You can't pay for views like this, and good news is... you don't have to!…read more Rough Ridge Overlook is a local *and* tourist hot spot for some of the best views in the state! I went there with some GFs for nature and the views, and it didn't dissapoint. Definiteluy put this spot on your map when planning a trip to Grandfather Mountain.

Not Too Bad Of A Hike. Very Rewarding Views At The End! Slippery When Wet. Wear The Proper Shoes!read more

We were looking for a place to go hiking where we could see good fall colors. We found a guide that…read moresaid this would be the perfect elevation for the weekend we wanted to go. There isn't much parking, maybe 5-10 spots, but tons of cars park along the road. The last few miles to get there is a bumpy gravel road. I had read that it was a 1.5 mile round trip hike, but it ended up being around 2.3 miles. It was a pretty short hike to the summit, but it was a decent climb. It's not marked all that well. At the first split, take a left. There is a sign that points you back to the parking lot which you can use in reverse to figure out which way the summit must be. There's another split close to the top. We were told that both ways will take you to the summit with the left being shorter and steeper. The views at the summit are breathtaking. You can get a view from the left side, but the actual summit is to the right. You can get 360 degree views that are stunning. It was incredibly windy at the summit. The hike up wasn't because of the trees blocking it, but it felt like you might get blown off the summit. We were a little disappointed because the views were still almost completely green, but leaves changing is probably happening a lot later than normal this year because of the warm weather. You can also drive a couple of miles down the road and hike to the Table Rock summit. We decided to call it a day after Hawksbill, but might come back another time. If you're looking for a short hike with awesome views, I would highly recommend this one!

What a gem this mountain is. The summit is gorgeous and plateaus in a really unique way. The view…read moreat sunset is breathtaking and there are a few areas to set up and camp. Not a lot of parking at the bottom on the dirt road so be prepared to park by the roadside.

We had a great hike down to the falls with our dog. The sights were beautiful! I would recommend…read moregood footwear for this walk and be prepared for some steep inclines and declines, including down rocky walkways. Also, as we continued past the falls to finish the loop, there was a marker which we followed and basically had to crawl up the side of the mountain (which obviously wasn't the right way but it did have a path so we kept pushing forward). Thankfully it connected to the trail and we were back in business We enjoyed the beautiful, cool weather as we made our way through a mossy, lush forest. The water fountain at the start/end of path wasn't working which was a bummer but we had more water in the car. Pack accordingly.

We stayed at campground 19 with 2 cars and 2 tents. We had a great weekend but was not prepared for…read morehow close we would be to other camp grounds. We were probably 10 feet away from our neighbors RV. the camp hosts were very nice. If you want more space for tent camping I would recommend sites 1-8.

We did the portion of this trail that goes to Rough Ridge Overlook. This hike is very crowded, but…read morethe views are definitely worth it. I recommend waking up early and getting there for sunrise. We got there around 7:45am and the parking lot was already full. We were able to park on the side of the road though. It got way more crowded later in the day. It's only about a 2.5 mile hike round trip from the parking area. We tried to hike further on the trail, but ended up taking a wrong turn that brought us back to where we started. It was recommended to start at Linn Cove Visitor Center and hike the back way there for less crowds. We wanted to do this, but the parking lot was closed so we couldn't. This is a great hike in the fall for gorgeous fall colors. It's hard to beat the views.

My sister and I were researching a new hike in the area that would be easy to medium difficulty and…read morehad a nice view. We wanted something under 3 miles round-trip due to the coming thunderstorms. This trail was easy to spot off the road with a very nice visitors center with lots of fun items and some cute dogs to pet but that's where to good stuff ends. The trailhead marker behind the center took us the wrong direction on the trail that we wanted to head. There was not sufficient signage to indicate which way it was leading. After hiking over 1 mile we realized our mistake and turned back. There was some interesting things to see but not enough for me to ever return. The rain was holding off so we took the trail the correct way which is located on the opposite end of the parking lot from the visitor center. While this part of the trail was more interesting the view point under the bridge was very underwhelming and we would not do it again.

At the visitor center, you can hike to both side of the gorge. Plunge basin is harder trail than…read morethe south side where overlook and upper falls is at. During warmer season, bathroom are open and there is a gift shop too.

Linville falls is a great, short hiking trail to see some cool looking falls. Look at my pictures…read morefor the falls. There are also a few short trails that are kind of connected. So if you do all of them you can cover a lot of ground. It is a nice stop at mile marker 316 on blue ridge parkway.

Great park for a picnic and play! Large playground suitable for all ages (even toddlers). Picnic…read moretables and benches. Walking paths along a little river. And a softball field.

Riverside Park is a scenic park located along the North Toe River in Spruce Pine. There's an access…read morebridge with lots of rustic character than can get you there from Locust Street in the downtown area, otherwise the main entrance is on Tappan Street. As I walked across the bridge, you could see small children and their families playing and splashing in the river. It was a hot day and I had to restrain myself from jumping in too! Plenty of sheltered picnic areas, walking trails, a playground, a baseball field and a fishing pier. I'm not sure what you catch around here - I'm guessing trout! A short walk through this park will do a body good and maybe even your spirit! Great little park!

Loved it!! Beautiful falls and swim hole. I can't wait to be back. Water shoes for when you get…read moredown to the water hole are recommended. It's a nice hike with lots of roots in the way so you need to be careful. But definitely worth it!

It is my absolute pleasure to introduce UPPER CREEK FALLS to Yelp!…read more If you are a hiker and lover of waterfalls, then you just might want to spend an entire weekend in the Newland, NC area. The mountains surrounding this area are a treasure trove of sights and sound for your soul to behold. Amongst them is the highly popular Upper Creek Falls. Now let me be honest, you're gonna burn some calories on this trail so don't let the short 1.5 miles round trip distance fool you! There is SIGNIFICANT elevation gain that will surely bring a little heavy breathing to your lips and sweat to your brow. However, the payoff is tremendous. **** The creek consists of multiple waterfalls, cascades and swimming holes, but the largest waterfall requires venturing to one of the lowest points on the trail to fully view. It will require detouring off the main yellow blazed trail and mountain-goating it down a steep side trail, then back up to the main trail before continuing the loop back to the parking area. According to ALLTRAILS, the loop starts at an elevation of around 3,215 feet and drops as low as 2,790 feet for a gain of approx. 425 feet in 3/4's of a mile. My personal trail tracker logged 436 feet of gain. The lowest point of the trail leads to a wonderfully exposed area of stone that almost acts as a raceway for the creek. The topography is such that you can walk on an island of stone that splits the creek in two for a short distant before rejoining and continuing its descent. I can only imagine how many more waterfalls are below this point as the creek continues its slide down the mountain another 460 feet over the following mile according to topography maps. *** FEATURES 1) There are two trailheads, but each links to the other. The trailhead on the left side of the parking area behind the information board leads first to the top of the main waterfall before crossing the creek and descending towards the base. You can get some terrifying pics on the dry stone near the crest, but don't drift too close to the edge! 2) Once you cross the creek, look to the left to spot a faint trail leading back up the mountain. Follow it and you will be rewarded with a gorgeous 15 foot waterfall. Here locals us the fall as a slide, complete with a rope to help you get back up to the top of this ultra-smooth cascade. 3) There is a fairly deep pool of water here and opposite of the climbing rope is a tire swing to launch into the pool. 4) Continue down the trail until you see side trails leading to the base of the largest waterfall. WARNING: The side trail is steep, but worth it to view the larger fall in its entirety. 5) As you continue down the trail it will once again cross the creek. This crossing is most likely tricky in high water and probably not advisable. It was only at average flow when I visited and I still got my feet wet doing my best jump. It is here you will discover another small pool of water and a large area to camp out on the stone outcrop. Even though this is the lowest point on the trail, it is actually an overlook of the mountains below. Very open and majestic. 6) Once across the lowest creek crossing, the trail switchbacks up the mountain OR you can find the shortcut trail that goes straight up the center! But fair warning, it's a leg burner! This portion of the loop will return to the parking lot on the opposite side of the upper creek trail. In total I logged 1.5 miles after visiting the sliding falls, main falls and lower raceway/overlook. *** FINAL THOUGHTS Upper Creek Falls in my opinion is 5+ stars despite its difficulty because of the multiple points of interest along the loop. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this waterfall to avid hikers! While I personally would have thought it to be too much for kids and elderly... we saw SEVERAL older couples in the area above the main falls as well as a school bus load of 6 to 12-year-olds trekking along the lower falls trail well ahead of their parents. There was also a very large family of about 20 members (all age ranges) picnicking at the lower overlook, so I guess its safe to say its doable for all ages and skill levels. If you have any energy left, to the northeast are: - Grandfather Mountain - Big Lost Cove Cliffs - Harper Creek Falls - Gragg Prong Falls - Huntfish Falls And to the southwest are: - Linville Falls & Linville Caverns ENJOY! 2021 / 116

Easy hike and access to beautiful Roaring Fork Falls, NC. We went in October at peak leaf season…read moreand it was just magnificent. The falls were a delight although a bit slippery. It's a great hike for beginners.

We got caught in the rain so we couldn't stay long but this is a great, super easy, hike for the…read morewhole family. Pretty flat gravel trail until the end. Then some rooty declines to get to the base of the waterfall. Long streaming falls are beautiful! There's a pool at the bottom that kids can play around in, slide down short rocks and swim if they're short enough. Water depth was about knee-high on a 5'2" adult. There are a few spots to crouch down and picnic too.