The Wildcat Rock Trail is part of the Upper Hickory Nut Gorge Trail in Henderson County, NC. This national award winning trail is also a portion of the planned Hickory Nut Gorge Trail that will one day be 100 + miles linking many of the existing trails and breath taking vistas as well as encircling scenic Lake Lure. In 2017 this project was designated as the Hickory Nut Gorge State Trail. Conserving Carolina continues on the front lines of this project and many other excellent trails and greenways. Their dedication, vision and success in working with communities, neighbors, developers and regulatory agencies is worthy of recognition.
The trailhead is located about 6 miles above the village of Chimney Rock on 74A. The parking area is shared with the trails for the Florence Nature Preserve – another popular Conserving Carolina trail project. The Wildcat Trailhead is on the east side of 74A and is well marked with a kiosk map and a register for visitors. I started my hike early on a Friday morning and there was plenty of parking, but the parking lot was full by the time I returned after lunch.
The trail descends from the road and runs adjacent to the Laughing Waters Community Garden. If you are not familiar with this area, I recommend learning more about their community and venue.
After leaving the garden area, the path crosses Hickory Creek. This is a beautiful crossing of cascades and flora, which sets the tone for what promises to be many photo worthy stops along the way.
The Wildcat Trail from the creek up to Little Bearwallow Falls is about 1 mile with approximately 1000′ feet of elevation. It doesn’t take long to understand why this trail along with Peter Barr won the Coalition of Recreational Trails’ Achievement Award in 2018. The trail blends naturally into the surroundings and feels like it has always been there. There are plenty of natural log stairs along this portion of the trail and it is obvious that many volunteer hours were required.
Little Bearwallow Falls is a 100′ waterfall and the amount of water flowing is dependent on the season. It is a popular rock climbing spot. It is worth reading about John Myers who was the owner of the land, but was also a leader in the conservation of the area. You can read more about him here.
After the Falls the trail continues up to Wildcat Rock Overlook, where it becomes significantly more strenuous. The climb is over many rock steps, all intricately cut and placed to provide a trail around the side of an otherwise impassable cliff. Again, the trail design and construction here is some of the most impressive I have seen.
Wildcat Rock Overlook is another climb, but the view is well worth the effort and obviously a popular place for rest.
The trail continues from here with a steady but moderate elevation and eventually emerges at the grassy meadows of Little Bearwallow Mountain. This is an active area for grazing cattle and is marked on both ends with stiles to prevent the livestock from meandering down the trail.
As of November 2020, the trail now extends about 2 miles from Little Bearwallow Mountain to the top of Bearwallow Mountain. This is also a moderate but gentle climb and a welcome addition to the trail, connecting more of the Upper Hickory Nut Gorge Trails.
Bearwallow Mountain can be reached from another trailhead which makes for an easy 2 mile round trip hike. With it’s spectacular views on all sides and a shorter trail, this area can become a bit more crowded than the Wildcat Trail.
The trail to the Falls is about 1 mile and Wildcat Overlook is about 2 miles. If you want to go all the way to Bearwallow Mountain, it is about 5 miles one-way. You can find a PDF of the trail here.
Since I live less than 30 minutes from the trailhead, I am a bit embarrassed to say this was my first hike on the Hickory Nut Gorge Trail. However, I am thankful that I found these gems. I look forward to exploring more of these trails in the upcoming cooler months. I also recently joined Conserving Carolina and I am looking forward to volunteering in any way I can. I urge you to check out their website and read about the accomplishments as well as their ambitious visions and goals.
Details about the Hickory Nut Gorge Trails and the Wildcat Trail can be found on the Conserving Carolina website.
40 Hike Challenge Blue Ridge Parkway Conserving Carolina Falls Lake Hickory Nut Gorge Hiking Lake Lure Linville Gorge Mountains to Sea Mount Mitchell North Carolina Trails
My hiking group was just there recently – a neat place to go!