Rainbow Mountain Trail via Old Mitchell Toll Road
5 mi · ▲ 1,331 ft · 2 hr 20 min
Rainbow Mountain Trail via Old Mitchell Toll Road is a 5-mile out-and-back near Montreat, NC. It climbs 1,331 ft, with sections as steep as 39% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 20/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Rainbow Mountain Trail via Old Mitchell Toll Road
5 mi · ▲ 1,331 ft · 2 hr 20 min
Elevation 2,496–3,283 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: Old Mitchell Toll Road · 35.62976, -82.29759
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 Old Mitchell Toll Road, heading NE.
- 1.5 miContinue straight onto Rainbow Road, heading W.
- 0.3 miBear left onto Rainbow Mountain Trail, heading W.
- 0.7 miReach Rainbow Mountain Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.7 miBear right onto Rainbow Road, heading E.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Old Mitchell Toll Road, heading NE.
- 1.5 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
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.6 mi in (~51 min). Leave by 6:43 PM for the 7:54 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:47 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp. Trailhead visible from the viewpoint
Good to know
- Dogs allowed on leash
More from Old Mitchell Toll Road Trailhead
- Old Mitchell Toll Road 3.6 mi · ▲ 494 ft
- Rainbow Gap & Lookout Trail via Old Mitchell Toll Road 3.9 mi · ▲ 839 ft
- Shelter View–Rainbow Gap, 3 saddles 4.7 mi · ▲ 707 ft
- Boggs Bunion–Shelter View, 6 saddles 5.5 mi · ▲ 934 ft
- Rocky Head–Rocky Knob, 11 saddles 15.4 mi · ▲ 3,468 ft
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Hikes near Montreat, North Carolina