It contains quite a few more hiking trails and attractions to explore. Its one of the most spectacular settings youll experience in the blue. The bald, wide, rolling expanses of the mountain rise to the east. The trail is primarily used for hiking, camping, nature trips, and backpacking and is best used from march until november. This dog friendly and family friendly hike is great for picnics, star gazing, and is accesible year round. Hike max patch mountain, max patch mountain trailhead. Rising 4629 feet, max is a rolling, sprawling stretch of mountain meadow that offers plentiful sunshine, incredible views, and an ontopoftheworld feeling. United states north carolina pisgah national forest max patch loop via appalachian trail. Nice hike along a treeless summit of rolling hills. Avoid the usual weekend crowds at the max patch trailhead and hike this scenic alternate route to the viewpacked mountain bald. Simply choose a selection from each of the list boxes below, then click on the submit button.
The trails on max patch are fairly wellsigned, although a few confusing spots do exist so bring a map and pay attention. Max patch mountain at 4,629 feet is not close to being the tallest peak in the region, but you are surrounded by countless 5,000 and 6,000foot peaks in every direction. This particular loop branches just off of the appalachian trail at. Lemon gap to max patch hiking trail, marshall, north carolina. Hike a section of the famous appalachian national scenic trail or a. This trail has panoramic views from open fields of max patch, follows both trail and old road. Pisgah national forest shuts down many trails, camping, roads. Make sure you have good directions, dont think your gps will work here. See photos and hiking guide for max patch bald mountain along the appalachian trail near hot springs and asheville north carolina in pisgah national. There are nearly 40 miles of trails available in the area, including the appalachian trail, which runs along the spine of the mountains along the state line from i40 up to max patch mountain. It is not easy to get to this trail over the bumpy forest service roads, but the trail is still quite popular. Turn right and walk a short way to see the view from the summit and then go back on the at and continue on that trail while it descends from max patch summit into a wooded area. One time, we tried to take the linear trail all the way south on marie street and into the protected lands. Sitting on the border of north carolina and tennessee, max patch features 360 mountain range views and sits along the appalachian trail.
Hike the appalachian trail at max patch, one of north carolinas most popular at hikes, on a grassy, bald mountain thats covered in wildflowers. Feb 16, 2020 our friends in nc took us up to max patch for a quick afternoon hike over memorial day weekend. Either way, this is one of the souths most scenic sections of the at, and it is well worth your. Since then there has been homestead, a logging mill, and an air strip on the mountain. Max patch is a littleknown scenic place in north carolina. These distances are based on the appalachian trail data book for 2020, a publication of the appalachian trail conservancy, all rights. Max patch to hot springs on the appalachian trail david m allen. If you are going to backpack it, starting at max patch makes the most sense as there are good camping sites close to lemon gap including the shelter about 2 miles from the trailhead. Max patch short loop running trail, marshall, north carolina. Max patch is a fantastic hike, and made our list of top family hikes and 25 best places to see fall foliage. Sorry, there are no tours or activities available to book online for the dates you.
Topo maps, latitude and longitude coordinates, and address for max patch mountain. Max patch loop via appalachian trail north carolina. Well worth the detour, the hike to the top is part of a small loop that is well marked. The trail climbs max patch on log steps carved into the hillside and then crosses the grass to the broad summit of the mountain. Max patch hiking hot springs, nc blue ridge mountain life. Max patch mountain, a summit located in madison county, north carolina. Apr 11, 2016 max patch is a fantastic hike, and made our list of top family hikes and 25 best places to see fall foliage. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. If you chose to tackle these routes in winter come prepared with an emergency kit and a snowworthy vehicle.
Max patch mountain was once cleared for pasture land, leaving an expansive flat summit that now serves as the ideal location for a picnic hike, flying a kite, or laying in the sun surrounded by the great smoky mountains. If you hike north from max patch, hot springs is only a 20 mile hike away and has a lot of stuff for hikers. Max patch is by far the most popular destination for hiking in the immediate area, and for good reason. With little elevation gain and a short distance it is also very family and dog. Max patch is a bald mountain on the north carolinatennessee border in madison county, north carolina, and cocke county, tennessee. Dads bucket list included a hike on the appalachian trail. It is a major landmark along the tennesseenorth carolina section of the appalachian trail, although its summit is located in north carolina. Max patch is a mountain on the tennessee north carolina border. The hike trails to the northeast, skirting the mountain and beginning a continuous, moderate climb. Max patch loop via appalachian trail north carolina alltrails. This is an incredible, relatively easy hike with the reward at the end being hot springs on the french broad river. I will say that the road up to the trailhead is a very rough, worn down ride.
The trails were short and mostly easy and the views were fantastic. 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. To access this trail from downtown mars hill, head west on nc2w cascade st. It is a 6 mile drive down a maintained but bumpy u. Max patch mountain part of the pisgah national forest is a bald mountain roughly equidistant from knoxville, tn and asheville, nc about a 1.
Venture just past the summit for the prime locations. It can be quite a busy location during the warm months visitors can expect to see families picnicking, tossing around a baseball, playing music, or practicing photography. With spring wildflowers and fall leaf peeping, the max patch trail is an easytomoderate hike on the appalachian trail near asheville, n. Max patch the summit at max patch provides an overwhelming 360 degree view be sure to take the camera. If youre looking for a shorter route to the summit, or searching for a quick hike to catch an epic summit sunrise or sunset, follow the 1. A trio of route options leads to max patch from asheville. Max patch short loop hiking trail, marshall, north carolina. Camping is allowed in nearby areas but is prohibited on the summit itself. Today, its a 350acre tract of open land on a high knob with 360degree views.
Max patch trail hiking the appalachians near asheville, n. This is the lower loop of max patch to lemon gap and resting at the roaring fork shelter for lunch. Apr 30, 2020 max patch mountain engagement photos and wedding pictures in the pisgah national forest in north carolina, overlooking the great smoky mountains. Please submit any useful information about climbing max patch that may be useful to other climbers. Be sure to bring a vehicle that can pull the weight if the road is snowcovered and icy.
Food, accommodation, etc according to a couple people i talked to hostel owners, hikers, etc, this area remains terribly busy until about midmay. From the parking area at max patch, the trail starts off going north. Max patch hot springs 2020 all you need to know before you. There is a reservationonly horse group camping area along cold springs creek. Photos of max patch loop via appalachian trail alltrails. From the gravel parking lot, youve got two choices for getting to the top of max patch. At 4629 feet elevation, max patch is not the highest summit in its immediate vicinity, but this grassy bald is certainly one of the prettiest. This program calculates the approximate walking distance in miles between two points along the appalachian trail. Max patch hot springs 2020 all you need to know before. From downtown hot springs, go south on bridge street until it turns into. Consider things such as access and accommodation at the base of max patch, as well as the logistics of climbing to the summit. On our way back from the mother earth fair in ashville we stopped at max patch near hot springs nc for a day hike and a meal.
Nov 27, 2019 but cold temps can make it a bit of a challenge to reach the max patch trailhead. Our friends in nc took us up to max patch for a quick afternoon hike over memorial day weekend. On our way back from the mother earth fair in ashville we stopped at max patch near hot springs nc for a. But cold temps can make it a bit of a challenge to reach the max patch trailhead. The pastoral setting atop 4600 max patch is widely considered as the prettiest spot on the entire appalachian trail. Except for the dramatic approach to max patch this section of the at is mainly rolling soft hills that a novice hiker would not realize the 10 miles or so you would log at the end of the day. The vast majority of the people who visit max patch hike the 2. Navigation the trail from the trailhead at the parking lot makes a loop around the base of the bald and then joins the at near the summit of max patch. The trail offers a number of activity options and is accessible yearround.
A couple of offtrail waterfalls top off the list of. Say goodbye to max patch, graveyard fields, looking glass rock and mountains to sea for the summer. The unaka, black, great balsam, plott balsam, and great smoky mountain ranges are home to the highest peaks in the east and can all be seen from max patch. Theo and i have hiked and enjoyed a lot of this trail over the years. Once parked, hop out and take a survey of the upcoming challenge. May 10, 2017 dads bucket list included a hike on the appalachian trail. With spring wildflowers and fall leaf peeping, the max patch trail is an easyto moderate hike on the appalachian trail near asheville, n. The new weed patch mountain trail offers exciting backcountry adventures for hikers, mountain bikers, and rock climbers. Mileage is given, in miles, as one heads north from springer for mileage from katahdin simply subtract 2178. Take exist 24 off i40, climb to max patch by gravel road, once at the parking, just a short hike to one of the most incredible views you will ever see.
National forests in north carolina max patch usda forest service. See more ideas about max patch, mountain engagement photos and engagement photos. The atblazed posts along the open bald lend themselves to endless awesome photo opportunities. It was once forested, but legend has it that indians burned it, apparently for visibility.
This hike follows the at southbound from lemon gap, exploring a wildflowerfilled creek valley and visiting the roaring fork shelter. Two easy loop trails lead you to, and around, the summit. Davenport gap to max patch road or other waterville, north carolina hiking trails. I was thinking of a section hike max patch to hot springs, but timing wasnt good for me. Hike max patch trail in winter for great views in north carolina. Weed patch mountain trail info and map conserving carolina. Hike the appalachian trail at max patch, a grassy, bald mountain thats covered in wildflowers, and one of north carolinas most popular at hikes. Pisgah national forest shuts down camping, many trails. 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.
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