AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Middle Prong Wilderness

Rough Butt Bald Overlook (MP 425.4) & Mt Hardy Trail via Mountains-to-Sea Trail

13.2 mi · ▲ 1,866 ft · 5 hr 20 min

Rough Butt Bald Overlook (MP 425.4) & Mt Hardy Trail via Mountains-to-Sea Trail is a 13.2-mile out-and-back in Middle Prong Wilderness near Balsam Grove, NC. The route reaches Rough Butt Bald Overlook (MP 425.4) at the turnaround, 6.6 miles in. It climbs 1,866 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 17/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi5,102 – 5,791 ft13.5 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Devils Courthouse Trail 35.30546, -82.89918
Nearest town Balsam Grove, NC
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Rough Butt Bald Overlook (MP 425.4) & Mt Hardy Trail via Mountains-to-Sea Trail

13.2 mi · ▲ 1,866 ft · 5 hr 20 min

Elevation 5,103–5,792 ft

Out & Back · Middle Prong Wilderness

Trailhead: Devils Courthouse Trail · 35.30546, -82.89918

Weather Sep 5: Overcast, high 74°F / low 62° · precip 20% · wind 7 mph · sunrise 7:08 AM · sunset 7:55 PM

Dogs allowed on leash · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Devils Courthouse Trail, heading E.
  2. 0.2 miTurn left, heading NE.
  3. 0.1 miTurn left onto Mountains-to-Sea Trail, heading W.
  4. 4.6 miSharp right onto Mt Hardy Trail, heading S.
  5. 50 ftTurn left onto Mountains-to-Sea Trail, heading S.
  6. 1.7 miReach Rough Butt Bald Overlook (MP 425.4), then turn around and head back the way you came.
  7. 1.7 miTurn right onto Mt Hardy Trail, heading S.
  8. 50 ftSharp left onto Mountains-to-Sea Trail, heading S.
  9. 4.6 miTurn right, heading S.
  10. 0.1 miTurn right onto Devils Courthouse Trail, heading SE.
  11. 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 map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/rough-butt-bald-overlook-mp-425-4-out-back

Trail surface

94% dirt4% paved2% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 74°F62°
Precip20%Wind7 mphUV7Humidity71%
Hourly temperatureRain chance
75°60° 5 AM: 1% rain8 AM: 1% rain9 AM: 1% rain10 AM: 1% rain11 AM: 1% rain12 PM: 1% rain1 PM: 4% rain2 PM: 8% rain3 PM: 18% rain4 PM: 15% rain5 PM: 18% rain6 PM: 20% rain7 PM: 10% rain8 PM: 10% rain9 PM: 8% rain10 PM: 9% rain11 PM: 8% rain
Sunrise 7:08 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 7:55 PM
Sun 71°57° 66%
Mon 62°55° 54%
Tue 67°49°
Wed 75°51°
Thu 76°55° 25%
Fri 72°55° 42%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 4.6 mi in (~135 min). Leave by 5:20 PM for the 7:55 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:18 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from Devils Courthouse Trail Trailhead

Hikes near Balsam Grove, North Carolina