Description:

Hike Type: in and out
Distance: 9 miles appropriately
Elevation: 3500 ft

Because of the Distance and Elevation change, this is an extremely difficult hike.

Shortoff Mountain is a good place to go to avoid the crowds. The rough approach road and the long hike into the wilderness area makes discourage the weekend crowds. The trail brings you in at the top of the cliff line after 45 min - 1 hour hiking uphill. There are some great campsites located here. The long faces have a good number of excellent multi-pitch traditional routes. The cliffs bottom is accessed via a gully in the middle of the face. 3rd class scrambling brings you onto the sloping floor, trails split north and south. Fires here in 2002 have altered the landscape considerably, trails may now be overgrown.

Shortoff Mountain (3,000 ft) Is a highly recommended trip. A moderate walk to the lower end of Linville Gorge (Trail 90) along a series of cliffs offering unsurpassed views into the gorge with lake James as a backdrop in the distance.

Direction:
Exit from 1-40 at Nebo-Lake James exit, east of Marion. Go north 2.8 miles; turn west, left for 0.3 miles; next, turn north, right onto NC 126, which leads around Lake James. After 10 miles, cross the Linville River; go 1.2 miles farther; turn onto the first road on Wolf Pit Road (Forest Road 117). Take the road 2.4 miles to turnaround at dead end to park.
Walk 12 minutes more, reach another junction, go either right or left. In 13 minutes reach the 3rd junction; take the woodland footpath straight ahead west between two small gashed pine trees, avoiding the main road which climbs steeply right to the side road to the left which goes steeply downhill (pay special attention to stay on the right road). In 7 minutes you will arrive at the first observation point on the cliffs. Walk
north as far as desired along the edge of the cliffs on the tiny trail through rhododendron, laurel, and sand
myrtle.