Tanawha Viewpoint–Mountains-to-Sea Trail, 3 sights is an 8.7-mile out-and-back near Grandfather, NC. The route reaches Tanawha Viewpoint at the turnaround, 4.4 miles in. It climbs 1,944 ft, with sections as steep as 20% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 21/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi3,337 – 4,446 ft · steepest grade: 20%9.3 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 36.07131, -81.82614
Nearest town Grandfather, NC
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Tanawha Viewpoint–Mountains-to-Sea Trail, 3 sights
8.7 mi · ▲ 1,944 ft · 3 hr 52 min
Elevation 3,338–4,446 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: 36.07131, -81.82614
Weather Sep 5: Overcast, high 84°F / low 69° · precip 13% · wind 8 mph · sunrise 7:02 AM · sunset 7:53 PM
- Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
- 0.6 miTurn left onto Mountains-to-Sea Trail, heading N.
- 2.1 miBear left onto Beacon Heights Trail, heading NE.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Tanawha Trail, heading NE.
- 1.4 miBear left, heading E.
- 100 ftBear right, heading E.
- 0.4 miBear right, heading N.
- 50 ftSharp right, heading N.
- 100 ftReach Tanawha Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 150 ftSharp left, heading N.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading S.
- 50 ftBear left, heading S.
- 1.4 miContinue straight onto Beacon Heights Trail, heading S.
- 500 ftBear right onto Mountains-to-Sea Trail, heading S.
- 2.1 miTurn right, heading E.
- 0.3 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
93% dirt4% paved1% gravel1% boardwalk1% unspecified
Weather
OvercastTemperature 84°F69°
Precip13%Wind8 mphUV7Humidity63%
Rained 0.2″ 6 days ago
Hourly temperature
85°65°
Sunrise 7:02 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 7:53 PM
Sun
77°62°
75%
Mon
70°59°
70%
Tue
74°55°
Wed
83°58°
Thu
83°62°
Fri
80°60°
32%
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.5 mi in (~88 min). Leave by 6:05 PM for the 7:53 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:18 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp. Trailhead visible from the viewpoint
More from this trailhead
- Yancey Ridge Trail & Old House Gap 2.9 mi · ▲ 739 ft
- Beacon Heights Viewpoint–Mountains-to-Sea Viewpoint, 3 viewpoints 5.3 mi · ▲ 1,319 ft
- Beacon Heights & Mountains-to-Sea Trail 5.3 mi · ▲ 1,319 ft
- Roseboro Gragg Road & Old House Gap 9.3 mi · ▲ 1,355 ft
- BRP Trace–Mountains-to-Sea Trail, 3 sights 11.4 mi · ▲ 2,535 ft
- Tanawha Viewpoint–Mountains-to-Sea Trail, 3 sights 11.5 mi · ▲ 2,577 ft
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