Region

Best hikes in North Carolina

The 30 best of 3,197 trails in North Carolina, ranked by route quality.

Trails
3,197
Easy
2,465
Moderate
339
Hard
242
Expert
151

By activity

Common features

Top trails

  1. Stone Mountain Loop Trail Moderate · 4.2 mi (6.8 km) · Elevation Gain 886 ft (270 m) · 1 hr 50 min · Stone Mountain State Park
  2. Grandfather Trail Hard · 4.3 mi (6.9 km) · Elevation Gain 1,325 ft (404 m) · 2 hr 5 min · Grandfather Mountain State Park
  3. Wolf Rock Trail Easy · 2.5 mi (4.1 km) · Elevation Gain 299 ft (91 m) · 1 hr · Hanging Rock State Park
  4. Panthertown Valley Trail Moderate · 6.4 mi (10.3 km) · Elevation Gain 686 ft (209 m) · 2 hr 25 min · Panthertown Valley Backcountry Area
  5. Three Top Trail Moderate · 3.4 mi (5.5 km) · Elevation Gain 1,224 ft (373 m) · 1 hr 45 min · Three Top Mountain Gameland
  6. Cooks Wall Trail Moderate · 4.1 mi (6.6 km) · Elevation Gain 771 ft (235 m) · 1 hr 45 min · Hanging Rock State Park
  7. Lakeshore Trail Easy · 8 mi (12.9 km) · 2 hr 35 min · Lake Waccamaw State Park
  8. Lake Channel Overlook Trail Easy · 1.5 mi (2.4 km) · Elevation Gain 118 ft (36 m) · 30 min · Lake James State Park
  9. Knob Hike Easy · 1.6 mi (2.5 km) · Elevation Gain 535 ft (163 m) · 45 min · Raven Knob Scout Reservation
  10. Widows Creek Trail Moderate · 3.6 mi (5.8 km) · Elevation Gain 781 ft (238 m) · 1 hr 35 min · Stone Mountain State Park
  11. Indian Creek Trail Hard · 6.4 mi (10.4 km) · Elevation Gain 958 ft (292 m) · 2 hr 35 min · Hanging Rock State Park
  12. Big Butt Trail Expert · 11.5 mi (18.5 km) · Elevation Gain 3,278 ft (999 m) · 5 hr 20 min · National Forests in North Carolina
  13. Bluff Mountain Trail Expert · 14.6 mi (23.4 km) · Elevation Gain 1,749 ft (533 m) · 5 hr 35 min · Doughton Park
  14. Torys Den Trail Moderate · 5.3 mi (8.6 km) · Elevation Gain 883 ft (269 m) · 2 hr 10 min · Hanging Rock State Park
  15. Pinnacle Trail Moderate · 3.9 mi (6.3 km) · Elevation Gain 761 ft (232 m) · 1 hr 40 min · Crowders Mountain State Park
  16. Big Bradley Falls Base Trail Moderate · 3.9 mi (6.3 km) · Elevation Gain 348 ft (106 m) · 1 hr 25 min · Green River Game Land
  17. Table Rock Summit Trail Easy · 1.4 mi (2.3 km) · Elevation Gain 531 ft (162 m) · 45 min · Pisgah National Forest
  18. Hickory Nut Falls Trail Easy · 1.6 mi (2.6 km) · Elevation Gain 282 ft (86 m) · 40 min · Chimney Rock State Park
  19. Fall Mountain Trail Moderate · 4.1 mi (6.5 km) · Elevation Gain 492 ft (150 m) · 1 hr 35 min · Morrow Mountain State Park
  20. Dutchman's Creek Trail Hard · 10.9 mi (17.6 km) · Elevation Gain 1,663 ft (507 m) · 4 hr 20 min · Uwharrie National Forest
  21. Hawksbill Trail Moderate · 2.2 mi (3.5 km) · Elevation Gain 653 ft (199 m) · 1 hr · Linville Gorge Wilderness
  22. Farlow Gap Expert · 10 mi (16.1 km) · Elevation Gain 2,470 ft (753 m) · 4 hr 30 min · Pisgah National Forest
  23. Harper Creek Trail Hard · 12.4 mi (20 km) · Elevation Gain 1,335 ft (407 m) · 4 hr 40 min · Harper Creek Wilderness Study Area
  24. High Falls Trail Easy · 2.1 mi (3.4 km) · Elevation Gain 203 ft (62 m) · 45 min · Dupont State Recreational Forest
  25. Rainbow Falls Trail Moderate · 3.9 mi (6.3 km) · Elevation Gain 738 ft (225 m) · 1 hr 40 min · Nantahala National Forest
  26. Homestead Trail Easy · 1.4 mi (2.3 km) · Elevation Gain 92 ft (28 m) · 30 min · Pisgah National Forest
  27. Horne Creek Trail Easy · 4.1 mi (6.6 km) · Elevation Gain 115 ft (35 m) · 1 hr 25 min · Pilot Mountain State Park
  28. Wolf Rock Trail Easy · 2.4 mi (3.8 km) · Elevation Gain 469 ft (143 m) · 1 hr · Stone Mountain State Park
  29. Pinnacle Trail Moderate · 2.7 mi (4.4 km) · Elevation Gain 489 ft (149 m) · 1 hr 5 min · Pinnacle Park
  30. Douglas Falls Trail Hard · 5.6 mi (9 km) · Elevation Gain 1,237 ft (377 m) · 2 hr 25 min · Craggy Mountain Wilderness Study Area

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Parks in North Carolina

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GoTrails · Route data: © OpenStreetMap