Lookout Mountain–Rainbow Gap, 4 sights is a 5.3-mile out-and-back near Ridgecrest, NC. The route passes Lookout Mountain before reaching Rainbow Gap at the turnaround, 2.6 miles in. It climbs 1,966 ft, with sections as steep as 35% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 30/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
0 mi2,654 – 3,790 ft · steepest grade: 35%5.7 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 35.62338, -82.27355
Nearest town Ridgecrest, NC
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Lookout Mountain–Rainbow Gap, 4 sights
5.3 mi · ▲ 1,966 ft · 2 hr 45 min
Elevation 2,655–3,790 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: 35.62338, -82.27355
Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 89°F / low 66° · precip 25% · wind 2 mph · sunrise 7:04 AM · sunset 7:54 PM
Dogs allowed on leash · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Royal Gorge Trail, heading N.
- 0.9 miBear right onto Adventure Trail, heading N.
- 0.1 miBear left onto Rhododendron Ridge Trail, heading NW.
- 0.6 miBear left onto Old Mitchell Toll Road, heading W.
- 0.4 miSharp right onto Hickory Ridge Trail, heading S.
- 300 ftPass Lookout Mountain.
- 250 ftTurn left onto Lookout Trail, heading NW.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Old Mitchell Toll Road, heading NW.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Old Trestle Road, heading NW.
- 300 ftPass Rainbow Gap.
- 350 ftReach Lookout Mountain, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Old Mitchell Toll Road, heading W.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Lookout Trail, heading W.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Hickory Ridge Trail, heading SE.
- 0.1 miSharp left onto Old Mitchell Toll Road, heading SE.
- 0.4 miBear right onto Rhododendron Ridge Trail, heading E.
- 0.6 miBear right onto Adventure Trail, heading SE.
- 0.1 miBear left onto Mount Mitchell Road, heading SE.
- 0.8 miContinue straight onto Royal Gorge Trail, heading NW.
- 200 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 200 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
75% dirt3% gravel22% unspecified
Weather
OvercastTemperature 89°F66°
Precip25%Wind2 mphUV7Humidity72%
Hourly temperatureRain chance
90°65°
Sunrise 7:04 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 7:54 PM
Sat
90°69°
Sun
87°67°
68%
Mon
72°64°
53%
Tue
75°59°
Wed
84°61°
Thu
86°67°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.2 mi in (~89 min). Leave by 6:05 PM for the 7:54 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:09 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Dogs allowed on leash
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Lookout Mountain–Rhododendron Ridge Trail, 3 sights 4.4 mi · ▲ 1,457 ft
- Copperhead Mountain–Rhododendron Ridge Trail, 3 sights 4.7 mi · ▲ 1,503 ft
- Rattlesnake Mountain–Rhododendron Ridge Trail, 3 sights 4.8 mi · ▲ 1,593 ft
- Boggs Bunion–Sourwood Gap, 7 sights 6.2 mi · ▲ 2,239 ft
- Crestridge Lake–Rattlesnake Trail, 4 sights 6.2 mi · ▲ 2,128 ft
- Copperhead Mountain–Lookout Mountain, 4 summits 6.8 mi · ▲ 2,013 ft
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