Beacon Heights Viewpoint–Mountains-to-Sea Viewpoint, 3 viewpoints is a 2.9-mile out-and-back near Grandfather, NC. The route passes Mountains-to-Sea Viewpoint before reaching Beacon Heights Viewpoint at the turnaround, 1.4 miles in. It climbs 515 ft, with sections as steep as 19% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi4,170 – 4,357 ft · steepest grade: 19%3.2 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Tanawha Trail 36.09032, -81.81460
Nearest town Grandfather, NC
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Beacon Heights Viewpoint–Mountains-to-Sea Viewpoint, 3 viewpoints
2.9 mi · ▲ 515 ft · 1 hr 13 min
Elevation 4,170–4,358 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: Tanawha Trail · 36.09032, -81.81460
Weather Sep 5: sunrise 7:02 AM · sunset 7:53 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Tanawha Trail, heading SW.
- 1.4 miContinue straight onto Beacon Heights Trail, heading SW.
- 300 ftPass Mountains-to-Sea Viewpoint.
- 500 ftReach Beacon Heights Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Tanawha Trail, heading NE.
- 1.2 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
95% dirt3% gravel2% boardwalk
Weather
Sunrise 7:02 AMSunset 7:53 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.4 mi in (~39 min). Leave by 6:54 PM for the 7:53 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:49 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Tanawha Trail Trailhead
- Yonahlossee Overlook via Tanawha Trail 1 mi · ▲ 177 ft
- Tanawha Trail 4.1 mi · ▲ 1,001 ft
- Marks Mountain Trail–Mountains-to-Sea Trail, 5 sights 15.5 mi · ▲ 2,649 ft
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Hikes near Grandfather, North Carolina