Shelter View–Rainbow Gap, 3 saddles is a 4.7-mile out-and-back near Montreat, NC. The route passes Rainbow Gap before reaching Shelter View at the turnaround, 2.3 miles in. It climbs 707 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 37/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Shelter View–Rainbow Gap, 3 saddles
4.7 mi · ▲ 707 ft · 1 hr 55 min
Elevation 2,810–3,490 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 miBear right onto Old Trestle Road, heading E.
- 50 ftPass Rainbow Gap.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Old Mitchell Toll Road, heading E.
- 50 ftSharp left onto Lookout Trail, heading E.
- 50 ftBear right onto Old Trestle Road, heading E.
- 0.8 miTurn right onto Buck Gap Trail, heading NE.
- 50 ftReach Shelter View, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Old Trestle Road, heading NE.
- 0.7 miBear left onto Lookout Trail, heading W.
- 50 ftSharp right onto Old Mitchell Toll Road, heading W.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Old Trestle Road, heading W.
- 0.1 miBear left onto Old Mitchell Toll Road, heading S.
- 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 2.1 mi in (~70 min). Leave by 6:24 PM for the 7:54 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:01 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
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
- Rainbow Mountain Trail via Old Mitchell Toll Road 5 mi · ▲ 1,331 ft
- Boggs Bunion–Shelter View, 6 saddles 5.5 mi · ▲ 934 ft
- Rocky Head–Rocky Knob, 11 saddles 15.4 mi · ▲ 3,468 ft
Get outside more
A wild hike near Montreat, emailed to you once a week.
Hikes near Montreat, North Carolina