Bald Knob Ridge Trail

[[Image:|350px]] Trail Name Bald Knob Ridge Trail Trail Number FS# 186 Nearest City Old Fort State North Carolina Trail Marking Yellow Trail Use/Features Difficulty Rating Medium Hiking Time 3 Hours0.188 Days <br />180 Min <br /> Distance: round-trip/trail only 5.6 Mi9.012 km <br /> / 2.8 Mi4.506 km <br /> Trail Type In-and-Out Climb/Descent Elevation 1,510 Ft460.248 Meters <br /> / High Point 5,210 Ft1,736.667 Yards <br />1,588.008 Meters <br /> Parking 35° 42' 54.00" N, 82° 16' 26.00" W Nearest Medical Ashville, NC Trip Reports Click Here Loading map... {"type":"ROADMAP","minzoom":false,"maxzoom":false,"types":["ROADMAP","SATELLITE","HYBRID","TERRAIN"],"mappingservice":"googlemaps3","width":"270px","height":"180px","centre":false,"title":"","label":"","icon":"","lines":[],"polygons":[],"circles":[],"rectangles":[],"copycoords":false,"static":false,"visitedicon":"","wmsoverlay":false,"zoom":8,"layers":[],"controls":["zoom"],"zoomstyle":"DEFAULT","typestyle":"DEFAULT","autoinfowindows":false,"resizable":false,"kmlrezoom":false,"poi":true,"cluster":false,"clustergridsize":60,"clustermaxzoom":20,"clusterzoomonclick":true,"clusteraveragecenter":true,"clusterminsize":2,"imageoverlays":[],"kml":[],"gkml":[],"searchmarkers":"","fullscreen":false,"scrollwheelzoom":false,"locations":[{"text":"","title":"","link":"","lat":35.715000000000003410605131648480892181396484375,"lon":-82.27388999999999441570253111422061920166015625,"icon":""}]} Show Large Map

Trail Overview

Short hike off Blue Ridge Parkway through spruce/fir forest down to South Toe River. Views of the Black Mountains.

How to get there

From Johnson City, TN

1. South on I-26 to Exit 32 (Unicoi).
2. Head east on TN-173 for a mile, including right at traffic light at tee.
3. Turn left/east on TN-107 and travel 10 miles to TN/NC border where the highway becomes NC-226.
4. Continue south onto NC-197 for around 11 miles to Burnsville.
5. At tee, turn left/east onto US-19E for 7 miles, taking the Micaville Loop.
6. Take right/south onto NC-80 for 14 miles.
7. Upon reaching the Blue Ridge Parkway, turn right/south.
8. To stage a vehicle at the trail’s lower end, turn right on Forest Road 472 (South Toe River Road) for one mile to pull-off with trail sign.
9. Return to the Blue Ridge Parkway and drive Milepost 355.
10. Park in pull-off on northeast side of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Route Description

Bald Knob Ridge is yellow-blazed Forest Service Trail #186.

Distance (mi)	Elevation (ft)	Feature
0.00	5,210	Begin at parkway parking lot. Head downhill.
0.10		Enter national forest. Old cabin on left.
0.65		Veer right around namesake knob. Enter spruce/fir forest.
0.95		Exit forest
1.50		Begin descending on switchbacks through rhododendron.
2.00		Follow old road bed
2.60		Road becomes larger
2.80	3,700	Reach Forest Road 472 (South Toe River Road). Across road is the river.

Fees, Permits, etc.

No permit or fee.

Misc. Information

This trail follows the ridgeline one south of the Buncombe Horse Range Ridge trail.

Carolina Mountain Club listing for this trail [1] which describes hiking the other direction.

Forest Service webpage for the trail [2]

Maps

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Photos

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