Walnut Mountain & Walnut Mountain Trail via Catpen Road
7.2 mi · ▲ 1,466 ft · 3 hr 8 min
Walnut Mountain & Walnut Mountain Trail via Catpen Road is a 7.2-mile out-and-back near Ebbs Mill, NC. The route reaches Walnut Mountain at the turnaround, 3.6 miles in. It climbs 1,466 ft, with sections as steep as 17% grade. It scores 84/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Walnut Mountain & Walnut Mountain Trail via Catpen Road
7.2 mi · ▲ 1,466 ft · 3 hr 8 min
Elevation 3,261–4,298 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: 35.82664, -82.92727
Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 81°F / low 69° · precip 6% · wind 5 mph · sunrise 7:07 AM · sunset 7:57 PM
- Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
- 0.7 miTurn left onto Catpen Road, heading SW.
- 1.6 miTurn right onto Appalachian Trail, heading NE.
- 1.2 miSharp left onto Walnut Mountain Trail, heading NW.
- 250 ftSharp right, heading E.
- 200 ftReach Walnut Mountain, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 450 ftSharp right onto Appalachian Trail, heading S.
- 1.2 miTurn left onto Catpen Road, heading S.
- 1.6 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 0.7 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.6 mi in (~79 min). Leave by 6:18 PM for the 7:57 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:18 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
More from this trailhead
- Lemon Gap via Catpen Road 4.7 mi · ▲ 666 ft
- Catpen Road 7 mi · ▲ 1,383 ft
- Catpen Road 11.9 mi · ▲ 2,193 ft
- Appalachian Trail 14.1 mi · ▲ 1,860 ft
- Big Rock Spring & Bluff Mountain Road Loop via Catpen Road 15.3 mi · ▲ 3,480 ft
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Hikes near Ebbs Mill, North Carolina