Graveyard Ridge Trail Map

"The Best Blooms in Pisgah"

GPS Coordinates: 35.32755, -82.84861 (Mountains-to-Sea East Junction)

GPS Coordinates: 35.34533, -82.86725 (Ivestor Gap Trail Junction)

Album Direction-Of-Travel: Northbound

Highlights: Graveyard Fields Views, Shining Rock Ridge Views, Solitude, Wildflowers

Length (one-way): 3.4 miles

Petzoldt Rating: 4.80 (E to W); 3.80 (W to E)

Difficulty: MODERATE

Total Elevation Gain: 700' (E to W); 200' (W to E)

Elevation Gain/Mile: 206'/mile (E to W); 59'/mile (W to E)

Min. Elevation: 5,200'

Max. Elevation: 5,700'

Blaze Color: ORANGE

See Following Trip Reports for more info:

Black Balsam-Graveyard Fields Loop

Black Balsam-Ivestor Gap East Loop

Graveyard Fields

Graveyard Fields & Graveyard Ridge

Greasy Cove-Graveyard Ridge Loop to Grassy Cove Top

Connecting Trails:

Art Loeb Trail (#146)

Graveyard Ridge Connector Trail (#356A)

Ivestor Gap Trail (#101)

Mountains-to-Sea Trail (#440)

Graveyard Ridge Trail (#356)

Graveyard Ridge Trail Map
Route map for the Graveyard Ridge Trail as tracked by the Gaia GPS app and depicted a la Google Earth...
Graveyard Ridge Trail Map
Route map for the Graveyard Ridge Trail as tracked by the Gaia GPS app...
Graveyard Ridge/Mountains-to-Sea Trail East Junction -- 5,200'
The eastern terminus of the Graveyard Ridge Trail is here, where it meets the Mountains-to-Sea Trail just above Graveyard Fields. The Graveyard Ridge Trail heads left here to follow the south side of Graveyard Ridge, while the MST goes right to follow the north side...
Graveyard Ridge/Mountains-to-Sea Trail East Junction -- 5,200'
The Graveyard Ridge Trail as it departs from its eastern junction with the MST...
Graveyard Ridge Trail -- 5,200'
The Graveyard Ridge Trail starts out through a tunnel of young beech trees...
Graveyard Ridge Trail -- 5,210'
Through the treetops, the busy parking area for Graveyard Fields can be seen...
Graveyard Ridge Trail -- 5,220'
The beech tunnel continues...
Graveyard Ridge/Graveyard Ridge Connector Trail Junction -- 5,230'
This unmarked, eroded junction is where the connector trail down to Graveyard Fields meets the Graveyard Ridge Trail...
Graveyard Ridge Trail -- 5,240'
Just past the connector junction the surroundings open up offering the first views of the day...
Graveyard Ridge Trail -- 5,250'
Looking across the upper end of Graveyard Fields from the Graveyard Ridge Trail...
Graveyard Ridge Trail -- 5,270'
A panoramic shot of Graveyard Fields as seen from the Graveyard Ridge Trail...
Graveyard Ridge Trail -- 5,280'
The walk along the ridge is pleasantly easy. The trail ascends as it heads west, but at a very gradual rate...
Graveyard Ridge Trail -- 5,290'
Back in the woods briefly...
Graveyard Ridge Trail -- 5,300'
Another opening allows for a view west of the high ridge extending south from Black Balsam Knob...
Graveyard Ridge Trail -- 5,310'
The Catawba rhododendron is a common sight along this trail...
Mountain Laurel
...as are the beautiful blooms of the mountain laurel...
Graveyard Ridge Trail -- 5,340'
This is a gorgeous stretch of trail, to say the least...
Graveyard Ridge Trail -- 5,350'
Yet another opening reveals Black Balsam Knob (6,214') towering above, just to the west...
Graveyard Ridge Trail -- 5,370'
The grade picks up slightly as the Graveyard Ridge Trail nears its western junction with the MST...
Graveyard Ridge Trail -- 5,390'
Tunneling through the laurel and rhodo...
Graveyard Ridge/Mountains-to-Sea Trail West Junction -- 5,400'
About 1.3-miles after departing their eastern junction, the Graveyard Ridge and MST reach their western junction. In this shot the Graveyard Ridge Trail continues straight ahead while the MST crosses from left-to-right...
Catawba Rhododendron
This giant and incredibly showy rhododendron bush grows right alongside the junction...
Graveyard Ridge/Mountains-to-Sea Trail West Junction -- 5,400'
The Graveyard Ridge Trail as it departs north from its western junction with the MST...
Graveyard Ridge Trail -- 5,400'
The portion of the Graveyard Ridge Trail between the MST and Ivestor Gap doesn't see near the traffic its eastern section does, and can be quite overgrown during the summer...