Hickory Branch Trail–Lead Mine Gap Trail, 5 sights

15.4 mi · ▲ 4,378 ft · 7 hr 19 min

Hickory Branch Trail–Lead Mine Gap Trail, 5 sights is a 15.4-mile out-and-back near Sunnyvale, NC. It climbs 4,378 ft, with sections as steep as 33% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 89/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi1,854 – 3,422 ft · steepest grade: 33%15.6 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Sugar Cove Road 35.73951, -82.15426
Nearest town Sunnyvale, NC

Directions

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Hickory Branch Trail–Lead Mine Gap Trail, 5 sights

15.4 mi · ▲ 4,378 ft · 7 hr 19 min

Elevation 1,854–3,422 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: Sugar Cove Road · 35.73951, -82.15426

Weather Sep 5: Mostly clear, high 91°F / low 73° · precip 16% · wind 3 mph · sunrise 7:04 AM · sunset 7:54 PM

  1. Start on Sugar Cove Road, heading SW.
  2. 3.4 miSharp left onto Curtis Creek Road, heading S.
  3. 50 ftContinue straight onto Mackey Mountain Trail, heading S.
  4. 50 ftContinue straight onto Curtis Creek Road, heading S.
  5. 0.3 miBear right onto Lead Mine Gap Trail, heading SE.
  6. 3.9 miTurn left onto Curtis Creek Road, heading NW.
  7. 0.1 miReach Sugar Cove Road, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  8. 0.1 miTurn right onto Lead Mine Gap Trail, heading NE.
  9. 3.9 miBear left onto Curtis Creek Road, heading NE.
  10. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Mackey Mountain Trail, heading N.
  11. 50 ftContinue straight onto Curtis Creek Road, heading N.
  12. 50 ftSharp right onto Sugar Cove Trail, heading N.
  13. 3.4 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

66% dirt34% unspecified

Weather

Mostly clearTemperature 91°F73°
Precip16%Wind3 mphUV7Humidity60%
Hourly temperatureRain chance
95°70° 12 PM: 1% rain1 PM: 2% rain2 PM: 12% rain3 PM: 16% rain4 PM: 14% rain5 PM: 11% rain6 PM: 5% rain7 PM: 4% rain8 PM: 3% rain11 PM: 1% rain
Sunrise 7:04 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 7:54 PM
Sat 92°75°
Sun 86°69° 66%
Mon 75°66° 66%
Tue 80°61°
Wed 88°63°
Thu 89°68°

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