This month, I had the opportunity to take a week long vacation to Oak Island, North Carolina with my wife and daughter.
We have vacationed in the Carolinas many times, and on most trips we have passed a spectacle in northern North Carolina and I have always been a bit curious about it. Many of you may have at some time watched an old re-run of The Andy Griffith Show and heard reference to Mt. Pilot. Well, Pilot Mountain is an actual place, and while on our return trip I took the opportunity to stop and explore.
Pilot Mountain is a prominent landmark at the transition of the Appalachian Mountains to the more low-lying coastal basin. It can be seen from NC State route 52, also known as the Pilot Mountain Parkway, and appears as a worn-off mountain top with its pinnacle towering many feet above the less dense stone that has eroded over time. The mountain is located within Pilot Mountain State Park, and is accessible by many hiking trails. For those looking for a more technical hike, one can start from the Pilot Mountain state Park Visitor’s Center and hike all the way up to the 2,421 foot peak of the “Big Pinnacle”. The best views of the Big Pinnacle are from the Little Pinnacle viewing area, which is accessible by road and a short hike. Just a few feet from the entrance of the trail to the viewing area is an approximately 1 mile trail that takes you out and around the Big Pinnacle.
The views from both the viewing area and the trail around the Big Pinnacle are breathtaking. To the South you see how the Appalachian Mountain Range transitions to the Coastal Basin, and we had the pleasure of watching a rather active thunderstorm move through the area below and to the south while at the top of the mountain. Not only was this an interesting phenomenon to experience, it also made for some pretty amazing pictures as the storm weakened and the sun cast a double rainbow in the storm’s wake. From the East side of the Big Pinnacle trail you can see the mountains that make up Hanging Rock State Park, which was the first stop on our tour of NC stat parks for the day. To the West and North, the Appalachian Mountain Range begins its long stretch from Georgia to Maine, with the famed Appalachian Trail winding through almost the entire length of the range.
Due to being a bit later in the day, and having already hiked about 5 miles with several hundred feet of elevation change at Hanging Rock State Park, we decided to drive to the parking area just a short walk from the Little Pinnacle Viewing area. My daughter and I took the opportunity after snapping a few photos to take the Pilot Knob trail over and followed it around the top of this iconic landmark. The views were amazing, with the giant Quartzite spire reaching sometimes hundreds of feet above us, the hike was well worth the views. The entire area is protected, and the Big Pinnacle itself is a protected National Landmark, so veering off the trail is not a good idea, as there are several areas where some misplaced footing could cause a fall of several hundred feet. The trail itself I would consider moderately challenging when it comes to hiking, with several sets of stone steps and a total elevation gain of about 300’ in the short 0.9 mile trail, with most of the gain being in about a .25 mile section while ascending to the pinnacle.
If you should find yourself in the area or passing by Pilot Mountain, take the time to stop and see this iconic landmark up close. There are also many other state parks in the area with stunning views of waterfalls, mountains, and a considerable amount of information on the natural history of the area. Good hiking shoes are a must, and it’s not a bad idea to have some sort of protection for you legs. While extremely uncommon, there are Timber Rattlesnakes and Black Bear in the area, so caution should be taken when hiking these trails. A small day pack and a little water for the hike are recommended, and those who are less surefooted may want a trekking pole or two, but most of the trail other than the steps is pretty wide and flat, and all of the trails are well marked and maintained. Hiking outside of your regular range is both fun and exciting, but taking the time to download a good map, or visit the visitor’s center for more information is always a must. The transition from summer to fall is now in full swing, as the leaves are beginning to change on some of the Maple trees, and mornings can be quite cool. Hiking this time of year may mean a jacket in the morning, and shorts in the afternoon, so a little pre-planning goes a long way to make your hike enjoyable. Take a little time to enjoy the art show that nature is about to put on across our beautiful country, and as always, be safe, have fun, and get outside!
