Shoal Creek Trail–Tarkiln Branch Road Loop, 3 sights
4.5 mi · ▲ 453 ft · 1 hr 44 min
Shoal Creek Trail–Tarkiln Branch Road Loop, 3 sights is a 4.5-mile loop near Hamilton Estates, NC. It climbs 453 ft. It scores 80/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Shoal Creek Trail–Tarkiln Branch Road Loop, 3 sights
4.5 mi · ▲ 453 ft · 1 hr 44 min
Elevation 2,494–2,753 ft
Loop
Trailhead: Rocky Ridge Trail · 35.22106, -82.58620
Weather Sep 4: Partly cloudy, high 87°F / low 68° · precip 16% · wind 3 mph · sunrise 7:06 AM · sunset 7:55 PM
- Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
- 0.2 miSharp left, heading E.
- 150 ftBear left onto Shoal Creek Trail, heading SE.
- 1.1 miTurn right, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Tarkiln Branch Road, heading S.
- 1.3 miTurn right onto Thomas Cemetery Road, heading NW.
- 0.8 miBear left onto Hooker Creek Trail, heading N.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Ruffed Grouse Trail, heading N.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Hickory Mountain Road, heading NE.
- 450 ftTurn right onto Guion Trail, heading NW.
- 150 ftSharp right onto Rifle Trail, heading NW.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Ruffed Grouse Trail, heading NE.
- 0.3 miThe loop closes 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 1.9 mi in (~52 min). Leave by 6:43 PM for the 7:55 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:57 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
More from Rocky Ridge Trail Trailhead
- Farmhouse Trail & Shoal Creek Trail 2 mi · ▲ 146 ft
- Farmhouse Trail–Guion Parking, 3 sights 2.4 mi · ▲ 252 ft
- Guion Parking–Hickory Mountain Road Loop, 4 sights 2.4 mi · ▲ 166 ft
- Buck Forest Road–Farmhouse Trail, 3 sights 2.7 mi · ▲ 224 ft
- Hickory Mountain Road–Hooker Creek Trail, 4 sights 3.2 mi · ▲ 420 ft
- Jim Branch Trail via Buck Forest Road 3.8 mi · ▲ 364 ft
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Hikes near Hamilton Estates, North Carolina