Hiking to a Real Mountain Ghost Town! Lost Cove in Pisgah National Forest, North Carolina

In this episode, Boots and channel newcomer ‪@awdeaton‬ take the steep journey down to the Lost Cove settlement, a real North Carolina Ghost Town! Lost Cove is located in Pisgah National Forest in Yancy County, NC, deep in the mountains. The journey is not for all, but is worth it if you are up for the challenge.
Lost Cove was formed by best guesses around the civil war era. The initial settlement is sometimes linked to a Daniel Boone expedition, other stories indicate Union soldiers were the initial settlers, and yet there are even more theories on the town's formation. At its height, the town had about 100 people with the last remaining resident leaving in 1957. There was once a church, school, and many other structures here. Timber, moonshine, and agriculture were the prominent industries here, but the town began to slowly die when the railroad stopped carrying passengers through this area and local municipalities would not construct a proper paved road into the area.
Our hike takes us several miles down the mountain where we saw old homesites, farmlands, homes, gravesites, and other structures. We also hiked all the way down to the Nolichucky River where the still active rail line travels parallel and down to a nice waterfall.
Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe to our channel for more exciting outdoor adventures!
#pisgahnationalforest #Hiking #NatureEnthusiast #ExploreTheOutdoors #BootsontheTrail #LostCove #LostCoveNC #NorthCarolina #GhostTown #waterfall
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[@josephorechovesky4881]

This looks amazing! Any way I can go see the town without the hike back up? After all, I too like exploring 😂

[@BootsontheTrail]

Well there is a couple of ways... if you add several miles to the overall hike, lol. Thanks for watching!

[@Michael65429]

You can continue down the railroad tracks a couple miles to Chestoa Springs TN, or go upstream 5 miles to Poplar NC.

[@chrisholmes6029]

Great video. Not so good a choicr on the music. Way too modernand fast paced.

[@tonycarver9570]

Just a tip, you don't need the music. Just give us the nature sounds.

[@BootsontheTrail]

Thanks for the feedback and thanks for watching!

[@queenanneslace3659]

Agreed.

[@askedkedeldeif]

Great other than that.

[@traviscohenno1043]

I wanna hear owls mating

[@debbiegodwin6407]

I agree!

[@JackwDyles-zu3jt]

I live on the Tennessee side of lost cove and it's a dam shame what some people will do to destroy the little town of lost cove. I can remember the barn and a lot of homes that were there and the church and the school were it used to be before it was burned down and they used to be a wooden slay in one of the outbuildings and the graveyard. But it's about all gone now and it's very sad.

[@BootsontheTrail]

I agree, quite sad what some people will do. Thank you for sharing!

[@Michael65429]

Agreed. I've been hiking there since the 70s and it's disgusting what people have done. Just leave things alone, show respect for those who lived here. NOBODY wants to see your graffiti!

[@dirtywhiteboy4963]

Hell , in Florida the law will come after you and your family for cleaning up the place [ beer cans and trash from hikers etc. ] while you are just trying to do the right thing . The State thinks you may find an old bottle worth the gas money it took to drive there . What I believe it's a way to slowly get people used to not going into the woods or any ''green area '' because we will destroy the place for future generations ....who ironically will never be able to see or walk through it . Either way down here it will be built on or made a crime to visit . Thanks .

[@MrMrsregor]

unfortunately this is what happens when tourism and social media encourage everyone to go check out these nice quiet, unknown, and secret places that would have otherwise been left to nature and a few locals

[@queenanneslace3659]

That music does not go with the beautiful nature. It is not needed. I had to mute the sound .

[@BootsontheTrail]

Thanks for watching 🙂

[@hikewithmike4673]

wow...lots of history and interesting finds on this trail!

[@BootsontheTrail]

Interesting for sure. I loved this hike though. The only people we saw were in the river or on the train :) Thanks for watching!

[@The1BlackKrow]

Enjoyed the video, had to mute the horrible music though.

[@BootsontheTrail]

Haha - Thanks for watching!

[@douglynch9012]

I first hiked into Lost Cove in 1978 , one year after going to work for the Clinchfield Railroad ( now CSX ) . I always hiked in by way of Chestoa following the railroad tracks. Amazing how much has changed over the years.

[@BootsontheTrail]

How awesome! And yes, things do change - seemingly faster all the time.

[@timflaherty2731]

The music is sooo jarring and ruins the vibe. Such an odd choice.

[@BootsontheTrail]

Thanks for watching and thanks for the feedback!

[@Quantrills.Raiders]

i miss hiking the appalachian trail and seeing old stone chimneys and random gravestones along the way

[@BootsontheTrail]

It is always neat what you find along the way. Thanks for watching!

[@hikesome]

Wonderful and spooky at the same time ;) Another great upload!

[@BootsontheTrail]

Thanks Mario! This hike had been on my list for quite some time!

[@rickycochran7896]

Why the music

[@BootsontheTrail]

I liked the music as it was a bit different from my normal selection 😃

[@melanoma3523]

@@BootsontheTrail It was awesome, if it was the track to a 70's TV cop action show.

[@bettybrigance6784]

Awesome

[@BootsontheTrail]

Thanks so much!

[@vickithompson2680]

Did the ground shake when the train came by omg amazing❤❤❤

[@BootsontheTrail]

haha - You could definitely feel it! Thanks for watching!

[@whit1678]

Why no comment on that massive snake at the 4:28 time stamp?

[@BootsontheTrail]

Haha - that snake wasn’t bothering anyone, lol.

[@whit1678]

@@BootsontheTrail dang dude…that thing was massive

[@chrisholmes6029]

What kind of snake was it?

[@BootsontheTrail]

@@chrisholmes6029 the first one (small one) I am unsure. The second one was just a large black snake.

[@roymeetsworld1]

Cool, those ruins are definitely haunted but still very cool

[@BootsontheTrail]

it was a great hike and had been on my list for quite some time. I may venture here again in early spring/late fall when the vegetation isn't so thick and may find some more structures I missed this time! Thanks for watching!

[@elizabethbuttke2224]

When I was 10, my family spent a few days there in a house their elder friends use to live in.

[@BootsontheTrail]

How awesome! Thanks for sharing!

[@tomconway8881]

Good video. Thanks

[@BootsontheTrail]

Thanks so much! This was a really fun hike.

[@Redskin4ever]

Why is there no mention of the county Lost Cove is in?

[@BootsontheTrail]

Thanks for watching! The county (Yancy County, NC) is written in the video description in the very first paragraph 🙂

[@anisotropicplus]

The music is overwhelming. Don’t let it ruin a good video. Amplifying natural sounds would be better.

[@BootsontheTrail]

Thanks for watching and for the feedback!

[@user-ry6ei2mt8k]

New viewer, music ruins your video

[@BootsontheTrail]

Thanks for watching and thanks for the feedback!

[@stevemcmillion3575]

Do you think the trail was at one time the road? Looks like a tough place to get to.

[@BootsontheTrail]

Yes! Most of the trail was at one time the road. This was one of the reasons that moonshine was so prominent here - it wasn't an easy place for agents to get to due to the terrain and isolation (in addition to there were arguments of which jurisdiction the town was in).

[@stevemcmillion3575]

@@BootsontheTrail Thanks, I knew they didn't cross the river and I see no other way out. I might have to do that trail.

[@BootsontheTrail]

@@stevemcmillion3575 it's a good hike. Fall is a great time as you likely could see more remnants throughout the woods, just be sure to check the forest service website to ensure the access road is open as it closes seasonally.

[@johnsteeley2113]

Im looking for info on this hike like where to park and maybe a map of the trail please and thank you

[@BootsontheTrail]

Here is the Forest Service page on Lost Cove: www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/nfsnc/recarea/?recid=48550 (The coordinates for the trail head are 36.0546, -82.37838). There are linked maps of the area on this page as well as general info on the hike with directions. I would doublecheck with the Forestry Service prior to going as they do close FS278 seasonally (this is the road that gets you to the trailhead). You can still hike it though, you just have to hike up the road from the gate to get to the trailhead. Happy Hiking!

[@scottm9707]

How many miles , round trip ?

[@BootsontheTrail]

We hiked about 8.5 miles total. Thanks for watching!

[@user-ki4ic7ry9f]

Me and my buddy are going soon just hope we don’t get lost

[@BootsontheTrail]

The trails are pretty established here but there are mapping resources available. I believe Pisgah National Forest has topo maps of the area on their website that you can print out, and if you are an app user, this is also on AllTrails. This is a great hike and is unique in what the experience is for sure. Happy Hiking and thanks for watching!

[@bruinsfan8278]

Cant do the music, see ya

[@BootsontheTrail]

😆

[@montewikel9682]

With music like that not wasting my time watching video.

[@BootsontheTrail]

🙂

[@D-A-1776]

Always wanted to go, I wouldn't go without a gun my buddy got charged by a bear up there

[@BootsontheTrail]

There is rumor of a den in the area... we did not go searching for it! 😉

[@notquiteultralight1701]

Great scenery! A couple of my two favorite things! Porn music and hiking!

[@BootsontheTrail]

🤣

[@steveg8622]

Loose the jam

[@BootsontheTrail]

Thanks for watching!

[@fyrmun37]

I like the music. Great choice.

[@BootsontheTrail]

Thank you for watching and enjoying the music!

[@queenanneslace3659]

The music is weird.

[@420Bassist]

What's the music in this? Fits the vibe perfectly.

[@BootsontheTrail]

Thanks so much! "Drop the Tapes" - It is part of the KZbin audio library. I thought it fit pretty well too, lol.

[@dianareid1182]

Terrible music, would rather listen to the forest

[@BootsontheTrail]

Thanks for the feedback. The real problem is you would hear more of my heavy breathing than nature, lol! Thanks for watching!

[@dianareid1182]

I knew that is what you would say, maybe just turn it down a bit, I really would rather hear the doubts around, even your breathing...you are hiking after all😉😉😉

[@useethis]

I REALLY don’t like the music. OMG, ruined the beauty of NATURE…

[@BootsontheTrail]

😁