Expert: Sunset Motel
523 S. Broad St., Brevard, NC
828-884-9106 || www.thesunsetmotel.com
Gorges State Park (Sapphire): With seemingly countless options for
waterfalls to explore, Gorges is a great option for a hike into a beautiful forest to cool off
in the river during hot summer months.We recommend heading down to Rainbow Falls,
a picturesque 60-foot waterfall, before taking the trail to one of many swimming holes
along the way to Turtle Back Falls. Directions from Brevard: Take Hwy 64 past
Rosman and Cashiers for around 20 miles to a left turn on U.S. 281. Follow for around 3 miles
to a left into the park.
John Rock (Pisgah National Forest): If you’re looking for killer views,
then John Rock is the hike to take. There are a couple of trail approach options, either
the long way (about 6 miles) or the shorter way (about 4 miles), but either way you’ll be
rewarded with views of Looking Glass Rock, Pilot Mountain, and the Pisgah Center for
Wildlife Education (aka the Fish Hatchery). The John Rock trail is accessed from the Cat
Gap Loop Trail, and if you start on the right side of the loop, you’ll get the long approach
following Cat Gap to a left on John Rock Trail. Once you hit the rock, then continue on
the John Rock Trail to a left on Cat Gap to descend to the parking lot. If you’re feeling
a little lazy, have less experienced hikers or kids, then take the left side of Cat Gap from
the parking lot to a right on John Rock and make it an out-and-back rather than a loop.
Directions from Brevard: Take NC-280 E from downtown Brevard to a left onto
US-276 into the main entrance for Pisgah National Forest and follow Highway 276 into the
forest for about 5.5 miles. Take a left onto Forest Service Road 475 and follow for less than a
mile into the parking lot for the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education on the left.
Looking Glass Rock Trail: Looking Glass Rock’s stone face is one of the
more recognizable landmarks from the Blue Ridge Parkway. The 500 foot rock face is a
popular climbing spot while the trail to the summit rewards hikers with stunning views.
This moderately difficult hike climbs 1,700 feet in 3 miles and is well marked with yellow
blazes.As with all summit hikes, be careful when you reach the top. Directions from
Brevard: Take NC-280 E from downtown Brevard to a left onto US-276 into the main
entrance for Pisgah National Forest and follow Hwy 276 for 5.3 miles.Turn left at the Pisgah
Center for Wildlife Education sign. Head a half mile to the parking area on your right.
Pink Beds Loop (Pisgah NF, Brevard): The Pink Beds Loop is a 5-mile
hike that traverses a beautiful high-elevation bog and offers great scenery. Afterwards,
head over to nearby Cradle of Forestry for lunch and history before driving up U.S. 276
to the Blue Ridge Parkway to get a view of the 500,000-acre national forest from above.
Additional hikes include taking the 3-mile hike to the summit of Mt. Pisgah there are
spectacular views. Directions from Brevard: Take NC-280 E from downtown
Brevard to a left onto US-276 into the main entrance for Pisgah National Forest and go 11.2
miles to just past the Cradle of Forestry entrance on the right to the Pink Beds parking area.
Brevard Biking Expert: Blue Ridge Adventures
Pisgah National Forest & Brevard, NC
www.blueridgeadventures.net
Sycamore Cove Loop (Pisgah): From the parking area at the
bottom of Black Mountain Trail, start up the chunky gravel and stay right to begin
climbing up Thrift Cove. After some steep punchy climbing veer right onto Grassy
Road Trail. Intersecting with Sycamore Cove you have two choices: left continues
climbing steeply leading to a tight, technical root chocked descent finishing with a
super fast section t