Stone Mountain–Stone Mountain Viewpoint, 7 sights
9.1 mi · ▲ 1,728 ft · 3 hr 54 min
Stone Mountain–Stone Mountain Viewpoint, 7 sights is a 9.1-mile out-and-back near Hamilton Estates, NC. The route passes Lake Imaging and Stone Mountain before reaching Stone Mountain Viewpoint at the turnaround, 4.5 miles in. It climbs 1,728 ft, with sections as steep as 17% grade. It scores 76/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Stone Mountain–Stone Mountain Viewpoint, 7 sights
9.1 mi · ▲ 1,728 ft · 3 hr 54 min
Elevation 2,326–3,617 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: Lake Imaging Road · 35.20924, -82.61376
Weather Sep 5: Partly cloudy, high 88°F / low 68° · precip 17% · wind 3 mph · sunrise 7:06 AM · sunset 7:55 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Ridgeline Trail, heading E.
- 50 ftPass Lake Imaging.
- 1.4 miTurn right onto Hickory Mountain Road, heading S.
- 0.5 miSharp left onto Guion Trail, heading NE.
- 200 ftSharp right onto Rifle Trail, heading SE.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Ruffed Grouse Trail, heading NE.
- 1.5 miTurn left onto Switchback Trail, heading E.
- 0.2 miBear left onto Stone Mountain Trail, heading E.
- 0.8 miPass Stone Mountain Viewpoint.
- 50 ftReach Stone Mountain, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.8 miBear right onto Switchback Trail, heading S.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Rocky Ridge Trail, heading SW.
- 1.4 miBear right onto Ruffed Grouse Trail, heading S.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Rifle Trail, heading W.
- 0.3 miSharp left onto Guion Trail, heading W.
- 200 ftSharp right onto Hickory Mountain Road, heading SW.
- 0.5 miTurn left onto Ridgeline Trail, heading W.
- 1.4 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 3.8 mi in (~118 min). Leave by 5:37 PM for the 7:55 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:47 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Lake Imaging Road Trailhead
- Lake Imaging & Jim Branch Trail via Buck Forest Road 3.1 mi · ▲ 317 ft
- Hooker Falls–Lake Imaging, 4 sights 3.6 mi · ▲ 308 ft
- Lake Imaging–Hickory Mountain Road, 5 sights 8.7 mi · ▲ 1,196 ft
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Hikes near Hamilton Estates, North Carolina