AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Headquarters Mountain Trail

6.7 mi · ▲ 1,549 ft · 3 hr

Headquarters Mountain Trail is a 6.7-mile out-and-back near Kawana, NC. It climbs 1,549 ft, with sections as steep as 37% grade. It scores 80/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi2,812 – 3,908 ft · steepest grade: 37%6.8 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Harper Creek Road 36.00842, -81.85310
Nearest town Kawana, NC
Google Maps Apple Maps

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Headquarters Mountain Trail

6.7 mi · ▲ 1,549 ft · 3 hr

Elevation 2,812–3,909 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: Harper Creek Road · 36.00842, -81.85310

Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 84°F / low 69° · precip 21% · wind 2 mph · sunrise 7:02 AM · sunset 7:53 PM

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading S.
  2. 0.4 miSharp left, heading E.
  3. 1.2 miBear right onto Headquarters Mountain Trail, heading SW.
  4. 1.2 miSharp right, heading SW.
  5. 1.6 miTurn left, heading NW.
  6. 0.1 miBear right, heading SW.
  7. 0.7 miTurn right, heading NW.
  8. 0.3 miSharp right, heading N.
  9. 1.1 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/headquarters-mountain-trail-out-back-11-km-ee95

Trail surface

16% dirt84% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 84°F69°
Precip21%Wind2 mphUV7Humidity83%
Hourly temperatureRain chance
85°65° 1 PM: 4% rain2 PM: 12% rain3 PM: 21% rain4 PM: 20% rain5 PM: 8% rain6 PM: 8% rain7 PM: 4% rain8 PM: 2% rain9 PM: 1% rain10 PM: 3% rain11 PM: 4% rain
Sunrise 7:02 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 7:53 PM
Sat 85°69° 16%
Sun 85°64° 74%
Mon 72°61° 52%
Tue 76°57°
Wed 85°59°
Thu 85°64°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.0 mi in (~38 min). Leave by 6:54 PM for the 7:53 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:31 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

More from Harper Creek Road Trailhead

Hikes near Kawana, North Carolina