AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Buck Forest Road & Rocky Ridge Trail

8.2 mi · ▲ 974 ft · 3 hr 13 min

Buck Forest Road & Rocky Ridge Trail is an 8.2-mile out-and-back near Jeter Mountain Terrace, NC. It climbs 974 ft, with sections as steep as 15% grade. It scores 80/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi2,480 – 2,996 ft · steepest grade: 15%8.5 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Rocky Ridge Trail 35.21188, -82.57298
Nearest town Jeter Mountain Terrace, NC
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Buck Forest Road & Rocky Ridge Trail

8.2 mi · ▲ 974 ft · 3 hr 13 min

Elevation 2,479–2,997 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: Rocky Ridge Trail · 35.21188, -82.57298

Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 85°F / low 68° · precip 16% · wind 5 mph · sunrise 7:06 AM · sunset 7:55 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Rocky Ridge Trail, heading N.
  2. 1.7 miBear right onto Ruffed Grouse Trail, heading W.
  3. 0.1 miTurn right onto Rifle Trail, heading W.
  4. 0.3 miSharp left onto Guion Trail, heading NW.
  5. 200 ftTurn left onto Hickory Mountain Road, heading S.
  6. 450 ftContinue straight onto Ruffed Grouse Trail, heading SE.
  7. 0.2 miTurn left onto Hooker Creek Trail, heading SW.
  8. 0.3 miSharp right onto Buck Forest Road, heading S.
  9. 1.4 miReach Rocky Ridge Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  10. 1.4 miSharp left onto Hooker Creek Trail, heading NE.
  11. 0.3 miTurn right onto Ruffed Grouse Trail, heading N.
  12. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Hickory Mountain Road, heading NE.
  13. 450 ftTurn right onto Guion Trail, heading NE.
  14. 200 ftSharp right onto Rifle Trail, heading NE.
  15. 0.3 miTurn left onto Ruffed Grouse Trail, heading SE.
  16. 1.8 miArrive 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/buck-forest-road-rocky-ridge-trail-out-back

Trail surface

35% dirt65% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 85°F68°
Precip16%Wind5 mphUV7Humidity80%
Rained 0.1″ 7 days ago
Hourly temperatureRain chance
85°65° 1 PM: 1% rain2 PM: 6% rain3 PM: 15% rain4 PM: 15% rain5 PM: 16% rain6 PM: 9% rain7 PM: 2% rain8 PM: 2% rain9 PM: 1% rain
Sunrise 7:06 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 7:55 PM
Sat 89°70° 15%
Sun 85°65° 59%
Mon 72°63° 44%
Tue 75°58°
Wed 83°59°
Thu 89°63°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.6 mi in (~16 min). Leave by 7:19 PM for the 7:55 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:28 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from Rocky Ridge Trail Trailhead

Hikes near Jeter Mountain Terrace, North Carolina