AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Big Butt–Chestnutlog Gap, 4 sights

11.5 mi · ▲ 2,845 ft · 5 hr 15 min

Big Butt–Chestnutlog Gap, 4 sights is an 11.5-mile out-and-back near Carmen, NC. The route passes Big Butt before reaching Chestnutlog Gap at the turnaround, 5.8 miles in. It climbs 2,845 ft, with sections as steep as 24% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 92/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi2,795 – 4,813 ft · steepest grade: 24%12.1 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Mill Creek Road 36.02786, -82.61449
Nearest town Carmen, NC
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Big Butt–Chestnutlog Gap, 4 sights

11.5 mi · ▲ 2,845 ft · 5 hr 15 min

Elevation 2,796–4,813 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: Mill Creek Road · 36.02786, -82.61449

Weather Sep 4: Fog, high 87°F / low 68° · precip 7% · wind 3 mph · sunrise 7:05 AM · sunset 7:56 PM

  1. Start on Mill Creek Road, heading NE.
  2. 0.8 miContinue straight onto Big Butt Road, heading NW.
  3. 3 miContinue straight onto Appalachian Trail, heading N.
  4. 500 ftContinue straight onto Big Butt Road, heading NW.
  5. 0.1 miTurn left onto Appalachian Trail, heading N.
  6. 50 ftPass Big Butt.
  7. 150 ftContinue straight onto Big Butt Bypass Trail, heading N.
  8. 400 ftBear right onto Appalachian Trail, heading W.
  9. 250 ftBear left onto Big Butt Road, heading NW.
  10. 100 ftBear right onto Appalachian Trail, heading W.
  11. 1.5 miPass Chestnutlog Gap.
  12. 350 ftReach Big Butt, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  13. 1.5 miBear left onto Big Butt Road, heading NE.
  14. 150 ftBear right onto Appalachian Trail, heading NE.
  15. 250 ftBear left onto Big Butt Bypass Trail, heading NE.
  16. 400 ftContinue straight onto Appalachian Trail, heading NE.
  17. 150 ftTurn right onto Big Butt Road, heading NE.
  18. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Appalachian Trail, heading E.
  19. 500 ftContinue straight onto Big Butt Road, heading NE.
  20. 3 miContinue straight onto Mill Creek Road, heading S.
  21. 0.7 miArrive back at the trailhead.

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

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/big-butt-chestnutlog-gap-out-back-4-sights

Trail surface

84% dirt16% unspecified

Weather

FogTemperature 87°F68°
Precip7%Wind3 mphUV7Humidity72%
Hourly temperature
90°65°
Sunrise 7:05 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 7:56 PM
Sat 87°70° 27%
Sun 83°68° 37%
Mon 77°61°
Tue 82°58°
Wed 82°61°
Thu 84°64° 22%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.3 mi in (~108 min). Leave by 5:47 PM for the 7:56 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:07 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

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