Linville Gorge Full Loop

Not a trail for the faint of heart. The climbs are long and brutal. The downhills are treacherous and challenging. Hiking along the river is hot and humid. Hiking on the Eastern ridge is hot, exposed, and dry. There are many trails all through the area that are not official trails and yet are the only way to get to some of these places. Some of these unofficial trails are difficult to identify and navigate, requiring maps and compass. The terrain is very rocky. Uneven steps result in slow travel, even on the more flat terrain. That said, the rewards are worth all of it. The views are some of the best, and absolutely unique compared to other places in North Carolina or even the Eastern US. There are plenty of campsites all along the route. Water is easily accessible throughout, although somewhat less frequent on the Eastern Ridge. There are opportunities for rock climbing, fishing, camping, swimming. If you hike here please check out many of the community maintained maps - http://www.lgmaps.org/?page_id=15. Buy some water resistant paper and use a laser printer to print these pages. There is evidence of bears (claws marks, poop, etc.), snakes, biting bugs, so come prepared for those possibilities. There's no bridge at the Spence Ridge trail, but there is a cable set up that you can use to get your gear over the water but you yourself will need to go for a dip to get across. There is a crossing at the southern end where it is easy to cross by foot and also at the northern end where there's a bridge at Linville Falls.