Panthertown Valley Crown Loop Hike Route Map

The approximate track of my hike around the Panthertown Valley Crown Loop as depicted a la Google Earth...

Panthertown Valley Crown Loop Hike Route Map

The approximate track of my hike around the Panthertown Valley Crown Loop...

Salt Rock Gap - 4,050'

Salt Rock Gap marks the western access point to Panthertown. In the summer this 'lot' can fill up real quick but on this crisp Tuesday morning I had it to myself...

Blackrock Spur Trail - 4,150'

The first of many trails this day, the Blackrock Spur is a quick 1/4 mile connector that provided just enough of an incline to quickly warm me up...

Blackrock Spur Trail - 4,150'

A bit of early morning mist still lingers in the valley below as I am treated to my first views of the day from the rocks in the previous photo...

Blackrock Spur Trail - 4,150'

A bit closer shot looking a tad further west reveals Laurel Knob (right) and the mountains beyond...

Blackrock Spur-Blackrock Trail Junction - 4,220'

Warmed up nicely now, I made the right turn onto the Blackrock Trail for the mile-ish ridge top hike over to the summit of Blackrock Mountain...

Blackrock Trail - 4,300'

Approaching from the west, the climb, if you can call it that, up Blackrock is rarely steeper than this...

Blackrock Trail - 4,400'

Where a week before there was a forest bursting with peak color, on this day I had to be satisfied with pockets of hold-out color like this...

Overlook-Blackrock Trail Junction - 4,450'

Just below the summit of Blackrock Mountain the Overlook Trail (which I'd now be turning onto) veers off the the summit itself...

Blackrock Mountain Summit - 4,490'

The tree covered and vine-choked summit of Blackrock Mountain. I hardly slowed down, Blackrock's cliffs lay just ahead...

Overlook Trail - 4,380'

The trail drops somewhat steeply off the south side of Blackrock...

Overlook Trail - 4,300'

Breaking out onto the Overlook Trail's namesake vista...the high cliffs on the south slopes of Blackstock...

Overlook Trail - 4,300'

The heart of Panthertown Valley spreads out before me from the cliffs along the Overlook Trail. Beyond the high-elevation bog seen below rises the broad northern slopes of Big Green Mountain (4,200') with Hogback Mountain (~4,600') rising even higher just left...

Overlook Trail - 4,300'

The trail continues along the open, sloping cliffs for maybe a tenth of a mile making it hard for your eyes to decide whether they'd rather take in the view or watch where you're stepping...

Overlook Trail - 4,300'

The early morning sun was my nemesis for eastern shots from the cliffs. Here the high dome with cliffs glinting below its summit is Cold Mountain (4,650') which marks the far eastern extremity of Panthertown...

Overlook Trail - 4,300'

Below me is the high-elevation bog community which marks the heart of the Panthertown Valley. I have yet to visit the bog (and would missout on this hike as well) but I'm anxious to correct that. Big Green Mountain is the broad dome which rises behind the bog...

Overlook Trail - 4,270'

Heading back into the woods...normally I would be tempted to stay longer but many, many other sights awaited today...

Overlook Trail-Carlton's Way Junction - 4,160'

Now it was time to drop into the valley for a while. I'd follow the seldom-used Carleton's Way for my descent...

Carlton's Way - 4,000'

For much of its steep, 3/4 mile length I found myself stooped over to stay beneath the overhanging branches of laurel...

Carlton's Way - 3,900'

I could see just how much elevation I was loosing as I looked to my left through the trees back up to Blackrock Mountain...

Carlton's Way - 3,800'

Last time I visited Panthertown I used this trail for the ascent of Blackrock...I must say now, I prefer taking this short, steep trail in the opposite direction much more...

North Road Trail-Carlton's Way Junction - 3,740'

North Road Trail - 3,740' - Hanging a right yet again, I needed to backtrack west for a short bit on the North Road Trail to get to the Panthertown Valley Trail which I'd need to take to reach the heart of the valley...

North Road Trail - 3,720'

One thing about Panthertown...if your lucky enough to get a bridged river crossing, its likely gonna be a really good bridge. Like this one at the crossing of a tiny stream near the west end of the North Road Trail...

North Road-Panthertown Valley Trail Junction - 3,740'

Panthertown Valley Trail - 3,740' - After just a few minutes I made the U-turn back to the east on the Panthertown Valley Trail which would follow Panthertown Creek across the valley to my next target, Little Green Mountain...

Panthertown Valley Trail - 3,740'

As you'll see as I track the elevation across this two mile stretch, the trail is all but flat crossing the center of the valley...allowing me to move as fast as I'd like and just enjoy my surroundings...

Panthertown Valley Trail - 3,720'

Oaks typically aren't known for their fall scarlet's but this particular one didn't get that memo...

Panthertown Valley Trail - 3,720'

Rhodo tunnel time...

Panthertown Valley-Green Valley Trail Junction - 3,680'

About a mile along the PVT, the Green Valley Trail breaks right across Panthertown Creek to cut across the valley beneath the cliffs of Little Green Mountain...

Panthertown Valley Trail - 3,680'

The morning sun lighting up the trees above makes for some great reflections in a rather tranquil stretch of Panthertown Creek...

Panthertown Valley Trail - 3,680'

A nice sliding cascade along Panthertown Creek as it empties into the sandbar pool...

Panthertown Valley Trail - 3,670'

The sandbar pool...I've been to many other mountain falls and streams and have never seen anything quite like this...a HUGE sandbar along a shallow bend in Panthertown Creek. I wish I had a better understanding of the geology of the area so I could better understand "Why here?"...

Panthertown Valley Trail - 3,670'

The sandbar pool...hopping out onto the sandbar I had a good view back up Panthertown Creek across the pool. This must be a fabulous place to come for a dip in the summer...

Panthertown Valley Trail - 3,650'

Between the sandbar pool and the Little Green Trail there were a handful of backcountry sites like this which, from the complete lack of grass growing on them, are no doubt heavily used in the summer...

Panthertown Valley-Power Line Road Trail Junction - 3,650'

Passing the unattractively-named Power Line Road Trail under high pines...

Panthertown Valley Trail - 3,650'

Another of Panthertown's ridiculously well-built bridges takes me across Panthertown Creek about a half-mile from Schoolhouse Falls...

Panthertown Valley Trail - 3,640'

I now found myself along Greenland Creek, one of Panthertown's prettiest streams...upstream from this point there are no less than six named waterfalls as it tumbles down from Toxaway Mountain to the south...

Panthertown Valley Trail - 3,650'

Another creek? Nope just a really, really wet stretch of trail...it made me happy I chose the waterproof boots for this trip...

Panthertown Valley-Little Green Trail Junction - 3,660'

After 2-miles on the PVT I reached one of Panthertown's more major intersections, where the PVT meets the Little Green Trail. From this spot I could continue straight another mile-and-a-half and arrive at Cold Mountain Gap, the opposite end of the valley from where I started. I'd be heading right however, on the Little Green Trail which, in a very short distance, would take me to two of Panthertowns most famous natural landmarks...

Little Green Trail - 3,680'

The bottomlands along this part of Greenland Creek are quite marshy so a boardwalk is a helpful (and protective) aid for the first bit of the Little Green...

Schoolhouse Falls - 3,680'

Although not nearly the highest falls in the area at only around 25', nature just comes together here in a way to make it something special...perhaps the finest in Pathertown and one of the finest in the area. To me this falls is the definition of peaceful...

Little Green Trail - 3,800'

From Schoolhouse Falls, the Little Green Trail turns west and makes a bee-line, steeply uphill, for the top of Little Green Mountain...

Little Green Trail - 3,900'

What a difference a week makes...nothing but bare trees overhead now...

Little Green Trail - 3,950'

Having to duck a bit as I approach the top...

Little Green Trail - 4,050'

I knew I was nearing the top when I started getting bare rock underfoot and pines overhead...

Little Green Mountain Summit (~4,100')

This grove of pine marks the summit of Little Green...not much to see right? Oh, but Tranquility Point is just a few steps away...

Little Green Mountain-Tranquility Point - 4,000'

Stepping out onto one of the Southern Appalachians most inspiring views...Tranquility Point, the name given the huge open rock-slab-cliff area on the northeastern side of Little Green...

Little Green Mountain-Tranquility Point - 4,000'

Knock you flat beauty...mother nature on display in all her glory...from here the whole of the Panthertown Valley spreads out at my feet...