Pincushion Peak in California is a perfect spot to watch sunset! It’s also a great trail to do with friends. The trail starting from South Finegold Picnic area requires navigating up a steep incline. The other trailhead is much more pleasant with spectacular views the whole way to Pincushion Peak.
The weekend before the heavy, long lasting rainy weather started, we went on our first hike in California! We decided to hike to Pincushion Peak.
I’m happy to see so many people enjoying the outdoors, but sometimes this can have a negative impact on both nature and your mental health. Read my 15 Ways to Avoid Crowds in the Great Outdoors to find more solitude and peace in the most beautiful parts of the world.
Hike along on one of the most scenic trails in North Carolina – Art Loeb Trail. This fairly short hike takes you through a forest full of balsam fir and berry bushes and open fields of meadow grasses and wildflowers with panoramic views. The trail summits two mountains with the first being Black Balsam Knob, sitting at 6,214 feet, and Tennent Mountain, sitting at 6,040 feet.
Take a short hike to (what used to be) one of the most popular waterfalls along the Blue Ridge Parkway. After a tropical storm in 2021, Skinny Dip Falls has been completely changed. It used to be a popular swimming hole, and lots of people would travel to take a dip in the refreshing, cold water.
Skinny Dip Falls is now made up of smaller cascades creating small, shallow pools. On a hot summer’s day, you can still cool off in the cold, crisp water! Although the waterfall looks different, it’s worth a visit!
Take a hike through a forest of rhododendron, a field of wildflowers, pick blueberries in the fall, and visit two amazing waterfalls all in a 3.5-mile trail. Graveyard Fields is a popular and unique hike off of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Don’t miss this perfect family-friendly and pet-friendly hike!
Sitting at 5,720 feet at its peak, Devil’s Courthouse is a prominent landmark along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Hike nearly half a mile with 280 feet of elevation gain to reach an observation point on Devil’s Courthouse. Enjoy spectacular panoramic views as far as the eye can see! On a clear sunny day, you can see all the way to South Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee.
Grotto Falls is a unique waterfall hike located within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Trillium Gap Trail takes you through an old-growth hemlock forest and continues behind the 25-foot waterfall. This 2.8-mile roundtrip hike is a great adventure for you and your family!
Chimney Tops is a very popular hike. It is a short hike, but the elevation gain makes it tough. Like maxing-out-your-heart-rate tough. Well, maybe not that bad for most people, but still tough enough that some people we met along the trail turned around! Long story short, the Chimney Tops hike is close to 2 miles one-way with 1,400 feet of elevation gain. But it is worth it… or at least it used to be worth it.
Hike one of the most popular trails in Great Smoky Mountains National Park – Chimney Tops! The panoramic views at the end make the tough uphill trek worth it. Be aware, the last 0.25 miles of the trail are closed due to fire damage which resulted in hazardous conditions. Thanks to a newly built observation point, you will have amazing views of the summit of Chimney Tops along with Mount LeConte. Add this iconic hike to your bucket list!