Looking Glass Rock Trail (#114)
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Route map of the Looking Glass Rock Trail as tracked by the Gaia GPS app and depicted a la Google Earth...
Route map of the Looking Glass Rock Trail as tracked by the Gaia GPS app...
Looking Glass Rock Trailhead -- 2,300'
The trailhead is located a short distance up F.R. 475 from its junction with US-276. This is one of the more popular hikes in the district so the small parking area quickly overflows most days...
Looking Glass Rock Trailhead -- 2,300'
Passing the large informational kiosks at the trailhead...
Looking Glass Rock Trail -- 2,400'
The trail begins the climb by rounding this narrow drainage...
Looking Glass Rock Trail -- 2,450'
For about the first half-mile the trail ascends relatively gently as it searches out the head of a small cove leading up from the Davidson River...
Looking Glass Rock Trail -- 2,580'
When you hit the first switchback, the real climb is about to start...
Looking Glass Rock Trail -- 2,620'
Despite climbing such steep terrain, the trail maintains a fairly steady and moderate grade. I really have to commend whoever originally laid out this trail, they did a fantastic job...
Looking Glass Rock Trail -- 2,650'
The winter woods in Pisgah is always beautiful...
Looking Glass Rock Trail -- 2,700'
As the ridge steepens the trail begins to be surrounded by rhodo...
Looking Glass Rock Trail -- 2,720'
Many of the trees here are quite impressive in size...
Looking Glass Rock Trail -- 2,780'
I don't condone spray painting trees, even when it's meant to help...
Looking Glass Rock Trail -- 2,820'
Just above the mile-marker tree the first of eighteen switchbacks is reached, which will eventually deliver the trail to the top of the ridge. This is by far the steepest part of the route as it climbs some 400 feet in about a half-mile...
Looking Glass Rock Trail -- 2,900'
Upwards, through a thick covering of laurel and rhodo...
Looking Glass Rock Trail -- 2,960'
Looking uphill from the trail...
Looking Glass Rock Trail -- 2,960'
One could almost go cross-eyed trying to look up through the rhodo branches here...
Looking Glass Rock Trail -- 3,100'
Up, switchback, up, switchback...
Looking Glass Rock Trail -- 3,150'
As the trail nears the top of the ridge a few more conifers start to punctuate the canopy...
Looking Glass Rock Trail -- 3,200'
The rhododendron tunnel continues a bit longer, however...
Looking Glass Rock Trail -- 3,220'
The steep winding climb ends upon entering this broad drainage atop the ridge. It's a good place to stop for a quick breather as there is a lot of climbing yet to go...
Looking Glass Rock Trail -- 3,300'
The trail as it makes its way up the broad drainage, reached upon topping the ridge...
Looking Glass Rock Trail -- 3,340'
Curving around the upper slopes of the drainage, looking back...
Looking Glass Rock Trail -- 3,380'
The canopy atop the ridge is noticeably more damaged due to near-constant exposure to winds...
Looking Glass Rock Trail -- 3,420'
The rhodo tunneling continues...
