Another Hike Up Mt. Pisgah in North Carolina

I never climbed anything other than out of my crib or up swing set poles as a kid. Yet somehow, I married an outdoorsy girl and I was transformed into a hiking and camping fanatic. When I met Kendra’s parents, they took me on a hike up Mt. Pisgah in North Carolina. It was a bit of a rite of initiation for me and has since become one for our kids as well. Addie’s first summit on her own two legs was Mt. Pisgah when she had just turned four. The twins were there too, but they hitched rides in our kid carriers.

And this week, Kate, Evan, and Veronica made their first summit up a “big mountain” at Mt. Pisgah as well.

Location: Mt. Pisgah, Blue Ridge Parkway Mile 407, NC
Date: June 20, 2019
Distance: 2.97 miles roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 791 feet
Our Hiking Time: 2 hours 38 minutes
Trail Blaze: none
Difficulty: Easy-Moderate

This was our fastest ascent up Mt. Pisgah yet. The twins were so excited to climb their first “big mountain” that they practically ran up the trail, which meant this was a bit of a trail run for me.

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The most exciting finds on the trail were the snails! The kids found them everywhere and took great pains to move them to the side of the trail so they wouldn’t get crushed by hikers.

We reached the top of Mt. Pisgah in an hour, and settled at the summit to eat snacks, rest, and of course, dance!

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The hike down was just as quick, and we spent lots of time just before we reached the trailhead climbing the large rock face. I was surprised how much energy the kiddos had after the hike, but they were happy to keep climbing.

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Check Out Our Trek Up Mt. Pisgah!

Download file: GPSKitData.gpx

Directions to the Trailhead

The parking area is at mile 407.6 on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

From Asheville, NC: Take the Blue Ridge Parkway south to the Mount Pisgah Parking Area, on the left, at milepost 407.6. Enter this parking area and go ahead through the first parking lot to a second lot, a short distance beyond the first. The trail begins at the far end of the second parking lot.

From the Pisgah District Ranger Station/Visitor Center parking lot: Turn right (north) onto US 276, go ahead 14 miles to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Proceed north past mile marker 409 to the Pisgah Inn, and then about one mile further to the Mount Pisgah Parking Area, on the right side. Enter this parking area and go ahead through the first parking lot to a second lot, a short distance beyond the first. The trail begins at the far end of the second parking lot.