Montreat Hiking Trails
The Montreat hiking trails are some of the best trails near Asheville, NC. The Montreat trails range in difficulty and length, and there is an option for almost everyone. The majority of the trails are designed for hiking and running. Bicycles are only allowed on Rainbow Road, Appalachian Way, and Old Mitchell Toll Road (seasonally).
Adventure Nerds uses only objective information to describe trails. Below are our descriptions of almost all of the trails in Montreat. Each trail description includes the trail marker (blaze) color, distance, elevation change, and slope. We have also provided GPS coordinates for trailheads and a brief description of the terrain (trail width and obstacles) to help you choose which trail might be the best fit for you.
If you would like more information about overnight hiking trips in Montreat, check out our detailed guidebook, Montreat Backpacking Adventure Guide Notes.
Montreat Trail Map
The Montreat Trail Map is an effective overview of the Montreat trail system. It includes brief descriptions about each trail, distance, estimated difficulty level, and estimated hiking times. It is important to note that the distances listed are one-way. The trail difficulty is based on the “average Montreat hiker” and is highly subjective.
Physical maps are available at the Montreat store. Pisgah Map Company also makes a fantastic map for Black Mountain and Montreat trails.
The Adventure Nerds Montreat Trail Map includes additional details about the Montreat hiking trails, topography, and super helpful information about the mileage between trail sections.
To download a high-resolution map for your phone, and a print version of the Montreat Trail Map, sign-up for our email list below. You’ll also receive a 25% discount code for our digital adventure guidebook for Montreat backpacking trips.
Lookout Trail, Montreat
| One-way Distance | Elevation Gain | Elevation Loss | Slope | Trailhead GPS |
| 0.57 miles | 650 ft. | n/a | 22% | 35.64303, -82.29094 |
Lookout Trail (#4, yellow blaze) is the most popular trail in Montreat, NC. The roundtrip journey is a little over 1 mile, and the 360-degree view from the top of Lookout Mountain is a rare sight in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The trailhead starts at two small dirt parking lots in a residential area of Montreat. There is an overflow parking area at the top of Lookout Road. The first section of the trail is over 5 feet wide with large water bars/steps to prevent trail erosion. After the intersection with Old Trestle Road, the trail narrows to less than 5 feet wide for single-file hiking only. The steepest section of the trail has wooden stairs and an exposed rock scramble before reaching the summit of Lookout Mountain.
Graybeard Trail, Montreat
| One-way Distance | Elevation Gain | Elevation Loss | Slope | Trailhead GPS |
| 4.64 miles | 2,402 ft. | -117 ft. | 10% | 35.65954, -82.29599 |
Graybeard Trail (#13, blue blaze) is the second most popular trail at Montreat. The top of Graybeard Mountain is at 5,406 feet, and the overlook has incredible views of The Pinnacle, Mt. Mitchell State Park, The Craggies, and the Blue Ridge Parkway. The trailhead starts at a small gravel parking lot at the end of Graybeard Road. The trail winds through thick rhododendrons and crosses Flat Creek multiple times. The trail is rooty and rocky in most places.
After the first mile, the trail conditions improve, and there is a series of long switchbacks that follow the old route of the railroad that connected Black Mountain to Mt. Mitchell. You can tell when you are no longer following the old railroad when the trail gets rocky, rooty, and steeper. We recommend the two quick side trips to Graybeard Falls and Walker’s Knob Overlook. It’s 0.5 miles from Walker’s Knob shelter to the West Ridge Trail intersection and another 0.4 miles to the overlook. Remember, the Graybeard Trail from the parking lot to the overlook and back is 9.3 miles.
Big Piney Ridge Trail, Montreat
| One-way Distance | Elevation Gain | Elevation Loss | Slope | Trailhead GPS |
| 1.34 miles | 1,214 ft. | n/a | 17% | 35.65370, -82.29954 |
Big Piney Ridge Trail (#11, orange blaze). The view from Rattlesnake Rock is the main attraction of the Big Piney Trail. If you start the trail at the end of Suwannee Drive, it is only a 1.14 miles hike to the overlook with expansive south-facing views of Montreat and Black Mountain, NC. Continuing to the top of Big Piney and the intersection with the West Ridge Trail does not reveal any additional viewpoints.
There is limited parking available at the Suwannee Drive trailhead, so many people end up parking at the gravel parking area at the end of Harmony Lane and taking the Lower Piney Trail to the Big Piney Ridge Trail. This route adds ~2 miles to the roundtrip hike.
Overnight Adventure
Do you appreciate the level of detail in this description of the Montreat hiking trails? But wait, there’s more! The Adventure Nerds Montreat Backpacking Adventure Guide Notes contain everything you need to plan a multi-day adventure in Montreat, NC. The 34-page digital book has more information about the trails, route planning, itineraries, packing list, history, ecology, and more in one easy-to-use place.
Sign-up for our email list and receive a discount code for a discount code for the Montreat Backpacking Adventure Guide Notes for hiking in Montreat.
The guidebook contains hyper-specific details about Montreat camping, hiking trails, maps, and resources for planning your next hiking trip. We’ve compiled everything you need to know in one place to save you hours of research so that you can spend more time on the trail and less time on your computer.
More Hiking In Montreat
One of our favorite things about hiking in Montreat is the diversity of the trails. Even on the most crowded days, you can find a quiet place on the trail. There are over twenty different trails to choose from, and there are many different ways to create short loop hikes and longer loop hikes by connecting multiple trails.
East Ridge Trails
Rainbow Mountain Trail (#2, green blazes)
| One-way Distance | Elevation Gain | Elevation Loss | Slope | Trailhead GPS |
| 0.77 miles | 792 ft. | -90 ft. | 20% | 35.63905, -82.31123 |
This trail starts behind a large service building (shed) and zig-zags up Rainbow Mountain. There are occasional southwest-facing viewpoints, but the two summits of Rainbow Mountain have limited views even in winter. This trail is less than 5 feet wide and is surprisingly steep in some sections, with sustained slopes over 36%. Rainbow Mountain Trail connects to Rainbow Road.
Rainbow Road (#3, orange blazes)
| One-way Distance | Elevation Gain | Elevation Loss | Slope | Trailhead GPS |
| 1.64 miles | 370 ft. | -54 ft. | 4% | n/a |
Rainbow Road is one of three trails that are accessible by bike. The Rainbow Road trailhead shares a parking area with the Lookout Trail trailhead. Most of the trail is over 10 feet wide and is a mix of gravel and dirt. There are no water bars or steps. There are a few large rocks and other obstacles. The first 0.6 miles (from Lookout Road to Chapman Road) can accommodate off-road strollers. Rainbow Road connects with Rainbow Mountain Trail and ends at the intersection of Old Trestle Road and Old Mitchell Toll Road. Rainbow Road is a less used access point for Lookout Mountain.
Old Mitchell Toll Road (#20, unmarked)
| One-way Distance | Elevation Gain | Elevation Loss | Average Slope | Trailhead GPS |
| 9.8 miles | 2,275 ft. | -354 ft. | 4% |
Hikers can access the Old Mitchell Toll Road through the Lookout trailhead or Rainbow Mountain trailhead. Hikers and bikers can access Old Mitchell Toll Road from Rainbow Road. The northern section (beyond Sourwood Gap) of Old Mitchell Toll Road is closed to bikers during hunting season. As the name indicates, this gravel trail is a former road to Mt. Mitchell. In most places, the trail is over 10 feet wide and has limited obstacles. The Old Mitchell Toll Road intersects with Rainbow Road, Lookout Trail, East Ridge Trail, and Old Trestle Road multiple times. Non-Montreat trails from Pisgah National Forest and Ridgecrest also connect to Old Trestle Road.
Old Trestle Road (#19, white blazes)
| One-way Distance | Elevation Gain | Elevation Loss | Average Slope | Section |
| 1.41 miles | 336 ft. | -18 ft. | 5% | Lookout Trail to Appalachian Way |
| 0.81 miles | 194 ft. | -7 ft. | 5% | East Ridge Trail to Graybeard Trail |
| 0.2 miles | 46 ft. | n/a | 4% | Graybeard Trail to Old Mitchell Toll Road |
Old Trestle Road is an under-appreciated trail that traverses the western slopes of the East Ridge mountains. It’s one of our favorite trails in Montreat. The old railroad is flat and has views of the Montreat valley all year long. It is our go-to trail for running and loop hikes. Old Trestle Road has three sections with different trailhead access points.
East Ridge Trail (#5, green/gray blazes)
| One-way Distance | Elevation Gain | Elevation Loss | Slope | Trailhead GPS |
| 2.10 miles | 913 ft. | -800 ft. | 9% – 24% | n/a |
The profile of the East Ridge Trail looks like a roller coaster. The trail travels over Lookout Mountain, Boggs Bunion, Brushy Mountain, and Rocky Head until it connects with Old Trestle Road and Old Mitchell Toll Road at Long Gap. The East Ridge Trail intersects with many of the East Ridge trails. The closest trailhead is Appalachian Way. In winter, the East Ridge Trail is the only option to avoid sections of the Old Mitchell Toll Road on private hunting property.
Appalachian Way (#18, unmarked)
| One-way Distance | Elevation Gain | Elevation Loss | Slope | Trailhead GPS |
| 0.63 miles | 479 ft. | n/a | 14% | 35.65023, -82.29228 |
Appalachian Way is a gravel fire road that starts at the end of the paved Appalachian Way road and climbs to Old Trestle Road and then Sourwood Gap, where Old Mitchell Toll Road and the East Ridge Trail intersect. North of Sourwood Gap is private land that is occasionally used for hunting in winter. Appalachian Way is one of three Montreat trails that allow bikes. The trail is over 10 feet wide and has no obstacles.
Other East Ridge Trails
Hickory Ridge Trail and Buck Gap Trail are short connector trails. Rocky Head Trail connects the East Ridge Trail to Montreat campground and is one of the steepest trails in Montreat (0.73 miles, +1,085 ft., 28% slope)
West Ridge Trails
West Ridge Trail (#12, gray/green blazes)
| One-way Distance | Elevation Gain | Elevation Loss | Slope | Trailhead GPS |
| 2.75 miles | 1,642 ft. | -264 ft. | 11% | n/a |
The West Ridge Trail follows the ridge line of the West Ridge from Little Piney (Stomping Knob), over Brushy Knob (Big Piney), and Forked Ridge Knob to Graybeard Trail. The trail is less than 5 feet wide and has many obstacles, roots, and rocks. It is much less traveled than other trails. The ridge line and summits are covered in trees, but there are rare views of the Asheville Watershed and North Fork Reservoir. The West Ridge connects with Stomping Knob Trail, Big Piney Ridge Trail, and Graybeard Trail to create options for loop hikes.
Lower Piney Trail (#21, blue blazes)
| One-way Distance | Elevation Gain | Elevation Loss | Slope | Trailhead GPS |
| 1.18 miles | 341 ft. | -294 ft. | 10% | 35.64966, -82.30964 |
Lowery Piney Trail connects Harmony Lane to Suwanee Drive. At the end of Harmony Lane (gravel road), there is a large parking area next to the water tower. There is space for one or two cars at the Suwanee Drive trailhead. The trail has many small obstacles and is less than 5 feet wide. Approximately halfway, there is a large boulder with a view of Montreat. Lower Piney Trail is one of the access points for Big Piney Ridge Trail and the West Ridge.
Stomping Knob Trail (#10, yellow blazes)
| One-way Distance | Elevation Gain | Elevation Loss | Slope | Trailhead GPS |
| 0.97 miles | 1,118 ft. | -6 ft. | 22% | 35.64630, -82.31031 |
The main advantage of the Stomping Knob Trail is the small parking area near the first trailhead and proximity to the parking lot at the trailhead for the Lower Piney Trail. Otherwise, it’s not a trail that we recommend often unless you are committed to the full Montreat valley circumnavigation.