Hooker Falls–Lake Imaging, 8 sights is an 8.4-mile out-and-back near Hamilton Estates, NC. The route passes Lake Imaging before reaching Hooker Falls at the turnaround, 4.2 miles in. It climbs 820 ft. It scores 74/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
0 mi2,231 – 2,749 ft8.6 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Farmhouse Trail 35.21210, -82.58788
Nearest town Hamilton Estates, NC
Directions
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Hooker Falls–Lake Imaging, 8 sights
8.4 mi · ▲ 820 ft · 3 hr 13 min
Elevation 2,229–2,750 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: Farmhouse Trail · 35.21210, -82.58788
Weather Sep 4: Partly cloudy, high 87°F / low 68° · precip 16% · wind 3 mph · sunrise 7:06 AM · sunset 7:55 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Farmhouse Trail, heading N.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 100 ftTurn right onto Guion Parking, heading NW.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Hickory Mountain Road, heading N.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Ruffed Grouse Trail, heading NW.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Hickory Mountain Road, heading NW.
- 0.5 miTurn left onto Ridgeline Trail, heading N.
- 1.4 miPass Lake Imaging.
- 50 ftBear right onto Lake Imaging Road, heading W.
- 1.4 miTurn right onto Hooker Falls Trail, heading SW.
- 0.1 miBear left onto Moore Cemetery Road, heading W.
- 50 ftSharp right onto Hooker Falls Trail, heading W.
- 0.2 miReach Hooker Falls, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.2 miSharp left onto Moore Cemetery Road, heading E.
- 50 ftBear right onto Hooker Falls Trail, heading E.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Holly Road, heading SE.
- 1.5 miBear left onto Ridgeline Trail, heading N.
- 1.4 miTurn right onto Hickory Mountain Road, heading NW.
- 0.5 miContinue straight onto Ruffed Grouse Trail, heading SE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Hickory Mountain Road, heading SE.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Guion Parking, heading SE.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading S.
- 100 ftTurn right onto Farmhouse Trail, heading E.
- 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 surface
7% gravel1% dirt92% unspecified
Weather
Partly cloudyTemperature 87°F68°
Precip16%Wind3 mphUV7Humidity81%
Rained 0.1″ 7 days ago
Hourly temperatureRain chance
90°65°
Sunrise 7:06 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 7:55 PM
Sat
91°69°
15%
Sun
86°66°
59%
Mon
73°64°
44%
Tue
76°59°
Wed
84°60°
Thu
90°64°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.3 mi in (~8 min). Leave by 7:27 PM for the 7:55 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:17 PM — 4 min before dark. Car visible from the viewpoint
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Farmhouse Trail Trailhead
- Farmhouse Trail–Guion Parking, 5 sights 2.9 mi · ▲ 250 ft
- Buck Forest Road & Guion Parking 3.7 mi · ▲ 220 ft
- Guion Parking–Hickory Mountain Road, 3 sights 4.7 mi · ▲ 690 ft
- Lake Imaging–Farmhouse Trail, 4 sights 5.2 mi · ▲ 393 ft
- Guion Parking–Hickory Mountain Road, 4 sights 6.1 mi · ▲ 802 ft
- Farmhouse Trail–Guion Parking, 5 sights 6.2 mi · ▲ 799 ft
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