The trail travels thru the heart of the town with most services located right along the trail, which is marked with diamonds in the sidewalk. This is a steep forest trail with rock outcrops and tight switchbacks. Directions take exit 7 on interstate 40 and head east on gravel cold spring road, usfs 148, for six miles, then left north on nc sr 1182 to intersection with a. This is max patch, a popular, iconic, almost idyllic bald summit on the appalachian trail thats beloved by hardcore at thruhikers, casual day hikers and frisbeeflingers alike. Hot springs, located in the mountains of western north carolina and cuddled along the banks of spring creek and the french broad river, is a town rich in history and beaming with natural charm. You generally hug the creek for the first half of the trail, and then diverge slightly and follow an irrigation ditch until you dump out on a dirt road. According to my appalachian pages theres no camping other than these areas.
Max patch to groundhog creek shelter blazing trails with. The trail is primarily used for hiking, camping, nature trips, and backpacking and is best used from march until november. Hot spring trail mountain bike trail, steamboat springs. From the south, the trail enters the edge of town from the base of deer park mountain and literally runs down the main street for about a mile before climbing out of the river valley up lovers leap mountain. Located about 40 minutes from hot springs, nc is max patch mountain, located in pisgah national forest. Standing bear to hot springs, nc coronavirus update. We had the amazing crew over at bluff mountian outfitters in hot springs, nc shuttle us to the top of max patch. Mileage is given, in miles, as one heads north from springer for mileage from katahdin simply subtract 2178. It is a major landmark along the tennesseenorth carolina section of the appalachian trail, although its summit is located in north carolina. About 20 minutes to the top by the short trail, 2530 on the longer loop elevation gain. Max patch short loop hiking trail, marshall, north carolina. Its a scenic drive west from hot springs, and a moderately short adventure to a grassy bald thats drenched in sunshine and covered in wildflowers. Visit max patch on your trip to hot springs or united states.
The trail was otherwise non eventful and had few running water sources. Then we hiked 21 miles to hot springs back to our car which was parked in hot springs. Max patch and hot springs is a hiking adventure located in or near asheville, nc. Nov 08, 2016 we had the amazing crew over at bluff mountian outfitters in hot springs, nc shuttle us to the top of max patch. Hike the appalachian trail at max patch mountain, one of our favorite, cantmiss hikes in north carolina. Max patch trail hiking the appalachians near asheville, n. Rising 4629 feet, max is a rolling, sprawling stretch of mountain meadow that offers plentiful sunshine, incredible views, and an ontopoftheworld feeling. Come enjoy hot springs, nc and leave in a better state of mind. Shortly after passing through this intersection the at leaves the forest behind and climbs up log stairs on the way to the summit. The appalachian trail crosses the summit of max patch, about 20 miles west of hot springs at mile 251. The appalachian trail crosses the top of the grassy bald. Wildflowers bloom there in the spring and fantastic leaf color can be seen in the fall. The max patch loop trail encircles the base connecting to the sr 1182 parking lot and the buckeye ridge trail 304. Explore the best trails in hot springs, arkansas on traillink.
Description this long section of trail runs 20 miles from max patch road to the town of hot springs, nc. Find free public parking for hikers along andrews avenue turn right. The trail offers a number of activity options and is accessible yearround. Along the way it passes the roaring fork shelter, lemon gap, walnut mountain shelter, garenflo gap, deep park shelter, and a jesuit hostel. If youre coming in from the north, it makes more sense to come via the town of hot springs than i40. I donned my pack, grabbed my trekking poles, and headed up the loop trail.
This is an incredible, relatively easy hike with the reward at the end being hot springs on the french broad river. Hikes are moderate to easy there is something for everyone easy access to trails great fishing pond it. Lovers leap hike, hot springs, nc romanticasheville. The elevation of hot springs is 1,326 feet, and by the appalachian trail, is 20 miles from the max patch summit. Mar 18, 2020 my pace today is pretty good and i hit 18 miles around 4. Max patch hiking hot springs, nc blue ridge mountain life. Since the famous appalachian trail at goes through the tiny town of hot springs, you can hike from the center of downtown for a very scenic 2mile loop. With more than 3 hot springs trails covering 26 miles, youre bound to find a perfect trail like the arkansas river trail or hot springs creek greenway trail. The trip to the parking lot at max patch takes about an hour from hot springs. Max patch mountain hot springs, north carolina hiking. Its one of the most spectacular settings youll experience in the blue. Apr 11, 2016 located about 40 minutes from hot springs, nc is max patch mountain, located in pisgah national forest. Good places to hike on the appalachian trail in north.
Max patch to hot springs on the appalachian trail david m allen. Looks like if we stay near a shelter were gonna have to do like 14 miles the first day then 6 the next or 7 the first day and the next. Standing bear to hot springs, nc coronavirus update the trek. Hot springs, nc the only town in north carolina where the appalachian trail travels directly through town. The appalachian trail crosses right over the summit running north and south. Fortunately, there is an easy loop trail that goes from the parking lot to the mountain summit and back. As well, we were starting out on top of max patch, one of the most beautiful areas that i have been to on the at so far, and we were finishing up in hot springs, a great little trail town where we were guaranteed a warm, delicious, celebratory breakfast at the famous smoky mountain diner. Max patch is a 4,629foot tall bald mountain with an incredible 360degree mountain vista just 20 miles from hot springs.
If you wish to prolong your journey, there is the option of taking the buckeye ridge trail back to the parking lot instead of continuing on the max patch mountain loop trail. Max patch is a birding, hiking adventure located in or near hot springs, nc. It completes a circuit near the inner edge of the park boundary. We met at hot springs the night before our backpack so as to get an early start the next day. Max patch to hot springs backpack shuttle on appalachian trail 12315 thru 12515 posted on january 27, 2015 by hikingman68 no comments this was originally going to be a warm weather hike because hot springs, north carolina is supposed to be an awesome place with activities like rafting, tubing and a cool hostel to name a few. Max patch to hot springs whiteblaze appalachian trail. Iron horse station is a beautifully restored 19th century hotel.
The most popular trails are max patch trail, lovers leap loop trail and max patch trail. Best hiking trails near hot springs, north carolina. Highlights include max patch, roaring fork shelter. Hiking the max patch appalachian trail the adventurerr. Max patch hot springs 2020 all you need to know before. Planning on going from max patch to hot springs starting at daybreak this friday and arriving sometime saturday. Crossing all types of terrain, the trail makes its way through the most remote areas of the park. Max patch to hot springs on the appalachian trail david. Theres a large communication station or some kind of large piece of technology on the top of snowbird mountain south of max patch. Due to the length of this trail, it is frequently broken up into three. The trail climbs max patch on log steps carved into the hillside and then crosses the grass to the broad summit of the mountain. In between the soaring mountains of the great smokies and the rolling hills of hot springs the a. Alternatively, you could drive about 5 miles further past max patch parking area to reach lemon gap parking and start there and hike to max patch eat lunch on top of the world and hike back or to share just the views with those of ages 7 to 70 you could just hike the 1mile loop trail. At an elevation of 4,629 feet, max patch boasts a 360degree view of the appalachian mountains including the blue ridge and the smokies.
Can be used to summit max patch over a much more difficult route than the. The appalachian trail passes through the middle of town, and many of the businesses cater to backpackers. The appalachian trail follows the crest of the appalachians along the north carolina and tennessee state line. Sep 15, 2015 a day hike between max patch and hot springs, nc. Hike a section of the famous appalachian national scenic trail or a. Max patch to hot springs backpack shuttle on appalachian. Mitchell on the east to the great smoky mountains on the south. My pace today is pretty good and i hit 18 miles around 4. Max patch road to hot springs, nc enjoy panoramic smokies views on blueberry and rhododendronlined trails on the way to french. Make a weekend trip from max patch to hot springs n.
Max patch mountain is a 4,600 foot bald that provides 360 degree views of the surrounding blue ridge and smoky mountains. The sunset trail is the longest trail in hot springs national park, covering approximately 10 miles one way. Max patch is a bald mountain on the north carolinatennessee border in madison county, north carolina and cocke county, tennessee. Max patch to hot springs appalachian trail information. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. Today, its a 350acre tract of open land on a high knob with 360degree views. You can break this up however you like, this is just a general list. Beautiful drive up to the parking lot for max patch and then a short hike to the top. Lovers leap is a rock outcropping on the appalachian trail in hot springs that offers a spectacular panoramic view of the french broad river and pisgah national forest. From the hot springs, pass some picnic spots then negotiate a rocky section of trail with at least one short section that causes many to dismount. I hate to give it a two star but the only good thing about this hike was max patch and hot springs that you can drive to.
947 712 448 1013 716 612 251 1308 184 444 820 129 712 47 1191 1172 313 448 679 1601 967 1076 1388 1416 1456 588 650 659 595 1029 993 405 813 370 594 185 510 188 284 1455 554 1249 239