Whiteside Mountain

Date: Saturday, May 22, 2010
Map: Link
Trails: Whiteside Mountain
Distance: 2 miles
Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Rating: 3 out of 5

Kerri and I were on a much-anticipated weekend vacation (sans kiddos) to Highlands. We had very little on the agenda, but we definitely wanted to get out and do some hiking. Highlands is located on the eastern continental divide, elevation 4,000-5,000 feet in western North Carolina. There are several great hiking spots all within about 15 minutes' drive from town. Ask anyone who lives there or has been there to list out a few places to go, and Whiteside Mountain will be near the top of the list.

It is a short trail, but I was trying not to be too ambitious. Because of the sweeping vistas this trail offers (usually, read on for explanation) we decided to get this one in first. The weather had been rainy, but clearing. We took US-64 east out of town, turned right at the brown park service sign onto Whiteside Mountain Road, and parked in the gravel lot at the end. We arrived at about 10:30 and the lot was nearly full.

The skies were a little cloudy, although plenty of blue could be seen. It was a little chilly with the wind blowing, probably upper 60's to low 70's. Leaving the parking lot, there is a short uphill leg before this 2-mile loop trail splits. You can take it either clockwise or counter-clockwise. We chose the former, which starts on an old roadbed. This is a wide path, gently sloping. There isn't much of a view on this side of the mountain, as there is a lot of tree cover. But the gradual slope provides a good warmup.

At the end of the long incline, the trail comes out into the open. There would be some great views here, except that today we were in the middle of a heavy fog bank. So...we couldn't see much of anything at all!

There is an overlook for watching peregrine falcons, but if there were any out there, it was too foggy to see them. We continued on, and the path continued over exposed rock. This is right next to the edge of a sheer cliff, but there are railings. After awhile, the fog began to clear.

After leaving the face of the mountain, the trail descends steeply. There are steps and bridges to help. We returned to the car about 12 noon, and ate lunch (from Mountain Fresh grocery store) at the picnic tables at the end of the parking lot. Overall, a good hike, and we were lucky the fog cleared enough for us to see the views!