Cathedral Falls & Babel Tower Trail via Linville Gorge Trail
9.1 mi · ▲ 2,310 ft · 4 hr 11 min
Cathedral Falls & Babel Tower Trail via Linville Gorge Trail is a 9.1-mile out-and-back in Linville Gorge Wilderness near Wisemans View, NC. The route reaches Cathedral Falls. It climbs 2,310 ft, with sections as steep as 20% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 91/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Cathedral Falls & Babel Tower Trail via Linville Gorge Trail
9.1 mi · ▲ 2,310 ft · 4 hr 11 min
Elevation 1,897–3,811 ft
Out & Back · Linville Gorge Wilderness
Trailhead: Babel Tower Trail · 35.91850, -81.91953
Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 81°F / low 65° · precip 20% · wind 3 mph · sunrise 7:03 AM · sunset 7:53 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Babel Tower Trail, heading NE.
- 1.1 miSharp right onto Linville Gorge Trail, heading S.
- 2.7 miBear right onto Spence Ridge Trail, heading S.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Linville Gorge Trail, heading SW.
- 50 ftPass Cathedral Falls.
- 0.7 miReach Cathedral Falls, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.7 miContinue straight onto Spence Ridge Trail, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear left onto Linville Gorge Trail, heading NE.
- 2.7 miSharp left onto Babel Tower Trail, heading N.
- 1.1 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
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Babel Tower Trail Trailhead
- Brushy Ridge Falls–Babel Tower Trail, 3 sights 4.6 mi · ▲ 1,366 ft
- Brushy Ridge Falls–Babel Tower Trail, 4 sights 6.8 mi · ▲ 2,277 ft
- Hawksbill Mountain–Hawksbill Viewpoint, 6 sights 9 mi · ▲ 3,605 ft
- Babel Tower Trail–Devil's Hole Trail, 3 sights 12.2 mi · ▲ 4,464 ft
- Mountains-to-Sea Viewpoint–Babel Tower Trail, 6 sights 14.5 mi · ▲ 4,257 ft
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