Linville Gorge Chimneys and NC Wall

Linville Gorge via the entrance for Table Rock.  It’s a long gravel road up the mountain and very dusty in the dry times of year.  Rather than hike to Table Rock, which can be very crowded on a weekend, hike in the opposite direction towards the Chimneys and the NC Wall.  Hike on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail south from the parking lot towards the Chimneys.  This is one of the most scenic hikes in Linville Gorge.  After a short hike through a forested area, the trail leads along an exposed ridge line with fantastic views of the gorge and the many beautiful rock formations and outcrops that line the rim of the gorge.  Rock climbers climb near the Chimneys. You can also scramble around. This route follows a steep climb that leads up to a great overlook on the Chimneys.  The climb up is steep, but short  To the east, you can see the rolling foothills and to the west you can see across the gorge with stunning cliffs lining the west side.  In the distance, the outline of the mighty Black Mountains can be seen in the distance.  Climb back down and follow the MST for a little while longer, taking an easy-to-miss side trail that leads down to the NC Wall.  This unofficial trail is the Amphitheater Trail and is not shown on maps.  It leads from the MST down to the Amphitheater, a canyon in the cliff face of the gorge.  It's another area popular with rock climbers and had truly fantastic views. Further to the south, there is Shortoff Mountain and the end of the Linville River, where it flows into Lake James.  From here, we hike along the North Carolina Wall Trail, parallel to the MST, but several hundred feet below.  This is another unofficial trail.  The NC Wall is sparsely vegetated and so provides some of the best views of the gorge.  Much of the interior of the gorge is forested, with the river dividing the gorge in half.  But there are a few fantastic rock towers sticking up from dense vegetation and providing a beautiful contrast.  Almost immediately, you see the Sphinx rising out from the canyon floor among the dense vegetation.  Towards the end of the trail, you see the Camel, another rock formation that looks surprisingly like the animal.