This weekend was so nice, we didn’t get much accomplished, but we did get some hiking in. The hike along the Laurel River, near Hot Springs, NC, was perfect for the first hike of the spring. It’s less than half an hour away, and railroad grade the whole 3.5 miles to the wide French Broad River. I can’t believe we hadn’t been there before – it would be a great place to go hiking in the snow, since the trail never gets steep. Well, there’s still always a chance of last minute snow. Meanwhile, here’s some pictures of the hike:
Calm area along the Laurel River
Small Rapids
For scale - my dad is sitting on the rocks.
Larger rapids
Kreg panning for our fortune!
To get to this hike from Marshall, NC, take highway 25/70 towards Hot Springs. Where highway 208 intersects with 25/70, the main road takes a sharp left. Just before this turn, there’s a pretty large gravel parking lot. This is it – the trailhead takes off at the south end of the parking lot. It’s 7 miles round trip (though you have to take the same path back), and very easy, except for some areas with lots of rocks in the path. You’ll know you’ve reached the end when you get to the railroad tracks and the French Broad River. Bring a picnic lunch!
