Outbound Collective logo

Details

Distance

4.64 miles

Elevation Gain

1178 ft

Route Type

Out-and-Back

Description

Added by Justin Costner

Shortoff Mountain offers expansive views of the Linville Gorge and surrounding peaks. Amazing vistas for sunset. Some of the biggest and best walls in the south for Rock Climbing. Day hike or overnight.

Start your hike from the Shortoff Mountain Trail off of Wolf Pit Road at the base of Lake James. From the summit there is a small grassy area off a side trail that provided awesome cliff side views of the Gorge and Linville River! You can setup after making the hour and a half trek (maybe just in time to witness one of the best sunsets ever).

If you start the hike late and you're lucky, the skies will stay clear for the night and with no moon, the Milky Way appears in the southeast! The great thing about this hike is that you can easily stay and camp if you'd like. If you decide to stay and camp, the nights on Shortoff no matter what season can get chilly with the winds howling across the 4,000 ft summit relentlessly so be prepared! This is definitely one of the most scenic spots in the southeast! With a natural fresh water spring, well marked trails and duration-overnight camping.

Read More

Download the Outbound mobile app

Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use.

Get the app
Download GPX File

Features

Camping
Photography
Backpacking
Hiking
Dog Friendly
Forest
Scenic
Wildflowers
Wildlife

Shortoff Mountain Summit Reviews

Have you done this adventure? Be the first to leave a review!

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

Camp on Shortoff Mountain in the Linville Gorge

Hike the Rock Jock Trail

Camp in the Linville Gorge via the Pinch In Trail

Hike to Hawksbill Mountain

Camp at the Chimneys in the Linville Wilderness

Hike to the Summit of Table Rock Mountain