Highlands, North Carolina

Looking for the best hiking in Highlands? We've got you covered with the top trails, trips, hiking, backpacking, camping and more around Highlands. The detailed guides, photos, and reviews are all submitted by the Outbound community.

Top Hiking Spots in and near Highlands

  • Helen, Georgia

    Hike to Dukes Creek Falls

    4.3
    1.9 mi / 300 ft gain
    Starting with a scenic overlook of Yonah mountain and ending with three waterfalls, Dukes Creek falls is the perfect hike on any occasion. This easy 1 mile trail has spectacular views and is great for dogs and families. The trail is gravel and boardwalk the whole way and great for any age. The pa...
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  • Cleveland, Georgia

    Mount Yonah Trail

    4.17 mi / 1430 ft gain
    Mount Yonah Trail is an out-and-back trail where you may see beautiful wildflowers located near Cleveland, Georgia.
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  • Cleveland, Georgia

    Hike and Climb to Yonah Mountain

    4.8
    4.53 mi / 1417 ft gain
    The trail starts at "Mt. Yonah Trailhead" and is 4.4 mile round-trip with elevation of 1,500' to 3,166'. The trail stays below moderate tree coverage until around the halfway point where you will come upon a clearing known as the first LZ (landing zone). The mountain is shared with hikers by Army...
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  • 35.629385,-83.450994

    Camp out at Mt. LeConte Lodge via Alum Cave

    5.0
    9.97 mi / 0 ft gain
    At the summit of Mt. LeConte in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the lodge sits at a elevation of 6400 feet. It is the only "accommodations" inside the park boundaries. It is the highest lodge in the eastern United States.   Accessible only by hiking one of the five trails to the summit,...
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  • Gatlinburg, Tennessee

    Mt. LeConte via Alum Cave Bluff

    5.0
    10.68 mi / 3543 ft gain
    The Alum Cave trailhead is on Newfound Gap Road, 8 miles from the Sugarlands Visitor Center. Mt. LeConte is the third highest peak in the Smokies, and this is an extremely popular hike, so arrive early to get a parking spot and beat the crowds. Starting from the parking lot the trail gently wind...
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  • Helen, Georgia

    Hike to Hogpen Gap

    4.0
    1 mi
    Hogpen Gap is one of six "Gaps" of North Georgia. If you are planning to go on this trip from town, you will be starting from a parking lot at the bottom of the trailhead. If you happen to be thru-hiking on the AT, you just take an extra half-mile of your hike and begin following the blue blazes....
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  • Gatlinburg, Tennessee

    Hike the Chimney Tops

    4.9
    4.03 mi / 1306 ft gain
    The Chimney Tops Trail is one of the most visited trails in the Smokies, which is why I recommend going up just before sunset to beat the crowd! During the summer and fall months, it's common to see a hundred people taking in the views on the same trail, but if you scramble on out after hours, y...
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  • Fontana Dam, North Carolina

    Shuckstack Fire Tower

    5.0
    8.84 mi / 2605 ft gain
    Your Shuckstack adventure starts at the Fontana Dam outside of Bryson City, NC. As the highest dam East of the Rocky Mountains, it's a sight on its own. This will be your last chance to fill up water bottles and use the restroom so take advantage. You can leave on foot from the dam and continue ...
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  • Asheville, North Carolina

    Explore Lake Powhatan

    Lake Powhatan is located just minutes away from Asheville, NC and offers a number of fun activities for you, your friends, and your family. In the warm summer months, the Lake is a popular spot for swimming. The small stretch of beach along the lake is a nice place to lay out and soak in the sun....
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  • Blairsville, Georgia

    Hike to Helton Creek Falls

    4.5
    0.6 mi / 22 ft gain
    Getting to Helton Creek Falls can be a little bit tricky. You can either access the trailhead from 348 (the less popular, more adventurous route), or you can access the trailhead easily off of highway 19.  The reason why access from 348 is a bit tricky is that the road actually has two creek cros...
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  • Arden, North Carolina

    Photograph the French Broad Overlook

    5.0
    The French Broad Overlook is one of several overlook spots along the Blue Ridge Parkway. It's not known to be the most breathtakingly scenic spot of the batch, but it's still a nice viewpoint that will offer you sights of the French Broad River, one of the few north flowing rivers in the US. Yo...
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  • Blairsville, Georgia

    Trahlyta Lake Trail and Trahlyta Falls

    5.0
    1.22 mi / 89 ft gain
    Lake Trahlyta in Vogel State Park offers a truly unique combination of natural beauty and opportunity for recreation. The easy one-mile Lake Trahlyta trail circles the emerald colored lake and has a short deviation that leads to a calming, yet impressive waterfall.   The trail starts on the edge...
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  • Gatlinburg, Tennessee

    Porters Creek Trail

    5.0
    7.19 mi / 1614 ft gain
    Porters Creek Trail is an out-and-back trail that takes you by a waterfall located near Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
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  • Gatlinburg, Tennessee

    Fern Branch Falls

    5.0
    3.7 mi / 794 ft gain
    Take Porters Creek Trail, a gravel road alongside Porters Creek. You will pass by an old farmstead and cemetery, as well as lots of wildflowers if you're out during the spring. In a mile, keep left, then in another half mile or so you should cross over a small (and somewhat harrowing) footbridge...
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  • Gatlinburg, Tennessee

    Hike to the Ramsey Cascades

    4.9
    7.83 mi / 2254 ft gain
    This multi-tiered waterfall is known as the tallest in the park – a worthwhile reward for the steep and sometimes tricky terrain you'll face on the way up. The popular route to the falls also passes through an impressive old-growth forest, which apparently boasts some of the tallest trees in the...
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  • Gatlinburg, Tennessee

    Grotto Falls Trail

    5.0
    1.83 mi / 577 ft gain
    This is an intermediate hike along Trillium Gap Trail. There are four stream crossings on your way to the falls as you hike through an idyll, often wildflower-sprinkled landscape. Late spring is best for catching blooms. Once at the waterfall, you can walk behind the cascade of water. This is a ...
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