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Mills River, North Carolina

Top Spots in and near Mills River

  • Cashiers, North Carolina

    Hike to Silver Run Falls

    0.25 mi / 100 ft gain
    The hike to this waterfall is very short and well worth it. The waterfall is about 40 feet tall and has a large volume of water.  This makes for a great place to swim. The bottom of the pool is about 15 feet deep and offers cool mountain water. To get there it is just outside of Cashiers, North C...
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  • Cullowhee, North Carolina

    Hike to High Falls

    3.5
    1.5 mi / 600 ft gain
    This is an awesome hike if you're up for a challenge! The hike in isn't bad at all and the trail itself isn't super long but the climb back out will be a little more difficult due to the rock steps and lengthy uphill. This hike starts from a parking lot, just across the road from Lake Glenville a...
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  • Del Rio, Tennessee

    Max Patch to Hot Springs, N.C. via Appalachian Trail

    3.0
    14.06 mi / 2966 ft gain
    Make a weekend trip from Max Patch to Hot Springs N.C., and be sure to soak in the natural hot springs at the old inn after your hike! This is an incredible, relatively easy hike with the reward at the end being hot springs on the French Broad River. You can break this up however you like, this i...
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  • Clyde, North Carolina

    Photograph the Smokies from Buzzards Roost

    This is an awesome place to check out if you are driving Interstate 40 or if you are visiting the area for awhile. The access point for Buzzards Roost is located on the same exit as the well known Max Patch Mountain, just in the other direction. Once off the exit, you will travel down a gravel Fo...
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  • Salem, South Carolina

    Camp on Lake Jocassee

    4.7
    To avoid the regret of cutting your trip too short, go ahead and book a campsite. Come as a walk-in or reserve your site.  Either way, you will have to check in at the Park Office.  Upon check-in, you will receive your map and general information.  Check-in time for camping is 2PM. The only publi...
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  • Burnsville, North Carolina

    Backpack the Black Mountain Crest Trail

    12 mi / 5390 ft gain
    The Black Mountain Crest Trail is legendary among hikers in the southeast. It is the highest trail east of the Mississippi, as it traverses the summit of several peaks over 6,000 feet. It is also widely acknowledged as one of the premier hikes on the east coast. To whit, the trail immediately asc...
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  • Highlands, North Carolina

    Explore Cashiers Sliding Rock

    0.2 mi / 70 ft gain
    This waterfall is located just outside of Cashiers, NC. The trailhead to the waterfall is right off of the road and has a good amount of parking. The trial itself is very nice and has new steps at the beginning of the trail. The trail is very wide and is mostly flat the entire way there. Once you...
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  • 138 Silver Mine Road, North Carolina

    Hike the Lovers Leap Loop Trail

    5.0
    1.8 mi / 472 ft gain
    Lovers Leap Loop trail is a 1.8 mile loop in Hot Springs, NC. The address of the trailhead is 138 Silver Mine Rd, Hot Springs, NC 28743. Once you arrive at the parking lot, you will see a trail leading up into the mountain with a post next to it. This is where you want to begin. It is part of the...
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  • Micaville, North Carolina

    Crabtree Falls

    4.9
    2.83 mi / 525 ft gain
    Starting from the old store parking area at MP 339.5 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, follow the trail through a meadow past the campground amphitheater. After crossing the paved road to the campground, the trail will come to a T-intersection. Take the trail to the right for the shortest way to the fal...
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  • Greenville, South Carolina

    Hike Swamp Rabbit Trail to Reedy River Falls

    4.5
    3 mi / 100 ft gain
    Swamp Rabbit Trail is a 21 mile-long paved walkway that closely follows the Reedy River in Downtown Greenville. Over a half-a-million people visit the trail each year, but few ever walk the whole thing. What most people don’t know, is that it begins on a different river: the Enoree river and wind...
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  • Easley, South Carolina

    Doodle Trail

    5.0
    7.64 mi / 358 ft gain
    Doodle Trail is a point-to-point trail that takes you through a nice forest located near Easley, South Carolina.
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  • Bureau of Indian Affairs Highway 506, North Carolina

    Barrett Knob Fire Tower

    5.0
    1.21 mi / 400 ft gain
    Your hike will start at the base of the Blue Ridge Parkway just a few miles from the start in Cherokee. The trail starts right off of the parkway in a very small easy to miss dirt road. There is a small area to park that then you start your hike up the dirt road right after the gate. The hike to ...
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  • Highlands, North Carolina

    Hike the Whiteside Mountain Loop

    5.0
    2 mi / 595 ft gain
    Whiteside Mountain is simply breathtaking, there is no way around it.  Views of the mountain from the South expose its sheer granite face, which runs almost its entire length East-to-West.  However, the views of the mountain are just the beginning, as this hike climbs to higher heights than just ...
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  • Marion, North Carolina

    Tom's Creek Falls

    5.0
    0.7 mi / 148 ft gain
    The hike to Tom's Creek Falls is a short but enjoyable hike right off the side of the road. The hike is on a wide and mostly flat gravel road that goes right up to the waterfall and a viewing platform that makes for a perfect place for pictures. This hike is a great hike for families and young ki...
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  • Cullowhee, North Carolina

    Hike to Yellow Mountain Fire Tower via Cloud Catcher Lane

    5.0
    1.5 mi / 700 ft gain
    Yellow Mountain Fire Tower features some of the best views, looking out over both the Northern Georgia mountains as well as seeing the flat-lands of South Carolina past the mountain ranges. This hike is pretty well known for its 12-mile round trip trek, starting in Cashiers, NC, however, there's ...
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  • Newport, North Carolina

    Hike to Mt. Sterling's Fire Tower

    4.0
    12 mi / 4200 ft gain
    On your way in, stop at the ranger station parking lot to use the outhouses and grab a map for $1. Once at the Baxter Creek trailhead you have two options: 1. The Out and Back (12.2 miles) 2. The Loop (17 miles)Out and Back: Start on the Baxter Creek Trail and continue up for 6.1 miles until you...
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