Calderwood Lake–Yellowhammer Gap Loop, 5 sights
10.7 mi · ▲ 2,976 ft · 5 hr 3 min
Calderwood Lake–Yellowhammer Gap Loop, 5 sights is a 10.7-mile loop near Jenkins Meadow, NC. The route passes Yellowhammer Gap and Calderwood Lake. It climbs 2,976 ft, with sections as steep as 39% grade. It scores 82/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Calderwood Lake–Yellowhammer Gap Loop, 5 sights
10.7 mi · ▲ 2,976 ft · 5 hr 3 min
Elevation 1,104–3,520 ft
Loop
Trailhead: Big Fat Branch Trail · 35.41734, -83.97286
Weather Sep 4: Fog, high 85°F / low 70° · precip 5% · wind 3 mph · sunrise 7:11 AM · sunset 8:01 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Slick Rock Road, heading NE.
- 50 ftSharp left onto Hangover Lead Trail, heading N.
- 2.2 miBear left onto Tapoco Trail, heading NW.
- 50 ftPass Yellowhammer Gap.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Ike Branch Trail, heading N.
- 1.4 miPass Calderwood Lake.
- 50 ftSharp left onto Slickrock Creek Trail, heading NW.
- 2.8 miTurn left onto Ike Branch Trail, heading S.
- 0.5 miBear right onto Yellow Hammer Gap Trail, heading S.
- 1.5 miContinue straight onto Nichols Cove Trail, heading SW.
- 0.8 miBear left onto Windy Gap Trail, heading S.
- 1.4 miThe loop closes back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.3 mi in (~19 min). Leave by 7:22 PM for the 8:01 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:23 PM — 4 min before dark.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Big Fat Branch Trail Trailhead
- Big Fat Branch Trail 2.7 mi · ▲ 1,007 ft
- Windy Gap Trail 4.5 mi · ▲ 1,192 ft
- Yellowhammer Gap via Hangover Lead Trail 4.5 mi · ▲ 2,200 ft
- Hangover Lead Trail 4.7 mi · ▲ 1,815 ft
- Big Fat Branch Trail–Nichols Cove Trail Loop, 3 sights 7.9 mi · ▲ 1,654 ft
- Slick Rock Road 13.1 mi · ▲ 2,008 ft
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Hikes near Jenkins Meadow, North Carolina