AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Linville Gorge Wilderness

Gully Pipe–Lake James, 5 sights

10.1 mi · ▲ 2,315 ft · 4 hr 31 min

Gully Pipe–Lake James, 5 sights is a 10.1-mile out-and-back in Linville Gorge Wilderness near Linville, NC. The route passes Lake James before reaching Gully Pipe at the turnaround, 5.1 miles in. It climbs 2,315 ft, with sections as steep as 27% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 39/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.

Elevation

0 mi1,204 – 2,923 ft · steepest grade: 27%10.8 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Linville River Boat Ramp 35.79323, -81.86910
Nearest town Linville, NC
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Gully Pipe–Lake James, 5 sights

10.1 mi · ▲ 2,315 ft · 4 hr 31 min

Elevation 1,205–2,925 ft

Out & Back · Linville Gorge Wilderness

Trailhead: Linville River Boat Ramp · 35.79323, -81.86910

Weather Sep 6: Rain, high 90°F / low 70° · precip 38% · wind 1 mph · sunrise 7:04 AM · sunset 7:50 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Linville River Boat Ramp, heading W.
  2. 50 ftPass Lake James.
  3. 100 ftContinue straight onto Fonta Flora Trail, heading W.
  4. 0.4 miTurn right onto Fonta Flora Connector Trail, heading E.
  5. 0.1 miTurn left onto Fonta Flora State Trail and Mountains-to-Sea Connector Trail, heading NW.
  6. 1 miTurn right, heading N.
  7. 350 ftContinue straight onto Mountains-to-Sea Connector Trail, heading NW.
  8. 50 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  9. 0.2 miBear left, heading SW.
  10. 50 ftBear right, heading W.
  11. 1.6 miTurn left onto Schoonover Crossover, heading NW.
  12. 200 ftBear right onto Mountains-to-Sea Connector Trail, heading N.
  13. 250 ftTurn right onto Mountains-to-Sea Trail, heading N.
  14. 1 miBear right onto Rick's Crossover, heading NE.
  15. 50 ftTurn left onto Mountains-to-Sea Trail, heading NE.
  16. 0.6 miTurn right onto Olson, heading W.
  17. 50 ftBear left onto Mountains-to-Sea Trail, heading W.
  18. 0.1 miReach Gully Pipe, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  19. 0.1 miBear right onto Olson, heading NW.
  20. 50 ftTurn left onto Mountains-to-Sea Trail, heading NW.
  21. 0.6 miTurn right onto Rick's Crossover, heading E.
  22. 50 ftBear left onto Mountains-to-Sea Trail, heading E.
  23. 1 miTurn left onto Mountains-to-Sea Connector Trail, heading S.
  24. 250 ftBear left onto Schoonover Crossover, heading SW.
  25. 200 ftTurn right onto Mountains-to-Sea Connector Trail, heading S.
  26. 1.5 miBear left, heading S.
  27. 250 ftBear left, heading E.
  28. 50 ftBear right, heading E.
  29. 500 ftBear right, heading N.
  30. 300 ftBear left, heading N.
  31. 0.1 miTurn left onto Fonta Flora State Trail and Mountains-to-Sea Connector Trail, heading E.
  32. 1 miTurn right onto Fonta Flora Connector Trail, heading SE.
  33. 0.1 miTurn left onto Fonta Flora Trail, heading SE.
  34. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Linville River Boat Ramp, heading S.
  35. 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 map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/gully-pipe-lake-james-out-back-5-sights

Trail surface

95% dirt2% gravel2% paved1% unspecified

Weather

RainTemperature 90°F70°
Precip38%Wind1 mphUV7Humidity70%
Hourly temperatureRain chance
90°70° 12 AM: 2% rain1 AM: 2% rain2 AM: 4% rain3 AM: 4% rain4 AM: 3% rain5 AM: 2% rain6 AM: 1% rain7 AM: 1% rain8 AM: 2% rain9 AM: 3% rain10 AM: 2% rain11 AM: 5% rain12 PM: 9% rain1 PM: 17% rain2 PM: 23% rain3 PM: 28% rain4 PM: 36% rain5 PM: 34% rain6 PM: 35% rain7 PM: 36% rain8 PM: 33% rain9 PM: 38% rain10 PM: 35% rain11 PM: 31% rain
Sunrise 7:04 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:50 PM
Mon 72°67° 54%
Tue 85°61°
Wed 87°63°
Thu 89°65° 17%
Fri 85°68° 36%
Sat 89°67° 35%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 4.9 mi in (~169 min). Leave by 4:41 PM for the 7:50 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:14 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Hikes near Linville, North Carolina