Horse Rock–Duck pond, 6 sights
16 mi · ▲ 5,967 ft · 8 hr 19 min
Horse Rock–Duck pond, 6 sights is a 16-mile out-and-back in Mount Mitchell State Park near Cattail Creek Community, NC. The route passes Deep Gap and Horse Rock before reaching Duck pond at the turnaround, 8 miles in. It climbs 5,967 ft, with sections as steep as 52% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 83/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Horse Rock–Duck pond, 6 sights
16 mi · ▲ 5,967 ft · 8 hr 19 min
Elevation 3,195–6,196 ft
Out & Back · Mount Mitchell State Park
Trailhead: 35.81096, -82.27206
Weather Sep 5: sunrise 7:04 AM · sunset 7:54 PM
Dogs allowed on leash
- Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto Deep Gap Road, heading N.
- 100 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 0.9 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 1.2 miBear left, heading S.
- 0.7 miPass Deep Gap.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Black Mountain Crest, heading SW.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Black Mountain Crest Trail, heading SW.
- 2.8 miPass Horse Rock.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Woody Ridge Trail, heading N.
- 2.4 miPass Duck pond.
- 100 ftReach Horse Rock, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 2.4 miTurn left onto Black Mountain Crest Trail, heading W.
- 2.8 miContinue straight onto Black Mountain Crest, heading S.
- 0.7 miBear right, heading W.
- 1.2 miTurn right onto Deep Gap Road, heading S.
- 0.9 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
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.9 mi in (~79 min). Leave by 6:15 PM for the 7:54 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:55 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Dogs allowed on leash
More from this trailhead
- Deep Gap Road 3.8 mi · ▲ 1,483 ft
- Ogle Gap & Deep Gap Road 9.2 mi · ▲ 2,790 ft
- Black Mountain Crest 9.9 mi · ▲ 3,327 ft
- Deep Gap–Black Mountain Crest, 3 sights 13.2 mi · ▲ 4,785 ft
- Picnic–Black Mountain Crest, 3 sights 14.8 mi · ▲ 5,322 ft
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A wild hike near Cattail Creek Community, emailed to you once a week.
Hikes near Cattail Creek Community, North Carolina