Big Butt Trail
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Trail Overview
Difficult ridgeline hike across three peaks to work off your____. Close views of Mt. Mitchell and Blacks Mountain chain. Recommended in late spring (April-June) for wildflowers carpeting the trail.
How to get there
From Johnson City, TN to southern trailhead on BRP:
- Take I-26 south into North Carolina.
- Take Exit 18 (Weaverville).
- Follow US-19 south.
- Turn left/east onto SR-1003 (Reems Creek Road) for just over three miles.
- Turn right/east onto Ox Creek Road.
- Turn left/east onto the Blue Ridge Parkway for 8 miles to around MM 359 (Walker Knob Overlook/Balsam Gap).
Route Description
The white-blazed Big Butt Trail follows the below general route. Note that the Mountains-to-Sea Trail also shares the Walker Knob Overlook (formerly called Balsam Gap) trailhead, but has white circle blazes.
| Distance (mi) | Elevation (ft) | Feature |
|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | 5320 | Trailhead at Walker Knob Overlook/Balsam Gap |
| 0.4 | Brush Fence Ridge | |
| 1.6 | 5715 | Point Misery |
| 2.3 | Little Butt | |
| 3 | 5920 | Big Butt, also known as Yeates Knob |
| 6 | Highway NC-197 Cane River Gap |
The hike north for first couple of miles from the parking lot is moderately easy ridgeline trail. The climbs are for two Butt peaks. Returning from here will encounter a steeper climb at Point Misery. Otherwise, the trail drops down to NC-197 on a rarely used path – thus has been called a bushwack.
Typical Conditions
Not a heavily used trail. Two challenges are some steep climbs and brushy growth invading the trail – especially between Little and Big Butt peaks. CMC called it a bushwack in a trip report.
Fees, Permits, etc.
Dogs are allowed, but must be on leash.
Trailhead inaccessible in winter as Blue Ridge Parkway closed.
After the Hike
Misc. Information
Link to Carolina Mountain Club’s description from BRP to Big Butt and back [1]
Big Butt Forest Service Trail #161 [2] description includes directions to north end trailhead.
Best trail write-up found cnyhiking.com site
Maps
<googlemap lat="35.7495" lon="-82.3345" type="terrain" zoom="12" scale="yes" icons="http://tehcc.org/clubwiki/kml/marker{label}.png"> http://tehcc.org/clubwiki/kml/placeholder.kml
(A) 35.748525,-82.333582 Trailhead parking at BRP (G) 35.768137,-82.337744 Point Misery (G)35.786658,-82.346491 Big Butt (G) 35.775325,-82.343559 Little Butt </googlemap>
Photos
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