Cedar Rock Mountain–Cat Gap, 5 saddles is a 12-mile out-and-back near Ecusta, NC. The route passes Cat Gap and Sandy Gap before reaching Cedar Rock Mountain at the turnaround, 6 miles in. It climbs 3,025 ft, with sections as steep as 29% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 50/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
0 mi2,156 – 4,055 ft · steepest grade: 29%12.2 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: North Slope 35.28168, -82.72561
Nearest town Ecusta, NC
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Cedar Rock Mountain–Cat Gap, 5 saddles
12 mi · ▲ 3,025 ft · 5 hr 31 min
Elevation 2,155–4,054 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: North Slope · 35.28168, -82.72561
Weather Sep 5: sunrise 7:06 AM · sunset 7:55 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on North Slope, heading W.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Laurel Loop, heading SW.
- 50 ftBear right onto North Slope, heading SW.
- 350 ftBear left onto North Slope Trail, heading SW.
- 1.7 miContinue straight onto North Slope Connector Trail, heading SW.
- 0.9 miBear right onto Art Loeb Trail, heading S.
- 2.3 miPass Cat Gap.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Cat Gap Loop Trail, heading W.
- 50 ftBear left onto Art Loeb Trail, heading W.
- 0.6 miPass Sandy Gap.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Cedar Rock Mountain Trail, heading SW.
- 0.3 miReach Cedar Rock Mountain, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Art Loeb Trail, heading E.
- 0.6 miBear right onto Cat Gap Loop Trail, heading NE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Art Loeb Trail, heading NE.
- 2.3 miBear left onto North Slope Connector Trail, heading E.
- 0.9 miContinue straight onto North Slope Trail, heading NE.
- 1.7 miBear right onto North Slope, heading NE.
- 350 ftBear left onto Laurel Loop, heading NE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto North Slope, heading NE.
- 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 surface
100% dirt
Weather
Sunrise 7:06 AMSunset 7:55 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 5.9 mi in (~212 min). Leave by 4:04 PM for the 7:55 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:49 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from North Slope Trailhead
- Joel Branch Road & North Slope Trail 4.2 mi · ▲ 179 ft
- Joel Branch Road–North Slope Connector Trail Loop, 3 sights 8.4 mi · ▲ 1,536 ft
- Grassy Road Trail–North Slope Connector Trail, 3 sights 11.2 mi · ▲ 1,967 ft
- 475C–North Slope Connector Trail Loop, 4 sights 11.8 mi · ▲ 1,725 ft
- John Rock Viewpoint–John Rock Trail, 3 sights 12.2 mi · ▲ 3,004 ft
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Hikes near Ecusta, North Carolina