Hawksbill Creek Road–Mountains-to-Sea Trail, 4 sights is a 14-mile out-and-back near Blackberry Inn, NC. It climbs 4,277 ft, with sections as steep as 51% grade. It scores 67/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
0 mi2,877 – 5,361 ft · steepest grade: 51%14.2 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Craggy Gardens Trail 35.69994, -82.39067
Nearest town Blackberry Inn, NC
Directions
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Hawksbill Creek Road–Mountains-to-Sea Trail, 4 sights
14 mi · ▲ 4,277 ft · 6 hr 48 min
Elevation 2,877–5,362 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: Craggy Gardens Trail · 35.69994, -82.39067
Weather Sep 5: sunrise 7:05 AM · sunset 7:54 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Craggy Gardens Trail, heading NE.
- 200 ftSharp right onto Mountains-to-Sea Trail, heading SW.
- 0.6 miContinue straight onto Stoney Fork Road, heading W.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Mountains-to-Sea Trail, heading W.
- 400 ftContinue straight onto Snowball Trail, heading SW.
- 4.2 miContinue straight onto Hawksbill Creek Road, heading SE.
- 1.7 miSharp left onto Stoney Fork Road, heading E.
- 0.5 miReach Mountains-to-Sea Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.5 miSharp right onto Hawksbill Creek Road, heading SE.
- 1.7 miContinue straight onto Snowball Trail, heading NW.
- 4.2 miContinue straight onto Mountains-to-Sea Trail, heading SE.
- 400 ftContinue straight onto Stoney Fork Road, heading NE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Mountains-to-Sea Trail, heading NE.
- 0.6 miSharp left onto Craggy Gardens Trail, heading SE.
- 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
7% gravel5% dirt88% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 7:05 AMSunset 7:54 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.4 mi in (~9 min). Leave by 7:26 PM for the 7:54 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:24 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Craggy Gardens Trail Trailhead
- Craggy Gardens Viewpoint & Craggy Gardens Trail 1.1 mi · ▲ 429 ft
- Craggy Dome Scenic Overlook (MP 364.5) & Craggy Gardens Trail via Mountains-to-Sea Trail 1.5 mi · ▲ 356 ft
- Mountains-to-Sea Trail 2.5 mi · ▲ 719 ft
- Craggy Dome–Graybeard Mountain View (MP 363.4), 5 sights 6.4 mi · ▲ 1,670 ft
- Big Ivy Road–Craggy Gardens Trail, 4 sights 15.9 mi · ▲ 2,691 ft
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Hikes near Blackberry Inn, North Carolina