AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Rocky Knob

Glass Rock Knob–Rocky Head, 6 summits

14 mi · ▲ 3,365 ft · 6 hr 21 min

Glass Rock Knob–Rocky Head, 6 summits is a 14-mile out-and-back in Rocky Knob near Montreat, NC. The route passes Rocky Head, Long Gap and Pots Cove Gap before reaching Glass Rock Knob at the turnaround, 6.8 miles in. It climbs 3,365 ft, with sections as steep as 35% grade. It scores 85/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi2,923 – 5,125 ft · steepest grade: 35%14.3 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Rocky Head Trail 35.65718, -82.29719
Nearest town Montreat, NC
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Glass Rock Knob–Rocky Head, 6 summits

14 mi · ▲ 3,365 ft · 6 hr 21 min

Elevation 2,922–5,126 ft

Out & Back · Rocky Knob

Trailhead: Rocky Head Trail · 35.65718, -82.29719

Weather Sep 5: Overcast, high 86°F / low 69° · precip 37% · wind 2 mph · sunrise 7:05 AM · sunset 7:53 PM

Dogs allowed on leash

  1. Start on Rocky Head Trail, heading SE.
  2. 0.8 miTurn left onto East Ridge Trail, heading NE.
  3. 50 ftPass Rocky Head.
  4. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Old Trestle Road, heading N.
  5. 50 ftPass Long Gap.
  6. 0.7 miBear right, heading N.
  7. 50 ftTurn left onto Old Mitchell Toll Road, heading N.
  8. 50 ftPass Pots Cove Gap.
  9. 3.1 miTurn left, heading E.
  10. 2 miPass Glass Rock Knob.
  11. 250 ftSharp left onto Heartbreak Ridge, heading SE.
  12. 0.1 miReach Glass Rock Knob, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  13. 0.1 miSharp right, heading S.
  14. 0.8 miContinue straight onto Old Mitchell Toll Road, heading NW.
  15. 1.2 miBear left, heading SE.
  16. 3.1 miTurn right, heading S.
  17. 50 ftBear left onto Old Trestle Road, heading S.
  18. 0.7 miContinue straight onto East Ridge Trail, heading SW.
  19. 0.2 miTurn right onto Rocky Head Trail, heading S.
  20. 0.7 miArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/glass-rock-knob-rocky-head-out-back-6-summits

Trail surface

25% dirt75% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 86°F69°
Precip37%Wind2 mphUV7Humidity73%
Rained 0.1″ 5 days ago
Hourly temperatureRain chance
90°65° 1 AM: 1% rain1 PM: 5% rain2 PM: 14% rain3 PM: 37% rain4 PM: 16% rain5 PM: 2% rain6 PM: 1% rain10 PM: 1% rain11 PM: 1% rain
Sunrise 7:05 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 7:53 PM
Sun 83°66° 38%
Mon 65°60° 54%
Tue 76°57°
Wed 82°58°
Thu 80°62° 31%
Fri 82°64° 45%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 4.5 mi in (~175 min). Leave by 4:38 PM for the 7:53 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:05 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

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Good to know

  • Dogs allowed on leash

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Hikes near Montreat, North Carolina