Lost Cove Wilderness Study Area
Big Lost Cove Cliffs Trail & Timber Ridge Trail via Lost Cove Loop Trail
14.7 mi · ▲ 4,160 ft · 6 hr 59 min
Big Lost Cove Cliffs Trail & Timber Ridge Trail via Lost Cove Loop Trail is a 14.7-mile out-and-back in Lost Cove Wilderness Study Area near Pineola, NC. It climbs 4,160 ft, with sections as steep as 30% grade. It scores 84/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Big Lost Cove Cliffs Trail & Timber Ridge Trail via Lost Cove Loop Trail
14.7 mi · ▲ 4,160 ft · 6 hr 59 min
Elevation 1,705–3,766 ft
Out & Back · Lost Cove Wilderness Study Area
Trailhead: Old Mortimer Road · 36.01218, -81.85875
Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 82°F / low 67° · precip 21% · wind 2 mph · sunrise 7:02 AM · sunset 7:53 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Old Mortimer Road, heading E.
- 50 ftBear left, heading E.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Big Lost Cove Cliffs Trail, heading E.
- 2.1 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 1.6 miTurn left onto Lost Cove Loop Trail, heading NE.
- 2 miTurn left onto Timber Ridge Trail, heading E.
- 1.5 miContinue straight onto Lost Cove Loop Trail, heading SE.
- 50 ftReach Big Lost Cove Cliffs Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Timber Ridge Trail, heading SE.
- 1.5 miTurn right onto Lost Cove Loop Trail, heading N.
- 2 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 1.6 miTurn right, heading W.
- 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 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 1.0 mi in (~33 min). Leave by 6:59 PM for the 7:53 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:33 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Old Mortimer Road Trailhead
- Big Lost Cove Cliffs Viewpoint & Big Lost Cove Cliffs Trail 3.5 mi · ▲ 687 ft
- Old Mortimer Road 4.8 mi · ▲ 1,043 ft
- Old Mortimer Road 4.8 mi · ▲ 1,042 ft
- Headquarters Mountain Trail 7.6 mi · ▲ 1,365 ft
- Headquarters Mountain Trail 7.6 mi · ▲ 1,364 ft
- Headquarters Mountain Trail 8.7 mi · ▲ 1,876 ft
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