The 5 Most Beautiful Hikes to Take in North Carolina

Sep 1, 2016

hike North Carolina is home to breathtaking natural sights, making it a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts. If you’re looking for hiking trails in the area, make sure to check out these gorgeous trails.

William B. Umstead State Park

Located in Raleigh, this 5,500-acre state park is home to 20 miles of trails for hikers of all skill levels. If you’re hiking with young children, you can take a short, flat stroll to see the changing leaves. There are a number of trees found in the park, including black gums, sourwoods, sweet gums, and sassafras.

Mount Mitchell

You can drive to the top of Mount Mitchell, but there are several hiking trails that gives you a closer view of the trees and natural surroundings. The Mt Mitchell trail is fairly hilly and steep, so you should pack plenty of water for the six-mile hike. If you’d rather hike a shorter trail, the half-mile Camp Alice Trail will bring you to a historical site, Camp Alice. This area used to be a logging camp in the 1900s.

Carolina Beach State Park

When you head to Carolina Beach, you might be thinking more about swimming than you are about hiking. But the state park is actually a gorgeous spot to see the changing leaves in the fall. There are three main trails: Swamp, Oak Toe, and Flytrap. Each one is about one mile or less. Keep an eye out for the beautiful turkey oaks trees.

Grandfather Mountain

If you’re up for a difficult hike, check out the Grandfather’s Profile tail on Grandfather Mountain. It’s near Linville in the northern part of the state. The trail begins at a creek bed and spans for seven miles up a steep and winding path. Along the way you’ll see spruce-fir trees — which are actually quite rare — and massive rock outcroppings. Be sure to bring your camera so you can snap photos of the beautiful view from the top.

Chimney Rock State Park

This state park has six different trails that vary in difficulty from easy to challenging. Chimney Rock is a monolith that is over 535 million years old, making it an iconic spot that draws visitors regularly. The trail is intermediate in difficulty. The Great Woodland Adventure trail is about 0.6 miles long and includes small rolling hills, making it perfect for families. The Four Seasons trail is also 0.6 mile in length, yet the difficulty is moderate to strenuous with a climb of almost 400 feet. Hikers often see wild turkeys and deer on this trail.

The Hickory Nut Falls trail is popular; it is moderately difficult and spans for three-quarters of a mile. Outcroppings is a moderately difficult trail that passes by a natural cave. You’ll also pass by The Birdhouse, where you can learn more about local and migratory birds. The final trail, Exclamation Point, is moderate to strenuous in difficulty.

Pack your hiking boots, water, and sunscreen and check out one of these fun hiking trails in North Carolina.

Image via Flickr by daveynin