Lonesome Pine Overlook
| Trail Features: | Outstanding Views |  |
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| Trail Location: | Deep Creek | ||||
| Roundtrip Length: | 6.7 Miles | ||||
| Total Elevation Gain: | 2300 Feet | ||||
| Avg. Elev Gain / Mile: | 687 Feet | ||||
| Highest Elevation: | 4175 Feet | ||||
| Trail Difficulty Rating: | 11.30 (strenuous) | ||||
| Parking Lot Latitude | 35.45964 | ||||
| Parking Lot Longitude | -83.43869 | ||||
Directions to Trailhead:
The Lonesome Pine Overlook is reached via the Noland Divide Trail out of the Deep Creek area, which is located just north of Bryson City in North Carolina. To reach the trailhead from Cherokee, drive south on Route 19. You'll drive exactly 10 miles from the intersection of 441 and 19 in Cherokee, to Everett Street in Bryson City. Turn right onto Everett and drive for 0.2 miles. Turn right onto Depot Street. After a short distance, take a left onto Ramseur Street and then an immediate right onto Deep Creek Road, and then drive 2.3 miles to the park entrance. The Noland Divide Trailhead is located across (on your left) from the bridge leading into the Deep Creek Campground.
Trail
Description:
The Noland Divide Trail begins
as a steady climb as it
skirts around the southern boundary of Great Smoky Mountains National
Park. Throughout
the lower elevations of the hike you'll pass through a mixed new-growth
forest.
As you climb higher, views of the surrounding mountains, as well as
your
destination, become more prevalent.
At roughly 1.6 miles from the trailhead
you'll pass a nice
cascade tumbling down the hillside.
Roughly 3 miles from the trailhead, as you walk along the narrow Beaugard Ridge, the Lonesome Pine Overlook will be almost directly in front of you. The trail actually goes around to the backside of the knob where you'll see a sign for a short spur trail that leads to the top.
This is an outstanding hike if you're seeking a little bit of solitude and some outstanding views of the Southern Smokies. The area around the Lonesome Pine Overlook offers commanding views of the Nantahala Mountains across the Tuckasegee River valley, as well as Bryson City almost directly below you. Although the name of the knob would seem to indicate unimpeded views, there are actually several trees that get in the way of a perfect vantage point. Actually, the narrow ridgeline just below the summit offers better views of the mountains to the east and towards the west.
I should also mention that there are a few
sections of trail,
on the top half of the hike, where the path is fairly narrow with steep
drop-offs on the side. There's nothing exceedingly dangerous here, just
a word
of caution.
From the Lonesome Pine Overlook the Noland Divide Trail continues for another 8.3 miles, all the way to Clingmans Dome Road. An overnight loop hike can be created by continuing north on Noland Divide Trail, turning east onto Pole Road Creek Trail, and then returning back to the trailhead via the Deep Creek Trail. There are several backcountry campsites located along the Deep Creek Trail.
