Lookout Mountain–Lookout Trail, 3 sights is a 4-mile out-and-back near Ridgecrest, NC. The route reaches Lookout Mountain. It climbs 1,811 ft, with sections as steep as 29% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 27/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
0 mi2,681 – 3,747 ft · steepest grade: 29%4.5 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Nature Trail 35.62553, -82.27700
Nearest town Ridgecrest, NC
Directions
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Lookout Mountain–Lookout Trail, 3 sights
4 mi · ▲ 1,811 ft · 2 hr 14 min
Elevation 2,682–3,748 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: Nature Trail · 35.62553, -82.27700
Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 88°F / low 66° · precip 25% · wind 3 mph · sunrise 7:04 AM · sunset 7:54 PM
Dogs allowed on leash
- Start on Nature Trail, heading N.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Mount Mitchell Road, heading N.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 150 ftSharp right, heading N.
- 50 ftSharp left, heading NE.
- 0.1 miBear right onto Lake Trail, heading SW.
- 450 ftSharp left onto Rattlesnake Trail, heading NE.
- 0.5 miBear right onto Copperhead Mountain Trail, heading NW.
- 0.2 miBear right onto Rattlesnake Trail, heading E.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Old Mitchell Toll Road, heading NW.
- 250 ftTurn left onto Hickory Ridge Trail, heading NW.
- 400 ftPass Lookout Mountain.
- 150 ftTurn left onto Lookout Trail, heading NW.
- 0.7 miReach Lookout Mountain, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.7 miTurn right onto Hickory Ridge Trail, heading SE.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Old Mitchell Toll Road, heading SE.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Rattlesnake Trail, heading SE.
- 250 ftBear left onto Copperhead Mountain Trail, heading S.
- 0.2 miBear left onto Rattlesnake Trail, heading S.
- 0.5 miSharp right, heading E.
- 400 ftContinue straight onto Lake Trail, heading N.
- 50 ftBear left, heading N.
- 0.1 miSharp right, heading E.
- 50 ftSharp left, heading NE.
- 150 ftTurn right onto Mount Mitchell Road, heading NE.
- 150 ftTurn left onto Nature Trail, heading NE.
- 0.2 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
88% dirt8% gravel4% unspecified
Weather
OvercastTemperature 88°F66°
Precip25%Wind3 mphUV7Humidity72%
Hourly temperatureRain chance
90°65°
Sunrise 7:04 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 7:54 PM
Sat
90°68°
Sun
87°67°
68%
Mon
72°64°
53%
Tue
75°58°
Wed
84°61°
Thu
86°67°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.0 mi in (~43 min). Leave by 6:51 PM for the 7:54 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:33 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Dogs allowed on leash
More from Nature Trail Trailhead
- Rattlesnake Mountain via Rattlesnake Trail 2.3 mi · ▲ 862 ft
- Rattlesnake Trail–Rhododendron Ridge Trail, 3 sights 6.4 mi · ▲ 2,177 ft
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Hikes near Ridgecrest, North Carolina