Big Ivy Road–Craggy Gardens Trail, 4 sights is a 15.9-mile out-and-back in Craggy Mountain Wilderness Study Area near Blackberry Inn, NC. It climbs 2,691 ft, with sections as steep as 24% grade. It scores 32/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
0 mi4,200 – 5,574 ft · steepest grade: 24%16.1 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Craggy Gardens Trail 35.69994, -82.39067
Nearest town Blackberry Inn, NC
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Big Ivy Road–Craggy Gardens Trail, 4 sights
15.9 mi · ▲ 2,691 ft · 6 hr 39 min
Elevation 4,201–5,576 ft
Out & Back · Craggy Mountain Wilderness Study Area
Trailhead: Craggy Gardens Trail · 35.69994, -82.39067
Weather Sep 4: Partly cloudy, high 75°F / low 61° · precip 21% · wind 6 mph · sunrise 7:05 AM · sunset 7:54 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Craggy Gardens Trail, heading NE.
- 0.6 miBear left onto Mountains-to-Sea Trail, heading NE.
- 0.9 miBear left onto Douglas Falls Trail, heading SE.
- 3.9 miBear right onto Laurel Gap Trail, heading NW.
- 2.6 miReach Craggy Gardens Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 2.6 miBear left onto Big Ivy Road, heading S.
- 3.9 miBear right onto Mountains-to-Sea Trail, heading SW.
- 0.9 miBear right, heading S.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Craggy Gardens Trail, heading NW.
- 0.1 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
40% dirt32% grass14% gravel14% unspecified
Weather
Partly cloudyTemperature 75°F61°
Precip21%Wind6 mphUV7Humidity77%
Hourly temperatureRain chance
75°60°
Sunrise 7:05 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 7:54 PM
Sat
74°63°
Sun
71°57°
57%
Mon
66°55°
32%
Tue
69°50°
Wed
76°52°
Thu
76°57°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.1 mi in (~5 min). Leave by 7:29 PM for the 7:54 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:12 PM — 8 min before dark. Car visible from the viewpoint
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Craggy Gardens Trail Trailhead
- Craggy Gardens Viewpoint & Craggy Gardens Trail 1.1 mi · ▲ 429 ft
- Craggy Dome Scenic Overlook (MP 364.5) & Craggy Gardens Trail via Mountains-to-Sea Trail 1.5 mi · ▲ 356 ft
- Mountains-to-Sea Trail 2.5 mi · ▲ 719 ft
- Craggy Dome–Graybeard Mountain View (MP 363.4), 5 sights 6.4 mi · ▲ 1,670 ft
- Hawksbill Creek Road–Mountains-to-Sea Trail, 4 sights 14 mi · ▲ 4,277 ft
Get outside more
A wild hike near Blackberry Inn, emailed to you once a week.
Hikes near Blackberry Inn, North Carolina