Fryingpan Mountain

Trail Name Fryingpan Mountain Nearest City Canton State North Carolina Trail Marking Trail Use/Features Difficulty Rating Easy Hiking Time 2 hours0.125 Days <br />120 Min <br /> Distance, round-trip 1.5 miles2.414 km <br /> Climb/Descent Elevation 392392 Feet <br />119.482 Meters <br /> / 1616 Feet <br />4.877 Meters <br /> High Point 5,3405,340 Feet <br />1,780 Yards <br />1,627.632 Meters <br /> Nearest Medical Asheville, 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":35.39523598400000281571919913403689861297607421875,"lon":-82.76855328400000644251122139394283294677734375,"icon":""}]} Show Large Map

Trail Overview

Fryingpan Mountain (5,340 ft.) is in the Pisgah Ranger District southwest of Asheville NC. It's noticeable feature is a 70ft fire tower on its summit. It is the tallest fire tower in the entire state of North Carolina.

Get the same and arguably better views as nearby Mount Pisgah but with a much easier hike and far less crowds. This is a great short family hike but the fire tower itself can be a little intimidating to climb.

The cab of the fire tower is locked but you can take the old metal stairs to just below it and get stunning 360 degree views. There are communication towers on the summit as well but they don't really interfere with the view.

The fire tower has views of the entire Balsam Mountains range. It has a close-up view of famous Cold Mountain which is just a mere 5 miles north. Looking Glass Rock and Mount Pisgah are not that far away either. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is visible as well.

How to get there

Google Maps Driving Directions

• Kingsport TN
• Johnson City TN
• Bristol TN

Route Description

You park at the entrance to the Forest Service Road 450, at Milepost 409.6 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Do not block the road or the gate. Just walk up the .75 mile gravel road to the summit.

Typical Conditions

• Gravel forest service road
• Smooth and wide
• Great for groups and families
• Uphill the entire way but never steep

Maps

Loading map...

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class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/wiki/File:PRD_Mount_Pisgah_View_Big_Bald_Summit.jpg\" class=\"image\"\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\"PRD Mount Pisgah View Big Bald Summit.jpg\" src=\"/clubwiki/images/thumb/PRD_Mount_Pisgah_View_Big_Bald_Summit.jpg/150px-PRD_Mount_Pisgah_View_Big_Bald_Summit.jpg\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"113\" srcset=\"/clubwiki/images/thumb/PRD_Mount_Pisgah_View_Big_Bald_Summit.jpg/225px-PRD_Mount_Pisgah_View_Big_Bald_Summit.jpg 1.5x, /clubwiki/images/thumb/PRD_Mount_Pisgah_View_Big_Bald_Summit.jpg/300px-PRD_Mount_Pisgah_View_Big_Bald_Summit.jpg 2x\" data-file-width=\"1200\" data-file-height=\"900\" /\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Big Bald (5,286 ft)\n","link":"","lat":35.39814926140000039822552935220301151275634765625,"lon":-82.7627128870000063898260123096406459808349609375,"icon":"/clubwiki/images/MarkerP.png"},{"text":"\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBuck Springs Lodge Site\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E\u003C/b\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/wiki/File:PRD_Buck_Springs_Lodge.jpg\" class=\"image\"\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\"PRD Buck Springs Lodge.jpg\" src=\"/clubwiki/images/thumb/PRD_Buck_Springs_Lodge.jpg/150px-PRD_Buck_Springs_Lodge.jpg\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"113\" srcset=\"/clubwiki/images/thumb/PRD_Buck_Springs_Lodge.jpg/225px-PRD_Buck_Springs_Lodge.jpg 1.5x, /clubwiki/images/thumb/PRD_Buck_Springs_Lodge.jpg/300px-PRD_Buck_Springs_Lodge.jpg 2x\" data-file-width=\"1200\" data-file-height=\"900\" /\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Buck Springs Lodge Site\n","link":"","lat":35.41377202009999791698646731674671173095703125,"lon":-82.7490075049999944667433737777173519134521484375,"icon":"/clubwiki/images/MarkerV.png"},{"text":"\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFryingpan Mountain (5,326 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/\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Fryingpan Mountain Fire Tower\n","link":"","lat":35.39329971240000105581202660687267780303955078125,"lon":-82.774704705000004878456820733845233917236328125,"icon":"/clubwiki/images/Marker2.png"},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELittle Bald Mountain (5,300 ft)\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Little Bald Mountain (5,300 ft)\n","link":"","lat":35.4072000000000031150193535722792148590087890625,"lon":-82.7459999999999951114659779705107212066650390625,"icon":"/clubwiki/images/MarkerP.png"},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELittle Pisgah Mountain (5,288 ft)\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Little Pisgah Mountain (5,288 ft)\n","link":"","lat":35.423113802599999644371564500033855438232421875,"lon":-82.7450115569999979925341904163360595703125,"icon":"/clubwiki/images/MarkerP.png"},{"text":"\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMount Pisgah (5,724 ft)\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E\u003C/b\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/wiki/File:PRD_Mount_Pisgah_Summit.jpg\" class=\"image\"\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\"PRD Mount Pisgah Summit.jpg\" src=\"/clubwiki/images/thumb/PRD_Mount_Pisgah_Summit.jpg/150px-PRD_Mount_Pisgah_Summit.jpg\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"113\" srcset=\"/clubwiki/images/thumb/PRD_Mount_Pisgah_Summit.jpg/225px-PRD_Mount_Pisgah_Summit.jpg 1.5x, /clubwiki/images/thumb/PRD_Mount_Pisgah_Summit.jpg/300px-PRD_Mount_Pisgah_Summit.jpg 2x\" data-file-width=\"1200\" data-file-height=\"900\" /\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Mount Pisgah (5,724 ft)\n","link":"","lat":35.425702156200003400954301469027996063232421875,"lon":-82.7568295189999929561963654123246669769287109375,"icon":"/clubwiki/images/MarkerP.png"},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMount 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height=\"113\" srcset=\"/clubwiki/images/thumb/PRD_Mount_Pisgah_Parking_Lot.jpg/225px-PRD_Mount_Pisgah_Parking_Lot.jpg 1.5x, /clubwiki/images/thumb/PRD_Mount_Pisgah_Parking_Lot.jpg/300px-PRD_Mount_Pisgah_Parking_Lot.jpg 2x\" data-file-width=\"1200\" data-file-height=\"900\" /\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Parking\n","link":"","lat":35.41823244790000302373300655744969844818115234375,"lon":-82.7479353220000035662451409734785556793212890625,"icon":"/clubwiki/images/MarkerA.png"},{"text":"\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPisgah Inn\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E\u003C/b\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/wiki/File:PRD_Pisgah_Inn.jpg\" class=\"image\"\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\"PRD Pisgah Inn.jpg\" src=\"/clubwiki/images/thumb/PRD_Pisgah_Inn.jpg/150px-PRD_Pisgah_Inn.jpg\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"113\" srcset=\"/clubwiki/images/thumb/PRD_Pisgah_Inn.jpg/225px-PRD_Pisgah_Inn.jpg 1.5x, /clubwiki/images/thumb/PRD_Pisgah_Inn.jpg/300px-PRD_Pisgah_Inn.jpg 2x\" data-file-width=\"1200\" data-file-height=\"900\" /\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Pisgah Inn\n","link":"","lat":35.4029561701999995193546055816113948822021484375,"lon":-82.7536954440000016575140762142837047576904296875,"icon":"/clubwiki/images/MarkerG.png"},{"text":"\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003EViewing Platform\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E\u003C/b\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/wiki/File:PRD_Mount_Pisgah_Platform.jpg\" class=\"image\"\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\"PRD Mount Pisgah Platform.jpg\" src=\"/clubwiki/images/thumb/PRD_Mount_Pisgah_Platform.jpg/150px-PRD_Mount_Pisgah_Platform.jpg\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"113\" srcset=\"/clubwiki/images/thumb/PRD_Mount_Pisgah_Platform.jpg/225px-PRD_Mount_Pisgah_Platform.jpg 1.5x, /clubwiki/images/thumb/PRD_Mount_Pisgah_Platform.jpg/300px-PRD_Mount_Pisgah_Platform.jpg 2x\" data-file-width=\"1200\" data-file-height=\"900\" /\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Viewing Platform\n","link":"","lat":35.425588541899998062945087440311908721923828125,"lon":-82.7567871680000024525725166313350200653076171875,"icon":"/clubwiki/images/MarkerG.png"}]}

Photos

• 

  View towards Cold Mountain

• 

  View towards Mount Pisgah

• 

  View towards Looking Glass Rock

• 

  View towards the Balsam Mountains and Shining Rock

• 

  71 foot fire tower on the mountain summit. Highest in North Carolina