Linville Gorge Wilderness

Gingercake Mountain via Jonas Ridge Trail

2.8 mi · ▲ 694 ft · 1 hr 17 min

Gingercake Mountain via Jonas Ridge Trail is a 2.8-mile out-and-back in Linville Gorge Wilderness near Cold Springs, NC. The route reaches Gingercake Mountain at the turnaround, 1.4 miles in. It climbs 694 ft, with sections as steep as 31% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 70/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi3,580 – 4,164 ft · steepest grade: 31%2.8 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 35.93988, -81.88282
Nearest town Cold Springs, NC

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Gingercake Mountain via Jonas Ridge Trail

2.8 mi · ▲ 694 ft · 1 hr 17 min

Elevation 3,579–4,163 ft

Out & Back · Linville Gorge Wilderness

Trailhead: 35.93988, -81.88282

Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 82°F / low 67° · precip 20% · wind 5 mph · sunrise 7:03 AM · sunset 7:53 PM

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading S.
  2. 0.5 miTurn right, heading SW.
  3. 0.4 miTurn right onto Jonas Ridge Trail, heading NW.
  4. 0.5 miReach Gingercake Mountain, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  5. 0.5 miTurn left, heading NE.
  6. 0.4 miTurn left, heading NE.
  7. 0.5 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

61% dirt39% gravel

Weather

OvercastTemperature 82°F67°
Precip20%Wind5 mphUV7Humidity74%
Hourly temperatureRain chance
85°65° 1 PM: 7% rain2 PM: 11% rain3 PM: 20% rain4 PM: 19% rain5 PM: 7% rain6 PM: 8% rain7 PM: 4% rain8 PM: 3% rain9 PM: 1% rain10 PM: 2% rain11 PM: 2% rain
Sunrise 7:03 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 7:53 PM
Sat 82°69° 16%
Sun 78°62° 73%
Mon 71°60° 54%
Tue 74°55°
Wed 83°57°
Thu 83°61°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.3 mi in (~48 min). Leave by 6:44 PM for the 7:53 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:41 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

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