Little Firescald Knob–Hickey Fork Sunset Point Loop, 7 sights
13.6 mi · ▲ 2,893 ft · 5 hr 59 min
Little Firescald Knob–Hickey Fork Sunset Point Loop, 7 sights is a 13.6-mile loop near Cutshalltown, NC. The route passes Bearwallow Gap, Little Firescald Knob, Blackstack Cliffs and Hickey Fork Sunset Point. It climbs 2,893 ft, with sections as steep as 26% grade. It scores 85/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Little Firescald Knob–Hickey Fork Sunset Point Loop, 7 sights
13.6 mi · ▲ 2,893 ft · 5 hr 59 min
Elevation 2,100–4,681 ft
Loop
Trailhead: Hickey's Fork Road · 35.98651, -82.69873
Weather Sep 4: Fog, high 91°F / low 70° · precip 12% · wind 4 mph · sunrise 7:06 AM · sunset 7:56 PM
- Start on Hickey's Fork Road, heading NW.
- 2 miBear right, heading NE.
- 1.7 miContinue straight onto Jerry Miller Trail, heading N.
- 2.6 miPass Bearwallow Gap.
- 100 ftBear left onto Appalachian Trail, heading SW.
- 0.1 miPass Little Firescald Knob.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 150 ftPass Blackstack Cliffs.
- 200 ftBear left, heading S.
- 150 ftSharp left, heading SW.
- 150 ftTurn left onto Jones Meadow Access Trail, heading SE.
- 150 ftTurn right onto Appalachian Trail, heading E.
- 400 ftSharp right, heading E.
- 1.7 miPass Hickey Fork Sunset Point.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto Hickey Fork Trail, heading W.
- 0.2 miBear right onto Appalachian Trail, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Hickey Fork Trail, heading S.
- 4.3 miContinue straight onto Hickey's Fork Road, heading N.
- 0.6 miThe loop closes 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 3.0 mi in (~123 min). Leave by 5:33 PM for the 7:56 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:26 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
More from Hickey's Fork Road Trailhead
- Hickey's Fork Road 4 mi · ▲ 389 ft
- Hickey Fork Trail 5.7 mi · ▲ 1,500 ft
- Baxter Cliff & Hickey's Fork Road via Jerry Miller Trail 12.1 mi · ▲ 2,256 ft
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Hikes near Cutshalltown, North Carolina