AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Mount Mitchell State Park

Big Tom Gap Trail via Mount Mitchell Trail

12.2 mi · ▲ 3,402 ft · 5 hr 46 min

Big Tom Gap Trail via Mount Mitchell Trail is a 12.2-mile out-and-back in Mount Mitchell State Park near Busick, NC. It climbs 3,402 ft, with sections as steep as 34% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 75/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi3,022 – 6,234 ft · steepest grade: 34%12.5 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Setrock Creek Falls Trail 35.75013, -82.22589
Nearest town Busick, NC
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Big Tom Gap Trail via Mount Mitchell Trail

12.2 mi · ▲ 3,402 ft · 5 hr 46 min

Elevation 3,022–6,235 ft

Out & Back · Mount Mitchell State Park

Trailhead: Setrock Creek Falls Trail · 35.75013, -82.22589

Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 84°F / low 70° · precip 19% · wind 6 mph · sunrise 7:04 AM · sunset 7:54 PM

Dogs allowed on leash

  1. Start on Setrock Creek Falls Trail, heading E.
  2. 150 ftSharp left onto Briar Bottom Trail, heading N.
  3. 350 ftContinue straight onto Briar Bottom, heading NE.
  4. 50 ftTurn left onto Mount Mitchell Trail, heading NW.
  5. 3.5 miSharp right onto Buncombe Horse Trail, heading W.
  6. 2.2 miTurn left onto Big Tom Gap Trail, heading N.
  7. 0.3 miReach Big Tom Gap Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  8. 0.3 miTurn right onto Buncombe Horse Trail, heading SE.
  9. 2.2 miSharp left onto Mount Mitchell Trail, heading SW.
  10. 3.5 miTurn right onto Briar Bottom, heading SW.
  11. 100 ftContinue straight onto Briar Bottom Trail, heading SW.
  12. 350 ftSharp right onto Setrock Creek Falls Trail, heading SW.
  13. 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 map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/big-tom-gap-trail-out-back

Trail surface

63% dirt1% gravel36% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 84°F70°
Precip19%Wind6 mphUV7Humidity65%
Hourly temperatureRain chance
85°70° 12 AM: 1% rain1 AM: 1% rain12 PM: 1% rain1 PM: 2% rain2 PM: 15% rain3 PM: 19% rain4 PM: 19% rain5 PM: 13% rain6 PM: 8% rain7 PM: 5% rain8 PM: 3% rain9 PM: 1% rain11 PM: 1% rain
Sunrise 7:04 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 7:54 PM
Sat 87°71° 15%
Sun 85°65° 64%
Mon 71°63° 62%
Tue 75°57°
Wed 81°59°
Thu 83°64°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 6.1 mi in (~239 min). Leave by 3:35 PM for the 7:54 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:40 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Dogs allowed on leash

More from Setrock Creek Falls Trail Trailhead

Hikes near Busick, North Carolina