Lost Cove Ridge Trail

Length: 3.0 miles
Rating: Strenuous

This trail, blazed in white, follows a ridgeline to the Green Knob Lookout Tower at 5090 ft and provides amazing views of this beautiful mountainous region

The trail is very steep and has very few switchbacks. After about 2.5 miles, several overlooks offer amazing views. The trail gets rocky and some minor scrambling is required. After about 2.8 miles you will see the Green Knob Lookout Tower that can be accessed by a short side trail to the right.

From the tower, the trail descends for .5 mile with switchbacks to the Blue Ridge Parkway. About 100 yards to the right is the Bald Knob Ridge overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway, where parking is available.

Directions:

From Burnsville go east on US 19E for about 4.3 miles to an access road to NC 80. Turn right, go for .6 mile and turn right again on NC 80. Follow this road for 11.6 miles to the Mt Mitchell Golf Course and turn right on Forest Service Road 472. This road changes to gravel. After it changes to gravel, arrive at an intersection at which you can go straight or take a right. Take a right on this road, which keeps you on FS road 472. Go to a parking lot on the left with a bulletin board with trail maps and information. This is the trailhead.