One of the most ruggedly beautiful hikes I've ever been on. I descended via the Babel Tower Trail then followed the Linville Gorge Trail downriver to the Sandy Flats Trail. From there I made my 1200' climb out of the gorge...
Trailhead GPS Coordinates: 35.907309, -81.911145
Route Type: Loop Difficulty: EXTREME
Hike Length: ~9.0 miles Hike Duration: 5:15
Trailhead Temp: 65'F Trail Traffic: 5-10 people
Min. Elevation: 2,150' Max. Elevation: 3,800'
Total Vertical Gain: 2,100' Avg. Elevation Gain / Mile: 233'
Trails Used (blaze color): Babel Tower (unblazed), Linville Gorge (unblazed), Sandy Flats (unblazed, no longer exists)