Shelter View–Buck Gap, 5 saddles is a 14.3-mile out-and-back near Coleman, NC. The route passes Buck Gap, Shelter View and Rainbow Gap. It climbs 3,514 ft, with sections as steep as 38% grade. It scores 67/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
0 mi2,215 – 3,888 ft · steepest grade: 38%14.8 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Mill Creek Road 35.63922, -82.25778
Nearest town Coleman, NC
Directions
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Shelter View–Buck Gap, 5 saddles
14.3 mi · ▲ 3,514 ft · 6 hr 31 min
Elevation 2,216–3,889 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: Mill Creek Road · 35.63922, -82.25778
Weather Sep 5: Partly cloudy, high 90°F / low 73° · precip 21% · wind 4 mph · sunrise 7:04 AM · sunset 7:54 PM
Dogs allowed on leash · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Mill Creek Road, heading N.
- 50 ftBear left onto Parris Creek Trail, heading N.
- 2.4 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 1.2 miTurn left onto Old Mitchell Toll Road, heading S.
- 0.6 miContinue straight onto East Ridge Trail, heading S.
- 0.5 miContinue straight onto Old Mitchell Toll Road, heading SE.
- 50 ftPass Buck Gap.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Buck Gap Trail, heading S.
- 450 ftPass Shelter View.
- 100 ftTurn left onto Old Trestle Road, heading SW.
- 0.7 miBear left onto Lookout Trail, heading W.
- 50 ftSharp right onto Old Mitchell Toll Road, heading W.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto Old Trestle Road, heading W.
- 0.1 miPass Rainbow Gap.
- 50 ftBear left onto Old Mitchell Toll Road, heading SW.
- 1.5 miReach Shelter View, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 1.5 miBear right onto Old Trestle Road, heading E.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Old Mitchell Toll Road, heading NW.
- 50 ftSharp left onto Lookout Trail, heading W.
- 50 ftBear right onto Old Trestle Road, heading W.
- 0.7 miTurn right onto Buck Gap Trail, heading NE.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Old Mitchell Toll Road, heading NE.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto East Ridge Trail, heading NE.
- 0.5 miContinue straight onto Old Mitchell Toll Road, heading N.
- 0.6 miTurn right, heading N.
- 1.2 miTurn right onto Parris Creek Trail, heading E.
- 2.4 miBear right onto Mill Creek Road, heading S.
- 50 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
41% dirt59% unspecified
Weather
Partly cloudyTemperature 90°F73°
Precip21%Wind4 mphUV7Humidity73%
Rained 0.2″ 4 days ago
Hourly temperatureRain chance
90°70°
Sunrise 7:04 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 7:54 PM
Sat
89°72°
Sun
86°68°
68%
Mon
73°65°
56%
Tue
77°60°
Wed
86°62°
Thu
87°68°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 4.9 mi in (~177 min). Leave by 4:37 PM for the 7:54 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:30 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Dogs allowed on leash
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Mill Creek Road Trailhead
- Pots Cove–Pots Cove Gap, 5 saddles 9.4 mi · ▲ 2,397 ft
- Copperhead Mountain–Lookout Mountain, 4 summits 11.4 mi · ▲ 3,327 ft
- Rattlesnake Mountain–Lookout Mountain, 4 summits 11.6 mi · ▲ 3,420 ft
- Graybeard Mountain–Big Slaty, 7 summits 15 mi · ▲ 3,907 ft
- Rocky Knob–Pots Cove Gap, 5 saddles 16 mi · ▲ 3,749 ft
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Hikes near Coleman, North Carolina