Buck Gap–Adventure Trail, 4 sights
15.9 mi · ▲ 3,717 ft · 7 hr 10 min
Buck Gap–Adventure Trail, 4 sights is a 15.9-mile out-and-back near Ridgecrest, NC. The route reaches Buck Gap. It climbs 3,717 ft, with sections as steep as 37% grade. It scores 80/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Buck Gap–Adventure Trail, 4 sights
15.9 mi · ▲ 3,717 ft · 7 hr 10 min
Elevation 2,216–3,889 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: Adventure Trail · 35.63253, -82.27142
Weather Sep 4: Light drizzle, high 86°F / low 69° · precip 23% · wind 7 mph · sunrise 7:04 AM · sunset 7:54 PM
Dogs allowed on leash
- Start on Adventure Trail, heading N.
- 1.5 miSharp right onto Old Mitchell Toll Road, heading N.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto East Ridge Trail, heading NW.
- 400 ftPass Buck Gap.
- 50 ftBear left onto Old Mitchell Toll Road, heading NE.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto East Ridge Trail, heading N.
- 0.5 miContinue straight onto Old Mitchell Toll Road, heading N.
- 0.6 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 1.2 miTurn right onto Parris Creek Trail, heading E.
- 2.4 miBear right onto Mill Creek Road, heading SE.
- 500 ftContinue straight onto Bernard Mountain Road, heading SE.
- 1.4 miReach Buck Gap, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 1.4 miContinue straight onto Mill Creek Road, heading S.
- 500 ftBear left onto Parris Creek Trail, heading SW.
- 2.4 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 1.2 miTurn left onto Old Mitchell Toll Road, heading W.
- 0.6 miContinue straight onto East Ridge Trail, heading S.
- 0.5 miContinue straight onto Old Mitchell Toll Road, heading E.
- 150 ftBear right onto East Ridge Trail, heading E.
- 450 ftContinue straight onto Old Mitchell Toll Road, heading S.
- 0.2 miSharp left onto Adventure Trail, heading SW.
- 1.4 miArrive 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 1.6 mi in (~56 min). Leave by 6:38 PM for the 7:54 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:54 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Dogs allowed on leash
More from Adventure Trail Trailhead
- Lookout Mountain–Rainbow Gap, 3 summits 4 mi · ▲ 1,429 ft
- Crestridge Lake–Rattlesnake Trail, 3 sights 4.2 mi · ▲ 1,435 ft
- Brushy Knob–Big Slaty, 12 summits 15.5 mi · ▲ 4,502 ft
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Hikes near Ridgecrest, North Carolina