Tanawha Viewpoint–Mountains-to-Sea Trail, 3 sights is an 11.5-mile out-and-back near Grandfather, NC. The route reaches Tanawha Viewpoint at the turnaround, 5.7 miles in. It climbs 2,577 ft, with sections as steep as 18% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 16/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi3,337 – 4,682 ft · steepest grade: 18%12.1 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
11.5 mi · ▲ 2,577 ft · 5 hr 7 min
Elevation 3,338–4,681 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: 36.07131, -81.82614
Weather Sep 6: sunrise 7:04 AM · sunset 7:50 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.
- 1.8 miTurn right, heading E.
- 50 ftReach Tanawha Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 1.8 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.
- 0.2 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
89% dirt3% paved1% boardwalk1% gravel6% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 7:04 AMSunset 7:50 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.5 mi in (~89 min). Leave by 6:01 PM for the 7:50 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:16 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
- Tanawha Viewpoint–Mountains-to-Sea Trail, 3 sights 8.7 mi · ▲ 1,944 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
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