AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Big Rock Spring–Bluff Mountain Road, 3 sights

4.1 mi · ▲ 1,038 ft · 1 hr 53 min

Big Rock Spring–Bluff Mountain Road, 3 sights is a 4.1-mile out-and-back near Ebbs Mill, NC. The route reaches Big Rock Spring at the turnaround, 2.1 miles in. It climbs 1,038 ft, with sections as steep as 18% grade. It scores 88/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi2,789 – 3,701 ft · steepest grade: 18%4.3 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Catpen Road 35.84289, -82.88904
Nearest town Ebbs Mill, NC
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Big Rock Spring–Bluff Mountain Road, 3 sights

4.1 mi · ▲ 1,038 ft · 1 hr 53 min

Elevation 2,790–3,700 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: Catpen Road · 35.84289, -82.88904

Weather Sep 5: Overcast, high 86°F / low 70° · precip 11% · wind 6 mph · sunrise 7:07 AM · sunset 7:57 PM

  1. Start on Catpen Road, heading W.
  2. 0.1 miTurn left onto Bluff Mountain Road, heading NW.
  3. 1.3 miBear left onto Appalachian Trail, heading W.
  4. 0.6 miBear right, heading SE.
  5. 50 ftReach Big Rock Spring, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  6. 0.6 miBear right onto Bluff Mountain Road, heading E.
  7. 1.3 miTurn right onto Catpen Road, heading S.
  8. 450 ftArrive 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-rock-spring-bluff-mountain-road-out-back-3-sights

Trail surface

12% gravel88% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 86°F70°
Precip11%Wind6 mphUV7Humidity65%
Hourly temperature
90°70°
Sunrise 7:07 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 7:57 PM
Sat 87°71° 26%
Sun 81°67° 34%
Mon 75°62°
Tue 82°58°
Wed 82°59°
Thu 85°63° 23%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.4 mi in (~54 min). Leave by 6:43 PM for the 7:57 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:48 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Hikes near Ebbs Mill, North Carolina