Linville Gorge Wilderness Loop | Best Backpacking in NC!

This video describes my backpacking trip to the Linville Gorge Wilderness in North Carolina. It highlights our 3 day/2 night adventure hiking the Linville Gorge Wilderness Loop the weekend before Memorial Day 2023. Below is my 3 day itinerary and things you should consider if you are planning this trip.
May Weather: Average High is 68. Average Low is 59.
• I took my puffy vest as the nights did dip into the low 50s, no gloves or beanie needed.
Two significant water crossings:
• Southern portion of the loop (Day 2) - up to knees, no problem crossing
• Northern portion of the loop (Day 3) - water proof everything as you may need to swim across with your pack
Water Sources:
• Linville River has high mercury levels; not recommended for drinking
• Eastern Side of loop
Water pipe coming out of mountain near top of Shortoff Mtn.
Also pond on Shortoff Mtn; stagnant water, don't recommend
At Saddle, water .1 miles down steep hill
Nice flowing creeks at bottom of Little Table Rock trail
• Western Side of loop
Several creek crossings, no issues with obtaining water
Day 1: Thursday (no permit needed), May 25th
• Start @ Spence Ridge Trailhead (north east portion of the loop)
• Morganton is the last major town before getting to the trailhead.
• Hike ~8 miles; heading clockwise. Several great campsites on Shortoff Mountain area near the cliffs with great views.
o Hike west .4 miles from Spence Ridge TH to the Little Table Rock Trail.
o Hike south 1.2 miles up to Table Rock Mtn. Gain 700 ft. in about .6 miles, pretty steep.
o Hike south ~6 miles to Shortoff Mountain Area. Camp here for the night.
• Water options: Not many to choose from on the east side.
o Nice creek just before heading up Table Rock. If fill up here, basically caring all the water you need for most of the hike on this day.
o Water option near the “Saddle”. This requires hiking down some steep terrain about .1 mile to find a spring.
o There is a pipe/creek near Shortoff campsite, .1 miles from the campsite.
Day 2: Friday (need permit), May 26th
• Hike ~7-9 miles; great campsites all along the river. We stayed just beyond the Pinchin Trail.
o Hike south .4 miles from camp; take right onto Shortoff Mountain Trail
o Hike south 1.5 miles down to the Linville River. This river crossing should be no problem. Just be ready to get your feet wet.
o Hike north 5-7 miles on the Linville River Trail after crossing the river.
o Gorge miles are not like regular miles. The west side of the loop can be challenging terrain and not always the best marked.
• Water Options: There are several good water options from creeks as they flow into the Linville River. I hear that the Linville River has “elevated” levels of mercury and may not be the safest to drink even with a water filer.
Day 3: Saturday, May 27th
• Hike 4-5 miles; depends on where we camp
o Hike 2-3 miles north on the Linville River Trail. I remember this being the trickiest part of the trail and losing the trail a few times. Trail is overgrown in spots on the west side. Navigating can be tricky at times.
o Cross the river. Crossing the river at the northern end of the loop can be challenging and will take some time. Feet are definitely going to get wet, just depends if you will need to swim across or can hop across the rocks based on the river level. Definitely ensure that you have a pack liner to keep the stuff dry inside your pack or waterproof stuff sacks for the things that shouldn’t get wet. It’s the last day so not the biggest deal if things do get wet.
o Hike 1.5 miles to Spence Ridge TH; once you get across the river, the hike is a gradual climb out of the gorge and back to the trailhead.
• Water Options: Same as day 2. Plenty of creek crossing; fill up as we go.
#backpacking
#hammockcamping

[@evdallas123]

Awesome footage Dwight,its hard to beat western North Carolina scenery youre right about the sunrise don't sleep through it get up and enjoy it!🌞

[@randypeterson4146]

Nice video...I do this loop every year and also start at Spence and go clockwise...I think it is much easier than counterclockwise...I'm not sure why most people go counterclockwise...Also good that you showed how easy it is to Wade at Spence Ridge bridge just down stream...I see so many trying to rope their packs over and swim up at the bridge... Really enjoyed this and you camped at basically the same places I do..🙌🙌

[@aikidomarkt]

Thank you for this video. Linville is spectacular wilderness area and with conditions as in this video, it's doable for beginners. But alas... it should be noted how difficult this loop is for beginners and that water sources near Shortoff Mtn are dried up during this year's (2024) hot, dry summer. I learned that the hard way and had to make the descent to the river in a mad dash after running out of water. I learned the hard way to take serious the "hard" ranking for this trail. I'm ok but very sore, had a heat exhaustion scare, and had to abort the loop at the river where I got eaten up by chiggers.... be more prepared than I was!

[@crimsonblaze_backpacker]

Great point! I'm glad to hear that you are okay. It is always important to understand the water sources before going on a trip, especially when it has been hot and dry. The east side of that loop (i.e. up and away from the river) doesn't have many options for water to begin with. So, during a hot, dry summer, even those might be dried up. It is definitely a tough loop and strenuous, even when conditions are ideal. There are a few steep, steep climbs. And on the west side of the loop down by the river, I found that navigating the trail can be challenging. I remember doing it counter-clockwise about 10 years ago, and I lost the trail a few times. I think it is much better now but still can be difficult.

[@jonathansimerly5550]

Love that spot on Shortoff! It was my spot camping in the Gorge. Spent 2 days there 3 years ago! Headed back this weekend!!! ❤

[@crimsonblaze_backpacker]

Definitely one of my best campsites ever!! Enjoy this weekend!!

[@MattyRox]

Great job guys. 🎉

[@crimsonblaze_backpacker]

Thanks! It was an awesome trip!

[@johnonthetrail]

Awesome video and informative. I’ll be doing this loop sometime this summer and will revisit this video. I get in the gorge often but I’ve never done this loop. Definite bucket list. Happy trails.

[@crimsonblaze_backpacker]

Thanks! I love this area. Just know that they now require permits for certain sections of this loop during the summer on weekends, including Friday. That may impact the direction you go, clockwise or counterclockwise, and where you start. Thanks for watching!

[@steph50095]

Thanks for the great info - especially liked the map view of miles per day. You've made me want to access the loop via Spence Ridge vs Wolf Pit and go clockwise! Such an incredible place.

[@crimsonblaze_backpacker]

You are welcome! It is an amazing hike! I've done it in both directions now and I think going clockwise starting at Spence Ridge is the way to go. Thanks for watching!

[@glennbutler-iy2nk]

Definitely not a Peregrine Falcon at 5:32. Looks like a Turkey Vulture with that buoyant, wobbly flight and substantial dihedral in its wing position. Peregrines soar on long, angular, pointed wings with little to no dihedral.

[@Chaotic_Enigma]

Have you ever been there in late October? I've never been and plan on going for a day hike here and there so I'm also trying to learn if bears are a big deal that time a year as I will be going solo. I will have bear spray. It seems some of the trails get decent traffic and not many bear sightings from what I've read. Any insight would be greatly appreciated

[@crimsonblaze_backpacker]

Hey! I've never been there in late October. I have backpacked there twice and car camped in this area once but it has all been during the summer months. I don't believe bears are a big deal. I've never seen one during my trips or have heard of others seeing ones during their trips. However, I know they are there. I definitely hung my food each night and took bear precautions like bringing bear spray, packing up my scented items, etc. You are correct in that most of these trails are heavily used and probably deter bears. But I would still recommend bringing bear spray. You never know when that encounter occurs and you want to be ready.

[@robertunderwood1011]

Let’s get it straight among all of us There is no Linville gorge wilderness Loop as such You hike to loop called ITAYG Which is the is that all you got ? loop TheITAYG loop is the southern half of the grand loop which reps entirely around the gorge for 39 miles So you did half of it There are many loop hikes in the gorge. Most of them do not have names. The AVENZA online map is recommended for the most accurate advice on Linville gorge

[@vtg1632]

You're right regarding the ITAYG loop, but no where in the video if I remember correctly did he claim to have completed said loop.

[@robertunderwood1011]

@@vtg1632 He simply misnamed the ITAYG loop. by calling it, the Linville gorge Loop people get confused with the grand loop which runs entirely around Linville gorge. A lot of misnaming occurs. People get confused. It would be nice if we were all on the same page concerning the names of these trails

[@william658]

Thanks for the video and information. Do you think this hike would be possible with a dog?

[@nicholasbaughman510]

Are the 2 places u cross pretty easy to know when u are to cross? and is the trail right on the other side?

[@crimsonblaze_backpacker]

Hey! For the southern crossing of the Linville River, if you are going clockwise then the trail dead ends right at the river, can't miss it, and you can see on the other side several places where you can exit to get back on the trail. If you are heading counterclockwise, you will see several spots where you can begin to cross the river, but I recall seeing a sign on a tree across the river to know where I was supposed to get out. I think it was a Mountain to Sea Trail sign. For the northern crossing, you need to be more prepared on how to cross depending on how high the water levels are that day. If you are going clockwise then you do need to be mindful that the there is a trail that continues on north, but you will see that the trail also clearly verges to the river where you need to cross where the bridge use to be. It is clear where you need to continue on the trail on the other side, but crossing may not be straight forward on where you can cross at, again, depending on the water level. If you are going counterclockwise, then the trail dead ends right where the bridge use to be, you either cross the river or turn back around. It is clear where you need to exit to continue on the trail, but again, where you cross will be dependent on the water level. Where and how you cross will be the most critical decision since the bridge is washed out. If the water level is low enough you will be able to rock hop straight onto the trail on the other side; otherwise, you will need to be ready to swim with your gear or some additional rope to create a pully system to get your gear across. Just be ready to swim and get wet! Alot of words but I hope it was helpful. The southern crossing is no big deal. You will cruise right through that. It is the northern crossing you need to be prepared for. Be prepared so all your gear doesn't get wet if you have to swim.

[@catherine2250]

Is a bear canister required in this area?

[@crimsonblaze_backpacker]

Hey Catherine! No, a bear canister was not required. I simply used a UR sack. Thanks for watching!

[@montecristo2748]

Hey there! Does anyone have coordinates of the nice Shortoff campsite? I use Farout and Alltrails, and none of the good camp spots are marked. Thanks!

[@crimsonblaze_backpacker]

Here are the coordinates for the Shortoff campsite that you see in my video: Lat: 35.833433 Lon: -81.901916

[@robertunderwood1011]

The expert zone, Linville gorge have contributed to the AVENZA map. we don’t trust all trails yo

[@juliangutierrez2253]

Do you need a backpacking permit? Or a parking permit

[@crimsonblaze_backpacker]

You do need a permit for certain months and days. When I went you needed a permit on Friday and Saturdays only plus holidays. But I belief that was only May thru October or something. You can camp all you want during week.

[@juliangutierrez2253]

@@crimsonblaze_backpacker thank you! what about a parking permit? Were you just able to leave the car without one?

[@crimsonblaze_backpacker]

@@juliangutierrez2253 Hey! No parking permit is needed.