This hike, we pieced together from the Pisgah Inn Parking Lot to the bottom of Pilot Rock. Beginning along the Mountains to the Sea Trail, turn south and go over Little Bald Mountain following the trail down around Pilot Rock. It is steep going down, so expect to get tired coming back up.

This trail is a fairly strenuous 3.3 miles (one way) trail. Before starting, you should register at the Nature Center. The Pinnacle Mountain Trail begins at the Nature Center. You will take the Carrick Creek Trail to the left when you get to the sign for Carrick Creek and Table Rock trails. You will follow this trail along Carrick Creek. …

Distance: 7.2 miles RT Elevation Gain: 1430′ Difficulty: Moderate Turn right on Greenbriar Road at Park Entrance sign off US Hwy 321 5.9 miles east of Gatlinburg. Continue on Greenbriar Road 4.1 miles to end of loop. Look for trail and trail marker. The gravel roadbed ascends to the historic site, John Messer’s Barn built in 1875. The barn is located just off …

Pressley Cove Trail to Pressley Gap Distance: 2.6 miles round trip Elevation Gain: 1003 ft. Pressley Cove Trail is accessed from Avery Creek Road (Forest Service Road #477). Beginning at 2325 ft. of elevation, the trail climbs steeply for 1.1 miles ( 968 ft. elevation gain) to Forest Service Rd #5022. Turn right onto the road and walk for .2 miles …

Distance: 1.5 Miles RT Elevation Gain: 315′ Difficulty: Easy to Moderate The Rumbling Bald trail in Hickory Nut Gorge isn’t quite finished yet. At present, it is developed for the first mile with a wide gravel trail through the woods. The rest of the loop is there, so we walked it all the way around, but it is a little rough …

Park on Hwy 215 north of the parkway and hike east on the Mountains to the Sea Trail. Fork left on Little Sam Knob trail and intersect the Flat Laurel Creek Trail. Hike back down to Hwy 215. Distance: 6.5 miles RT Elevation Change: 750 feet Difficulty: Easy

Around 1890, the Shut-In trail was created by George W. Vanderbilt to link his Biltmore home with his hunting and outdoor lodge at Buck Springs (Near the current Pisgah Inn). While many think of this trail as following the Blue Ridge Parkway, it’s actually the other way around, since the parkway wasn’t built until the 1930’s. Since it does parallel …

This segment of the Mountain to the Sea Trail is fairly easy walk in the woods. This particular day, there were more trillium blooming than I’ve ever seen on a trail. It took longer because I kept stopping to take pictures. Distance: 6 miles RT Elevation Gain: 700 ft. Difficulty: Easy