Category: 40 Hike Challenge

Distance: 4.5 miles one way

Difficulty: Strenuous

Elevation Change: gain = 966 ft; loss = 1373 ft

My Hike: 7.2 miles (round trip) from Fork Ridge Trailhead to Clingman’s Dome

source: Great Day Hikes of North Carolina’s Mountains-to-Sea Trail

This is the first hike of the 40 Hike Challenge and the eastern terminus of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. This is my 10th hike of the series. I solo-hiked this trail, so it was an out-and-back starting at the Fork Ridge Trailhead. The trailhead has a very small parking lot on the shoulder of the Clingman’s Dome Access Road. The first thing I noticed when I got out of my vehicle . . . Silence . . .

Distance: 4.1 mile one way

Difficulty: Moderate

Elevation Change: gain = 870 ft; loss = 1075 ft

My Hike: 4.1 miles one way (picked up at Cascades Rec Area)

source: Great Day Hikes of North Carolina’s Mountains-to-Sea Trail

I started this hike at the Park Vista Inn & Restaurant parking lot in the Benge Gap area, thus heading west instead of east. This was a very pleasant hike and the elevation change was not difficult. We had just experienced a lot of rain, so the plant growth was really starting to take off.

Distance: 4.3 mile one way

Difficulty: Moderate

Elevation Change: gain = 1002 ft; loss = 717 ft

Mike Hike: 4.3 miles one way (picked up at Flat Top Manor)

source: Great Day Hikes of North Carolina’s Mountains-to-Sea Trail

This hike is in the Moses H. Cone Memorial Park area. The first 0.5 mile of the hike is much different than the rest of the hike. The difficulty rating in the guide is “moderate”, but this is primarily for the first 0.5 mile of the trail.