Cemetery Loop Trail Map

Route map of the Cemetery Loop Trail as tracked by the Gaia GPS app and depicted a la Google Earth...

Cemetery Loop Trail Map

Route map of the Cemetery Loop Trail as tracked by the Gaia GPS app...

Cemetery Loop/Long Branch Trail Junction -- 2,950'

Three-quarters of a mile from F.R. 475 is the eastern terminus of the Cemetery Loop Trail. Here, at its junction with the Long Branch Trail the Cemetery Loop departs the outside of where the latter makes a hard 90-degree turn...

Cemetery Loop/Long Branch Trail Junction -- 2,950'

From the Long Branch Trail the Cemetery Loop drops slightly to cross a small unnamed tributary...

Cemetery Loop Trail -- 2,950'

Despite its small size this little stream has seemed to have carved out a decent little channel for itself...

Cemetery Loop Trail -- 2,950'

From the stream the trail now starts climbing a little bit...

Cemetery Loop Trail -- 2,960'

This large campsite is located a short distance above the Long Branch Trail...

Cemetery Loop Trail -- 2,960'

A bit of laurel tunneling...

Cemetery Loop Trail -- 2,970'

A simple split rail fence marks the location of a long-ago trail re-route...

Cemetery Loop Trail @ McCall Cemetery -- 2,980'

Less than a quarter mile from the Long Branch Trail is the cemetery spur path, marked by this carsonite stake...

McCall Cemetery -- 2,980'

Entering the McCall Cemetery...

McCall Cemetery -- 2,980'

This historic cemetery is named for the family of Samuel McCall, one of the earliest settlers of the area and of whom a number of descendants are buried here...

McCall Cemetery -- 2,980'

Most of the headstones here date back well before 1900. Some, like this one, are in remarkably good condition...

McCall Cemetery -- 2,980'

Many of the old headstones, however, have been weathered over the years to tiny stumps...

McCall Cemetery -- 2,980'

Looking down the length of the old cemetery, facing south...

McCall Cemetery -- 2,980'

One of the many historic McCall headstones within the cemetery...

McCall Cemetery -- 2,980'

Looking down the length of the cemetery, facing north...

Cemetery Loop Trail -- 2,990'

Returning to the trail, which now sets about climbing the adjacent ridge into a pure stand of young pines...

Cemetery Loop Trail -- 3,000'

Climbing through the pines...

Cemetery Loop Trail -- 3,020'

A short distance above the cemetery the trail emerges at the end of an old forest road, which it will now follow all the way back to F.R. 475...

Cemetery Loop Trail -- 3,020'

Looking back at where the Cemetery Loop emerges from the pines at the end of the old forest road...

Cemetery Loop Trail -- 3,040'

For its remaining mile the trail follows this old road, all the way to the 'trailhead' at F.R. 475. Though this is technically a part of the Cemetery Loop Trail it's not designated by blazes along this stretch...

Cemetery Loop Trail -- 3,060'

The journey through the tall pines continues...

Cemetery Loop Trail -- 3,080'

A brief thinning of the trees allows for some very limited (winter) views north of the nearby Pisgah Ridge...

Cemetery Loop Trail -- 3,060'

Following along a wall of rhododendron...

Cemetery Loop Trail -- 3,040'

As you can tell, there's not much of note to see along this stretch of trail...at least it's an easy walk...

Cemetery Loop Trail -- 3,020'

If it looks like this road is kept open for vehicle use you're partially right. The Forest Service kindly maintains this road so, when requested, descendants of those buried at the old cemetery can drive in to visit. To the general public, however, it's gated...

Cemetery Loop Trail -- 3,030'

Pine paradise...

Cemetery Loop Trail -- 3,040'

Shortly before reaching the F.R. 475 trailhead a marker reminds me that I was, indeed, still on the Cemetery Loop...

Cemetery Loop Trail -- 3,050'

Back among the rhododendron as I near the end of the loop...

Cemetery Loop Trail @ F.R. 475 -- 3,050'

A metal gate marks the point where the Cemetery Loop meets with Forest Road 475. The car a short distance ahead marks the Long Branch Trailhead, which was used in this album to reach the eastern terminus of the Cemetery Loop...

Cemetery Loop Trail @ F.R. 475 -- 3,050'

Looking at the start of the Cemetery Loop Trail as seen from Forest Road 475, just in case you want to start it in this direction...