hey ya’ll, i’m heading to Hot Springs in two weeks for a weekend and wanted to know two good day hikes to go on from there. I dont know how close Max Patch is from Hot Springs but heard it’s awesome there. Any help would be great. Thanks!
swimcatz
Hot Springs day hikes
system
#2
max patch is one of my favorite places. 360 degree views. incredible sunrise/sunsets. roughly 20 miles by trail from hot springs. about an hour drive. (head south out of town on highway 209, and then just follow the signs).
you could also hike north out of town to lovers leap rock (less than two miles- great view of hot springs and the french broad river)
the rich mountain fire tower usually affords nice sunrise/sunsets as well. (9 miles by trail, or drive north out of town on us 25/70 until you cross under the bridge at tanyard gap, take a left and follow the signs).
blackstack and white rock cliffs are a little further from hot springs but still accesible.
i hope some of this helps.
grizzly adam
system
#3
Hey swimcatz! Hot Springs is a nice little town to stroll thru town including the little stream and back streets with nice flowering landscaped yards and mountain views. You could drop by the campground and stroll up to or even beyond Lovers Leap and have lunch and then hang out just long enough to catch the first glimspes of sunrise and make it home for the evening.
My late arrival to Hot Springs kind of hurts my memory of what you would see if you went SOBO for another day hike directly out of town. There is a shelter that is reachable, if you want to read registers and such. I walked by it so can’t speak for the views there. I know that the walk is typical hiking.
If you are a power walker, you could do the 15 mile hike SOBO to Max Patch and enjoy sunset, or arrange for one of the helpful folks at Bluff Mt Outfitters on the AT in Hot Springs to assist finding a shuttle so you could start there in the morning and hike back into Hot Springs.
I hiked that 15 miles in 8 hours, but I stop and enjoy the simple wooded pleasures along the way. Or you could do like many and just drive up to Max Patch and hang out and then drive back. You could hike all over there and never see it all.
If you don’t mind driving over to Mountain Mommas or Standing Bear Farm, you could enjoy the mix of AT mini road walks, and hostel folk and one of my favorite spots on the AT. I remember the sounds and cool fresh air feeling when I walked into Cherokkee National forrest and was greeted by warnings of trees falling only to find that after a brief walk I was greeted bya lush forest and the 1st waterfall out of the smokies. The water was great when I was there, but that was all snow melt then.
I think the walk from Mountain Mammas to Standing Bear Farm is 4 miles and if you went up to Ground Hog shelter it is 7 miles, I liked both hikes, but it does take a minute or 2 to hike away from the interstate sound from I-40 if you go up to Ground Hog.
hope this helps.
Hey Grizzly, yes I did live thru my coughing spell…hope I didn’t deprive you of too much sleep and everything is well with you, too.
burn