Linville Gorge Wilderness

Amphitheater–Jeep, 3 sights

11.5 mi · ▲ 3,480 ft · 5 hr 34 min

Amphitheater–Jeep, 3 sights is an 11.5-mile out-and-back in Linville Gorge Wilderness near Linville, NC. It climbs 3,480 ft, with sections as steep as 31% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 90/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi1,805 – 3,366 ft · steepest grade: 31%11.8 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Shortoff Trail 35.82418, -81.88949
Nearest town Linville, NC

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Amphitheater–Jeep, 3 sights

11.5 mi · ▲ 3,480 ft · 5 hr 34 min

Elevation 1,803–3,365 ft

Out & Back · Linville Gorge Wilderness

Trailhead: Shortoff Trail · 35.82418, -81.88949

Weather Sep 4: Rain showers, high 91°F / low 73° · precip 18% · wind 7 mph · sunrise 7:03 AM · sunset 7:53 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Shortoff Trail, heading W.
  2. 1 miTurn right onto Jeep, heading NW.
  3. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Mountains-to-Sea Trail, heading N.
  4. 4.2 miTurn left onto Amphitheater, heading NW.
  5. 0.3 miReach Shortoff Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  6. 0.3 miTurn right onto Mountains-to-Sea Trail, heading NE.
  7. 4.1 miContinue straight onto Jeep, heading S.
  8. 0.4 miTurn left onto Shortoff Trail, heading S.
  9. 0.9 miArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail surface

100% dirt

Weather

Rain showersTemperature 91°F73°
Precip18%Wind7 mphUV7Humidity90%
Hourly temperatureRain chance
95°70° 1 PM: 4% rain2 PM: 8% rain3 PM: 14% rain4 PM: 18% rain5 PM: 11% rain6 PM: 5% rain7 PM: 4% rain8 PM: 4% rain9 PM: 1% rain10 PM: 1% rain11 PM: 2% rain
Sunrise 7:03 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 7:53 PM
Sat 95°74° 15%
Sun 92°68° 71%
Mon 79°66° 58%
Tue 83°62°
Wed 88°62°
Thu 92°66°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.4 mi in (~69 min). Leave by 6:24 PM for the 7:53 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:41 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from Shortoff Trail Trailhead