AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Pressley Gap–Buckhorn Gap, 6 sights

14.6 mi · ▲ 2,464 ft · 6 hr 6 min

Pressley Gap–Buckhorn Gap, 6 sights is a 14.6-mile out-and-back near Wolf Ford, NC. The route passes Buckhorn Gap and Pressley Gap. It climbs 2,464 ft, with sections as steep as 26% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 88/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi3,074 – 4,229 ft · steepest grade: 26%14.8 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Wolf Ford Road 35.36683, -82.73911
Nearest town Wolf Ford, NC
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Pressley Gap–Buckhorn Gap, 6 sights

14.6 mi · ▲ 2,464 ft · 6 hr 6 min

Elevation 3,073–4,228 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: Wolf Ford Road · 35.36683, -82.73911

Weather Sep 5: Overcast, high 87°F / low 70° · precip 20% · wind 4 mph · sunrise 7:06 AM · sunset 7:56 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Wolf Ford Road, heading SE.
  2. 1.8 miContinue straight onto Buckhorn Gap, heading NW.
  3. 1.7 miPass Buckhorn Gap.
  4. 100 ftTurn right onto Soapstone Road, heading S.
  5. 50 ftTurn left onto Black Mountain Trail, heading S.
  6. 3.5 miPass Pressley Gap.
  7. 150 ftSharp right onto Maxwell Cove, heading SE.
  8. 0.3 miReach Pressley Gap, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  9. 0.3 miSharp left onto Black Mountain Trail, heading E.
  10. 3.5 miTurn right onto Soapstone Road, heading SW.
  11. 50 ftTurn left onto Buckhorn Gap, heading SW.
  12. 1.8 miContinue straight onto South Mills River Road, heading E.
  13. 1.8 miArrive 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/pressley-gap-buckhorn-gap-out-back-7-sights

Trail surface

96% dirt4% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 87°F70°
Precip20%Wind4 mphUV7Humidity66%
Hourly temperatureRain chance
90°70° 5 AM: 1% rain11 AM: 1% rain12 PM: 1% rain1 PM: 2% rain2 PM: 7% rain3 PM: 14% rain4 PM: 20% rain5 PM: 15% rain6 PM: 11% rain7 PM: 11% rain8 PM: 7% rain9 PM: 8% rain10 PM: 7% rain11 PM: 8% rain
Sunrise 7:06 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 7:56 PM
Sun 81°65° 67%
Mon 70°62° 61%
Tue 76°58° 15%
Wed 83°59°
Thu 87°63° 23%
Fri 75°63° 42%

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from Wolf Ford Road Trailhead

Hikes near Wolf Ford, North Carolina