Summey Cove Trail Map

"Questioning Its Existence"

GPS Coordinates: 35.257617, -82.904430 (NC-215/Summey Cove Trailhead)

GPS Coordinates: 35.273850, -82.892229 (Courthouse Falls/Summey Cove Trailhead)

Album Direction-Of-Travel: Northbound

Highlights: Courthouse Falls, Mill Station Creek, Solitude

Length (one-way): 2.2 miles

Petzoldt Rating: 3.90 (S to N); 3.50 (N to S)

Difficulty: HARD

Total Elevation Gain: 850' (S to N); 650' (N to S)

Elevation Gain/Mile: 386'/mile (S to N); 296'/mile (N to S)

Min. Elevation: 3,270'

Max. Elevation: 3,785'

Blaze Color: BLUE/NONE

See Following Trip Reports for more info:

Courthouse Falls & Creek

Summey Cove Trail to Courthouse Falls

Connecting Trails:

Courthouse Falls Trail (#130)

Summey Cove Trail (#129)

Summey Cove Trail Map
Route map of the Summey Cove Trail as tracked by the Gaia GPS app and depicted a la Google Earth...
Summey Cove Trail Map
Route map of the Summey Cove Trail as tracked by the Gaia GPS app...
Summey Cove Trailhead (NC-215) - 3,270'
The Summey Cove Trail begins from the south off Highway 215.. Though the USFS trailhead marker has been removed, the path is still fairly easy to find. There is a large pull-off on the west side of the highway, about a mile up from FR-140, just prior to where the road makes a sharp turn to cross Beetree Fork. The trail enters the rhodo across the road on the outside of the curve...
Summey Cove Trail - 3,270'
The USFS trailhead marker has been long removed but the path is fairly obvious as it tunnels into the rhododendron...
Summey Cove Trail - 3,280'
A worn blaze marks the route. Most of the blazes along the trail are still in decent condition...
Summey Cove Trail - 3,300'
A small tributary has taken over the lower portion of the trail so waterproof boots are definitely as good idea if you plan on hiking here...
Summey Cove Trail - 3,350'
After a quarter mile the trail breaks free of the rhododendron into a beautiful hardwood cove...
Summey Cove Trail - 3,450'
Obstacles like this fallen tree are likely to be encountered as the Summey Cove Trail doesn't seem to rank high on the USFS priority list...
Summey Cove Trail - 3,500'
In winter the views back down the cove are quite pretty, with high ridges rising through the trees beyond...
Summey Cove Trail - 3,600'
The higher the trail ascends, the steeper it gets...
Summey Cove Trail - 3,785'
After 3/4-mile and 500-feet of vertical ascent, the trail reaches its high point on Big Fork Ridge...
Summey Cove Trail - 3,700'
Passing over the east side of the ridge you'll begin to get glimpses (in winter) of the nearby Great Balsam Range...
Summey Cove Trail - 3,680'
The fragrant galax plant is common along this stretch...
Summey Cove Trail - 3,600'
As the trail begins its descent into Summey Cove, Pilot Mountain (5,100') is clearly visible ahead across the valley...
Summey Cove Trail - 3,560'
The descent off Big Fork Ridge, northbound, is even steeper than the ascent was...
Summey Cove Trail - 3,400'
This rather wobbly makeshift log bridge welcomes the trail to Summey Cove proper...
Summey Cove Trail - 3,400'
Rounding the north side of Summey Cove...
Summey Cove Trail - 3,450'
Before long the trail once again begins climbing, but just gradually...
Summey Cove Trail - 3,500'
Pilot Mountain (5,100') is ever-present through the trees to the east...
Summey Cove Trail - 3,550'
A frosted Devil's Courthouse (5,719') peeks through the barren branches to the north...
Summey Cove Trail - 3,500'
Curving down the side of the ridge, in and out of the rhodo...
Summey Cove Trail - 3,480'
A common sight along Pisgah trails are rusted cables like this protruding from the ground, remnants of the logging era a century ago...
Summey Cove Trail - 3,480'
Another break in the trees allowes for a nice look up at Pilot Mountain's summit...
Summey Cove Trail - 3,400'
At the mile-and-a-half mark the trail starts making its brief drop into the Mill Station Creek drainage...
Summey Cove Trail @ Mill Station Creek - 3,380'
A very solid bridge crosses Mill Station Creek. It should easily hold tough for a few more years, even without frequent maintenance...
Summey Cove Trail @ Mill Station Creek - 3,380'
Another shot of the bridge over Mill Station Creek...
Summey Cove Trail - 3,400'
Just past the crossing is this huge campsite. Note that the clutter in the distance is a huge pile of trash...DON'T be campers like this if you visit...
Summey Cove Trail - 3,420'
A short boardwalk feature takes the trail across another damp area...
Mill Station Creek - 3,350'
A short side path leads down to the creek, where this surprisingly beautiful little cascade can be enjoyed...
Summey Cove/Courthouse Falls Trail Junction - 3,400'
The Summey Cove Trail as it arrives at its junction with the Courthouse Falls Trail. The Courthouse Falls Trail heads down the ridge a short distance to its namesake from here while straight ahead the two trails coincide the rest of the way to F.R. 140...
Summey Cove/Courthouse Falls Trail Junction - 3,400'
The Courthouse Falls Trail heads down the ridge a short distance to its namesake from here while straight ahead the two trails coincide the rest of the way to F.R. 140...
Courthouse Falls - 3,320'
Courthouse Falls, one of the prettiest cascades in the District, as seen from the end of the Courthouse Falls Trail...a short distance down form the split in the previous photo...
Courthouse Falls - 3,320'
A short vid of the always stunning Courthouse Falls...
Summey Cove/Courthouse Falls Trail - 3,400'
Now together as one for the final stretch, the trails stick right alongside beautiful Courthouse Creek...
Summey Cove/Courthouse Falls Trail - 3,410'
Though in places it can be a bit damp this stretch of trail is also fairly flat and easy to walk...
Summey Cove/Courthouse Falls Trailhead -- 3,420'
The trail as it arrives at Forest Service Road 140...
Summey Cove/Courthouse Falls Trailhead -- 3,420'
The north trailhead is located here, alongside Forest Service Road 140's upper crossing of Courthouse Creek. There's parking here along both sides of the road as its a popular trailhead because of the falls.