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Rich Mountain Lookout Tower and Lovers Leap - Pisgah National Forest, NC

1,776 views · Published 20 December 2017 · 24:22 · Indexed 11 October 2026

Channel: Zachary Robbins · 2017 · Travel & Events

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A full-day loop hike with beautiful, sunny weather outside of Hot Springs, NC. I parked at the NOC boat exit lot and did some road walking to begin the Roundtop Ridge Trail in Pisgah National Forest. This trail climbs steadily out of the French Broad River basin into the Bald Mountains above the valley, ending close to Rich Mountain. BEWARE, this trail is in poor condition and really should be hiked in pants. Two wildfires in April 2016 severely damaged the slopes northeast of the river, including this trail section. Young, thorny weeds closely lined the trail for almost all 3.1 miles of its length, intermixed with lots of deadfall. I chose a very bad day to wear shorts.

Once I connected with the Appalachian Trail I took the former AT spur to the summit, which was steep and not the best route. Rich Mountain (3,670 feet) has a 30-foot steel live-in lookout tower original built in 1932, my 20th in the state. Unfortunately the lower stairwell was removed this past summer, and there are no views from the summit. So I put my steel beam climbing skills to use and made it to the second stairwell, and up to the catwalk. They removed the stairs because the cab floor is rotten, but the catwalk is fine. The catwalk provides excellent views of Devil Fork Gap, Big Bald, the Black Mountains and Great Craggy Mountains, the Newfound Mountains, and the Bald Mountains and Great Smoky Mountains which had blinding sunlight washing the peaks out directly south. In the video I mistakenly point out the wrong ridge for Crabtree Bald and Sandymush Bald, they are the ridge immediately to the right of center.

From Rich Mountain the AT gradually drops down to Tanyard Gap crossing U.S. 25/70, then passes through the Mill Ridge fields. The last leg of the hike is the most popular, along Lovers Leap Ridge. The light was fading but I stopped at each of 4 cliff overlooks as the AT switchbacked down the ridge. The rocks provide great views of the French Broad River exiting the gorge at the town of Hot Springs. I took more clips of this section, but the videos were blurry because of the fading light. Overall this loop is a nice hike but I definitely recommend avoiding the Roundtop Ridge Trail if you can.

Hike was 13.0 miles in 6 hours and 15 minutes.

Hike location
https://goo.gl/maps/SWWcM5PBxCsbYy8Q7

Hike report
https://www.hikingupward.com/PNF/RichMountainLoversLeap/

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