Apparently it’s seriously in vogue to drive up onto the Blue Ridge Parkway around Asheville and watch the sunset from one of the many overlooks. Of course, that would be kind of boring for a hiking oriented website, so instead you can drive up to the Blue Ridge Parkway near Asheville, hike up to a real live firetower and watch the sunset from there. Cause that’s how we roll.
Is it goat approved? This particular hike, clocking in at less than a mile to summit, is very goatable, but is also highly popular with various groups of people so ask yourself if you’re willing to pose for photos before putting the goat in the car.
How you get there: Google Frying Pan Mountain Lookout Tower or you can just drive to the large pull over at the base of the road up to the tower here: 35.395021, -82.768824.
Time for the hike: 0.8 mile up hill to the tower and a significantly easier 0.8 of a mile downhill back to the car. The uphill is uphill the whole way on a gravel road.
Best season do to this hike: Spring, fall, or summer. The parkway has sections closed in the winter and its important to remember that during sunsets the change in air temperature from the glowing ball of nuclear death going around the side of the dirt ball we live on causes a big change in air temperature and consequently a fair bit of wind on top of a mountain peak. Which is cold as hell during most of the year up here. Bring a jacket.
Trails to Take
This is a nice easy hike in terms of navigation, but it is uphill the entire way. You start at the bottom at the pull over where the road come into the Blue Ridge Parkway and park there. Go around the forest service gate and up the wide, well maintained gravel road which leads you up the mountain past stunted trees, wildflowers, and a couple of balsams. At the summit a series of radio towers, a weather tower, and of course that big, rickety fire tower you can climb but not go inside await for your viewing pleasure. The tower is a climb at your own risk and teenagers frequently climb it by other means than the stairs, so you know, realize this thing is a tad rickety if you’re going up.
The practically manicured route up to the tower
View from the stairs – due to vertigo I cannot actually climb all the way to the top of most towers
Firetower
Mountain Laurel just beginning to bloom in June. Feels like being back in southern Canada.
In sum: Did you know that if you hold up your fingers horizontally between the sun and the horizon the number of fingers that fit between the sun and the horizon multiplied by 15 = the number of minutes until sunset remaining? I tested it, and it’s just about dead on.
packgoats 