Park · National Forests in North Carolina, North Carolina

Best hikes in National Forests in North Carolina

The 30 best of 148 trails in National Forests in North Carolina, North Carolina, ranked by route quality.

Trails
148
Easy
112
Moderate
19
Hard
10
Expert
7

By activity

Common features

Top trails

  1. Big Butt Trail Expert · 11.5 mi (18.5 km) · Elevation Gain 3,278 ft (999 m) · 5 hr 20 min
  2. Old Trestle Road Hard · 11.8 mi (19 km) · Elevation Gain 1,263 ft (385 m) · 4 hr 25 min
  3. Crabtree Falls Loop Trail Easy · 2.3 mi (3.7 km) · Elevation Gain 492 ft (150 m) · 1 hr
  4. Linville Falls National Recreation Trail Easy · 1.7 mi (2.7 km) · Elevation Gain 207 ft (63 m) · 40 min
  5. Lyn Lowry Trail Moderate · 3 mi (4.8 km) · Elevation Gain 784 ft (239 m) · 1 hr 20 min
  6. Royal Gorge Trail Easy · 1.8 mi (2.8 km) · Elevation Gain 538 ft (164 m) · 50 min
  7. Squatter Trail Easy · 1.9 mi (3.1 km) · Elevation Gain 210 ft (64 m) · 45 min
  8. Frying Pan Mountain Trail Moderate · 3.8 mi (6.1 km) · Elevation Gain 981 ft (299 m) · 1 hr 45 min
  9. Snowball Trail Easy · 1.7 mi (2.7 km) · Elevation Gain 240 ft (73 m) · 40 min
  10. Lower Long Branch Moderate · 3.1 mi (5 km) · Elevation Gain 541 ft (165 m) · 1 hr 15 min
  11. Upper Long Branch Easy · 3.3 mi (5.3 km) · Elevation Gain 358 ft (109 m) · 1 hr 15 min
  12. Buck Spring Trail Easy · 2.5 mi (4 km) · Elevation Gain 351 ft (107 m) · 1 hr
  13. Whiting Rail Trail Easy · 3.4 mi (5.5 km) · Elevation Gain 341 ft (104 m) · 1 hr 15 min
  14. Cullowhee Connector Moderate · 3.7 mi (6 km) · Elevation Gain 486 ft (148 m) · 1 hr 25 min
  15. Chatuge Dam Trail Easy · 3.1 mi (5 km) · Elevation Gain 98 ft (30 m) · 1 hr 5 min
  16. Hoor Hollow Trail Easy · 1.9 mi (3.1 km) · Elevation Gain 246 ft (75 m) · 45 min
  17. Turkey Chute Trail Easy · 1.6 mi (2.7 km) · Elevation Gain 374 ft (114 m) · 45 min
  18. Cragway Loop Moderate · 2.9 mi (4.7 km) · Elevation Gain 879 ft (268 m) · 1 hr 25 min
  19. Turkey Pen Gap Trail Expert · 11 mi (17.6 km) · Elevation Gain 3,110 ft (948 m) · 5 hr 5 min
  20. Gribble Gap Loop Easy · 1.3 mi (2.1 km) · Elevation Gain 154 ft (47 m) · 30 min
  21. Old Mitchell Toll Road Expert · 19.5 mi (31.3 km) · Elevation Gain 2,454 ft (748 m) · 7 hr 30 min
  22. Linville Gorge Trail Easy · 1.4 mi (2.3 km) · Elevation Gain 328 ft (100 m) · 35 min
  23. Richland Balsam Trail Easy · 1.1 mi (1.7 km) · Elevation Gain 289 ft (88 m) · 30 min
  24. Van Cliff Loop Hard · 5.1 mi (8.2 km) · Elevation Gain 1,532 ft (467 m) · 2 hr 25 min
  25. Rhododendron Ridge Trail Easy · 1.2 mi (1.9 km) · Elevation Gain 522 ft (159 m) · 40 min
  26. Anst - Appalachian Road Expert · 160.2 mi (257.8 km) · Elevation Gain 34,045 ft (10,377 m) · 68 hr 50 min
  27. Flat Rock Trail Easy · 0.6 mi (0.9 km) · Elevation Gain 82 ft (25 m) · 15 min
  28. Devils Courthouse Trail Easy · 0.9 mi (1.4 km) · Elevation Gain 262 ft (80 m) · 25 min
  29. Stony Knob Trail Moderate · 3.9 mi (6.3 km) · Elevation Gain 554 ft (169 m) · 1 hr 30 min
  30. River Trail Moderate · 7 mi (11.3 km) · Elevation Gain 262 ft (80 m) · 2 hr 25 min

See all trails near National Forests in North Carolina

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GoTrails · Route data: © OpenStreetMap