GRANDFATHER MTN PEAKS LOOP

This is a long, difficult and technical hike, but well worth the reward. On this hike you will traverse Alpine forests, wooden ladders, sheer cliffs and more. A long up and down loop gets you in to Grandfather Mountain with free admission for your efforts.

You will start the hike from the Boone Fork parking lot along the Tanawha Trail for about .5 miles, and then continue up the Daniel Boone Scout Trail for 3 more miles to reach Calloway Peak. Right before the summit to Calloway Peak, on the opposite side of the Ravens Roost camping platform site, you can find an old plane crash scattered in the woods.

Beyond Calloway Peak, the trail turns in to the Grandfather Trail, as you enter Grandfather Mountain Park. You’ll pass through the Cliffside, Calloway Gap, the Alpine Meadow, past the Indian House cave, down the steep and rocky Attic Window, and finally down the vertigo inducing ladders at the Raven Rocks. You can choose to continue down the Grandfather ridge to the Mile High Swinging Bridge, which is free to enter if you hike in.

You begin the return on the Underwood Trail, bypassing the Raven Rocks on the return, picking up on the steep Attic Window ascent back up the Grandfather Trail. After heading back down the Daniel Boone Scout Trail, you can make a loop taking the Cragway and Nuwati Trails for additional scenic views and then head back to the Tanawha Trail to close the loop.