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So, seeing as how the Parkway is ALWAYS closed in the winter time - at least the parts where all the trailheads are - I need to find some spots that are not located on the Parkway. I prefer hikes that lead to a summit so that there is a view at the top for a payoff, but anywhere that I can get off the beaten path, into the woods, and away from people is good. That's probably the most important criteria here: name off some spots that are not too well-known that would be good for getting peace and quiet. Or, if you would rather not tell the whole world, feel free to PM them to me. I know I wouldn't want to give away any secret spots of mine on a public forum, so yeah, whisper in my ear if you'd like. Thanks folks.
So, seeing as how the Parkway is ALWAYS closed in the winter time - at least the parts where all the trailheads are - I need to find some spots that are not located on the Parkway. I prefer hikes that lead to a summit so that there is a view at the top for a payoff, but anywhere that I can get off the beaten path, into the woods, and away from people is good. That's probably the most important criteria here: name off some spots that are not too well-known that would be good for getting peace and quiet. Or, if you would rather not tell the whole world, feel free to PM them to me. I know I wouldn't want to give away any secret spots of mine on a public forum, so yeah, whisper in my ear if you'd like. Thanks folks.
My favorite "view at the top" place to hike it Table Rock Mountain, north of Morganton.
It overlooks the Linville Gorge at the top, which is breathtaking
In the winter the road up to the parking lot is gated, but you can still park down below the gate and walk up the road to the trailhead. To find it you just turn off of hwy 181 onto Gingercakes Rd.
Coleman Boundary in Barnardsville. Take Dillingham Road all the way to the end. It dead ends in to the boundary. There are hiking trails everywhere but if you drive all the way to the top, you can hike to the base of Douglas Falls - a waterfall with a 100 ft drop. It's worth the trip.
Have you thought about hiking on the closed parkway sections? Hardly anyone around on the weekdays and the weekends thin out after about a mile from the closure.
^ Thanks for the link, there, David. I'll check it out.
Quote:
Originally Posted by saucystargazer
Have you thought about hiking on the closed parkway sections? Hardly anyone around on the weekdays and the weekends thin out after about a mile from the closure.
Yes, I used to do this quite a bit, but it gets tiresome really. The best I can do is go north to the spot where the Vance Birthplace turnoff is, park there, and hike north. Problem is, once you've done it 10 or 12 times, it's all the same, and you find yourself wanting something new. Not that I ever get bored of the views, but I'd rather be hiking in the woods than on the road anyway. Still, I went and hiked on the Parkway just yesterday and enjoyed it tremendously. Only ran into one other person, but he didn't have much to say. I suspect he's like me, and the whole reason he's out there is to find his peace and quiet, so I didn't begrudge him for it.
Thanks for the suggestions folks, I'll definitely do the Table Rock Mountain hike this weekend. Been needing to get out to Linville Gorge anyway, haven't been in several years.
Keep em coming if you got em, folks! I'm always looking for a new secret spot!
I have found a good number of trails through this thread, so I would consider that a "mission accomplished". Also, I found a cool trail (at least I never knew about it) that is ON the parkway about a mile north of the Tunnel Road entrance. There's no marking except a small wooden post with a hiker mark on it and a white, circular blaze. It actually crosses over the Parkway, and I'm not sure where the origin of it is; I know that you can take an auxiliary trail and end up at Bull Mountain Road. That auxiliary trail joins back up with the main trail very quickly, less than a quarter mile.
But yeah, if you go in the OTHER direction, away from Bull Mountain Road, and you cross over the Parkway and keep going, it goes up on this ridgeline that runs parallel to the road, and you can see the road about half the time. I didn't go all the way to the end because I had limited daylight, but it sure was a cool trail. It got a bit technical at some points. One thing that was pretty crazy is I took a right at this fork, away from the blazed trail, and went up a super steep hill, and I ended up in someone's driveway! I got out of there quick so as not to freak them out, but there was a sign on the porch that said "Hunter's Run". Anyone have any idea what I'm talking about regarding either the trail or the house?
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I know I wouldn't want to give away any secret spots of mine on a public forum, so yeah, whisper in my ear if you'd like. Thanks folks.
