Hiking Grandfather Mountain Profile Trail To Swinging Bridge

[@j.m.b5441]

It was the Egyptians who moved those boulders. Nice video!

[@KayakCliff]

Exactly!!!

[@JamesLandon-yk1no]

I love it too! Wife refuses to do ladders with me though.

[@KayakCliff]

Pick some friends that would enjoy that hike, or hit it yourself. You won’t regret doing it and you’ll remember it for a lifetime.

[@leenainderdeo3585]

This was a very insightful video. Thank you!!

[@KayakCliff]

You are welcome! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@tyeshawolf]

Steps go all the way to the top of the mountain now 824 steps they have finished and brought all their equipment off the trail now. My husband and sons were the contractors on this trail. Love your video

[@KayakCliff]

That’s awesome. I hiked it again at the beginning of June this year and noticed all the steps! Very nice! Tell your husband and sons that they did a great job!! I saw their equipment on the trail while hiking. Pretty cool how they do that!

[@trueraider94]

How terrifying is the cliff with the 4 ladders? I’m not gonna lie, I’m afraid just watching your video.

[@KayakCliff]

I've been over the top with several people that had difficulty with the ladders. If you look off to the side, it can be a little daunting seeing how high you are. If you keep your head down and focused on your hands and feet (which is what you should do) you'll be fine. Even though you are high up with the views, you are still on a ladder with "terra firma" not too far below you. I hope this helps! This is a bucket list hike that you will never forget. I've done it since I was a kid 45 years ago and it is still my favorite hike ever!

[@trueraider94]

@@KayakCliff thanks! I think the biggest fear I have is feeling like I’m close to the edge of the cliffs. I’ve watched several videos and it’s hard to tell how close to the edge you really are in some areas.

[@KayakCliff]

You can really control how close to the edge you get. You don't have to be right on the edge. Some of the shots that I took are probably more deceiving than what it is actually like 👍

[@trueraider94]

@@KayakCliff does the underwood trail bypass the dreaded (by me) ladder section?

[@KayakCliff]

@trueraider94 if you take the Underwood trail, there's like one or two ladders, but I don't remember them being bad.

[@NickandRachel]

Awesome! Can't wait to hike there

[@KayakCliff]

Thanks for watching Nick & Rachel! Safe adventuring this Summer!

[@NickandRachel]

@@KayakCliff you're welcome!

[@elbysoutdooradventures9960]

Fun! Thank you for sharing!

[@jbnati2711]

Great video! Probably not the smartest thing I've ever done, but got up early and did a solo hike from the swinging bridge to McCrae peak and back in 2004. Thanks for sharing the video! I was wondering what the profile trail was like.

[@KayakCliff]

Thank you so much for watching, and commenting! I will have a couple more videos coming out soon of my hiking adventures up in the Carolina mountains.

[@juddoutdoors7015]

The shot on the cliff with the fog is awesome 17:47 !! Nice work. Thanks for sharing

[@KayakCliff]

Thanks Judd! Have a great week!

[@elisedietz3846]

Great video, and amazing views! Looks like a fun, but challenging trek. Might be our next hike! We just came back from Linville Gorge, and saw one of your stickers on the Table Rock summit (wish I took a pic). I assume you hiked it?

[@KayakCliff]

Hi Elise, thank you so much for watching and commenting! Yes, I did hike table rock, and hawksbill. There will be a video coming out on those shortly. Hindsight, I probably should not have left a sticker up there on such a beautiful place. My bad! Stay safe, and have fun!

[@gordonramsay1009]

My son Hunter is going to hike the ridges and ladders over Thanksgiving. Thanks for sharing this great spot!

[@KayakCliff]

Wow, he’s going to be up there then? He will have a blast! You should go with him!

[@backyardkayakingcamping8778]

Very cool trip! You have a knack for storytelling! Keep em coming!

[@KayakCliff]

Thanks Backyard Kayaking! I hope you have a wonderful week!

[@LizWaddell]

Sorry if I missed it in the video, but any thoughts on adding a spur hike to Calloway Peak?

[@KayakCliff]

Hi 👋Elizabeth - No, you didn’t miss it. On that trip, I did not turn left at the top and go to Calloway. This summer, I filmed a hike from the swinging bridge to Indian cave, which is a nice 2.5 hour hike. I will have a video coming out shortly on that, plus different hikes to Hawksbill and Table Rock in Linville gorge.

[@maryclairehall9986]

How long does it take from the parking area to swinging bridge?

[@KayakCliff]

Hi 👋 Marie Claire Hall - From where we started down at the highway up to the swinging bridge will take you anywhere from 4 to 6 hours. Think it took us about 4 1/2 hours.

[@offthebeatenpath2590]

Planning to do this hike soon…. Where do you park the vehicle? Do you pay and leave it inside the park?

[@KayakCliff]

Hey Off the beaten path! Check out my description box for the video. I park at the bottom of the Mountain off Highway 105 North in Banner Elk. I have the address in my video description box. Have fun!!!

[@offthebeatenpath2590]

I’m referring to the car left at the end of hike… I don’t want to do an out/back. I read on Grandfather’s website if a car is left inside the park, entry fees will apply. Thank you… great video

[@KayakCliff]

Oh, what do you need to do is drive two cars up to the top pay $40 which would be $20 for each car and drop a car at the parking lot at the top. Don’t advertise that you were doing this with a gate attendant. Just do it, it works. I’ve been doing it for 40 years. Then, take your other car from the top down to the starting point. That way you have a car at the top and at the bottom.