The Chimneys–Mountains-to-Sea Viewpoint, 5 sights is a 4.9-mile out-and-back in Linville Gorge Wilderness near Wisemans View, NC. The route passes Mountains-to-Sea Viewpoint before reaching The Chimneys at the turnaround, 2.4 miles in. It climbs 1,225 ft, with sections as steep as 19% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 88/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
0 mi2,897 – 3,612 ft · steepest grade: 19%5.1 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Table Rock Gap Trail 35.90268, -81.87845
Nearest town Wisemans View, NC
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
The Chimneys–Mountains-to-Sea Viewpoint, 5 sights
4.9 mi · ▲ 1,225 ft · 2 hr 15 min
Elevation 2,897–3,611 ft
Out & Back · Linville Gorge Wilderness
Trailhead: Table Rock Gap Trail · 35.90268, -81.87845
Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 84°F / low 70° · precip 19% · wind 4 mph · sunrise 7:03 AM · sunset 7:53 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Table Rock Gap Trail, heading S.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Mountains-to-Sea Trail/ Table Rock Gap, heading S.
- 1 miContinue straight onto Mountains-to-Sea Trail, heading SW.
- 0.2 miPass Mountains-to-Sea Viewpoint.
- 0.9 miReach The Chimneys, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.9 miBear left, heading NW.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Mountains-to-Sea Trail/ Table Rock Gap, heading NE.
- 1 miTurn left onto Table Rock Gap Trail, heading NW.
- 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
99% dirt1% paved
Weather
OvercastTemperature 84°F70°
Precip19%Wind4 mphUV7Humidity86%
Hourly temperatureRain chance
85°70°
Sunrise 7:03 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 7:53 PM
Sat
87°71°
16%
Sun
89°65°
72%
Mon
74°63°
57%
Tue
77°58°
Wed
86°60°
Thu
86°64°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.0 mi in (~40 min). Leave by 6:53 PM for the 7:53 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:32 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp. Car visible from the viewpoint
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Table Rock Gap Trail Trailhead
- Mountains-to-Sea Trail–Rich Cove Road Loop, 3 sights 2.1 mi · ▲ 530 ft
- Table Rock South View Access Viewpoint–Devil's Cellar Overlook, 4 sights 3 mi · ▲ 1,054 ft
- Table Rock Mountain–Devil's Cellar Overlook, 4 sights 3.1 mi · ▲ 1,088 ft
- Cathedral Falls–Spence Ridge Trail, 3 sights 4.4 mi · ▲ 1,014 ft
- Mountains-to-Sea Viewpoint–Mountains-to-Sea Trail/ Table Rock Gap Loop, 5 sights 5.4 mi · ▲ 1,319 ft
- Devil's Cliff–Lower Cross, 3 sights 8.8 mi · ▲ 2,332 ft
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Hikes near Wisemans View, North Carolina