Starting with the Babel Tower Trail, we descended almost 1500' in a short time, taking us right down to the river below. This is by far the easiest part of the trail. Once on the Linville Gorge Trail, it's a rugged up and down that at times can be hard to follow. Definitely take caution when hiking through this area as the trail sometimes disappears and it's easy to follow other lost hikers' previous paths. I've heard that the Forest Service has done some maintenance in this area, so hopefully they've made this section of trail a bit easier to follow.
Spence Ridge Trail and Little Tablerock Trail are steep and rugged, one of the more challenging uphills I've ever done, that's for sure. When we finally made our way to the top of Tablerock, it was a joyous occasion. There was nobody else around and the vistas were spectacular! Looking down into and across the gorge from where we had just hiked from was humbling. Camping on top of Tablerock Mountain was one of the more epic camping sites I've ever had! There aren't too many flat areas up there, but there are a couple, just look around for them. Classic fall colors and rolling clouds through the gorge provided some awesome photos.
The views from Hawksbill and Tablerock are breathtaking and the gorge itself is worth the hike alone. While this hike is challenging for a regular hiker and super difficult for the novice, it's worth all the effort. If you plan on doing this strenuous hike, be prepared mentally (the uphill on Spence Ridge Trail is no joke) and physically and I suggest hiking poles. Both sides of the gorge are steep and poles would help. Happy Hiking!
We accessed the Linville Gorge Wilderness from the BRP near MM 314 for Hawksbill and MM 317 for the gorge itself. Relatively easy to find with map assistance.
Thanks! I've always wanted to check out Linville Gorge. Now I do even more than ever.
Thanks for checking out the site! Go in the early fall and eat berries!