AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Wildcat Rock Preserve

Little Bearwallow Mountain–Blue Ridge Pastures, 8 sights

15 mi · ▲ 3,583 ft · 6 hr 47 min

Little Bearwallow Mountain–Blue Ridge Pastures, 8 sights is a 15-mile out-and-back in Wildcat Rock Preserve near Gerton, NC. The route passes Hickory Nut Gap, Blue Ridge Pastures, Strawberry Gap Viewpoint and Bearwallow Gap before reaching Little Bearwallow Mountain at the turnaround, 7.5 miles in. It climbs 3,583 ft, with sections as steep as 18% grade. It scores 57/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi2,894 – 4,177 ft · steepest grade: 18%15.6 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 35.48889, -82.35900
Nearest town Gerton, NC
Google Maps Apple Maps

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Little Bearwallow Mountain–Blue Ridge Pastures, 8 sights

15 mi · ▲ 3,583 ft · 6 hr 47 min

Elevation 2,893–4,178 ft

Out & Back · Wildcat Rock Preserve

Trailhead: 35.48889, -82.35900

Weather Sep 4: Light drizzle, high 87°F / low 69° · precip 19% · wind 4 mph · sunrise 7:05 AM · sunset 7:54 PM

No dogs on part of this route · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
  2. 50 ftPass Hickory Nut Gap.
  3. 0.2 miTurn left onto Strawberry Gap Trail, heading SE.
  4. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  5. 2.1 miPass Blue Ridge Pastures.
  6. 50 ftPass Strawberry Gap Viewpoint.
  7. 2.3 miPass Bearwallow Gap.
  8. 350 ftContinue straight onto Bearwallow Mountain Trail, heading E.
  9. 0.8 miContinue straight onto Wildcat Rock Trail, heading NE.
  10. 1.8 miSharp right, heading NE.
  11. 0.3 miReach Little Bearwallow Mountain, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  12. 2 miContinue straight onto Bearwallow Mountain Trail, heading SE.
  13. 0.8 miContinue straight onto Trombatore Trail, heading N.
  14. 3.8 miTurn right, heading NE.
  15. 0.6 miTurn left onto Strawberry Gap Trail, heading S.
  16. 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
  17. 500 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/little-bearwallow-mountain-blue-ridge-pastures-out-back-8-sights

Trail surface

42% dirt58% unspecified

Weather

Light drizzleTemperature 87°F69°
Precip19%Wind4 mphUV7Humidity67%
Hourly temperatureRain chance
90°65° 12 PM: 1% rain1 PM: 5% rain2 PM: 13% rain3 PM: 15% rain4 PM: 19% rain5 PM: 18% rain6 PM: 14% rain7 PM: 7% rain8 PM: 2% rain9 PM: 1% rain
Sunrise 7:05 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 7:54 PM
Sat 91°71°
Sun 87°65° 66%
Mon 73°63° 49%
Tue 77°58°
Wed 86°58°
Thu 87°61°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.2 mi in (~43 min). Leave by 6:52 PM for the 7:54 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:42 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • No dogs on part of this route
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Gerton, North Carolina