Lost Cove Wilderness Study Area
Big Lost Cove Cliffs Trail & Lost Cove Loop Trail
16.1 mi · ▲ 4,038 ft · 7 hr 23 min
Big Lost Cove Cliffs Trail & Lost Cove Loop Trail is a 16.1-mile out-and-back in Lost Cove Wilderness Study Area near Kawana, NC. It climbs 4,038 ft, with sections as steep as 28% grade. It scores 81/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Big Lost Cove Cliffs Trail & Lost Cove Loop Trail
16.1 mi · ▲ 4,038 ft · 7 hr 23 min
Elevation 2,058–3,766 ft
Out & Back · Lost Cove Wilderness Study Area
Trailhead: Harper Creek Road · 36.00842, -81.85310
Weather Sep 5: Mostly clear, high 85°F / low 69° · precip 17% · wind 6 mph · sunrise 7:03 AM · sunset 7:51 PM
- Start on Harper Creek Road, heading N.
- 50 ftBear right onto Old Mortimer Road, heading N.
- 450 ftSharp left, heading SW.
- 0.9 miBear left, heading E.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Big Lost Cove Cliffs Trail, heading E.
- 2.1 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 1.6 miTurn left onto Lost Cove Loop Trail, heading NW.
- 3.2 miContinue straight onto Lost Cove Trail, heading NE.
- 50 ftReach Big Lost Cove Cliffs Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Lost Cove Loop Trail, heading NE.
- 3.2 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 1.6 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading E.
- 0.7 miContinue straight onto Big Lost Cove Cliffs Trail, heading W.
- 1.5 miContinue straight onto Old Mortimer Road, heading SE.
- 50 ftBear left, heading E.
- 1 miBear left onto Harper Creek Road, heading SE.
- 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.0 mi in (~67 min). Leave by 6:24 PM for the 7:51 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:56 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
More from Harper Creek Road Trailhead
- Old Mortimer Road 2 mi · ▲ 297 ft
- Old Mortimer Road 2.1 mi · ▲ 327 ft
- Old Mortimer Road 2.1 mi · ▲ 291 ft
- Harper Creek Road 2.8 mi · ▲ 742 ft
- Headquarters Mountain Trail 5.6 mi · ▲ 1,064 ft
- Headquarters Mountain Trail 5.6 mi · ▲ 1,058 ft
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