Taking in the view from the top of Beacon Heights, a mountain situated along the Blue Ridge Parkway

Length: .6-mile round trip
Time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: Moderate uphill / downhill hike

This short trail leads to the top of Beacon Heights were you can get excellent views from a bald, quartzite mountain top. From the parking lot, look for the overlook identification sign. The trailhead for all Beacon Heights-area trails is located on the other side of the road behind the sign.

All Beacon Heights trails start behind the identification sign for the Beacon Heights Parking Area on the Blue Ridge Parkway

You won’t walk a minute before coming to the start of the Tanawha Trail, which is now part of the Mountains to Sea Trail. The Mountains to Sea Trail is really just a collection of shorter trails all connected together across the state of North Carolina. The Tanawha Trail is one of the shorter trails, and it existed first. However, no matter which way you go—left towards Price Park or right towards Beacon Heights—you are also on the Mountains to Sea Trail. The intersection is marked with a directional sign.

A sign marks the split between the Beacon Heights and the Tanawha Trails, Blue Ridge Parkway

The trail is extremely rocky, but because most of the rocks are large, they sort of make the trail fun to hike (unless you have bad knees and/or ankles). It’s the small rocks that I hate, as these do nothing but slow you down in an attempt to avoid twisting an ankle.

Extremely rocky terrain of the Beacon Heights Trail near the Blue Ridge Parkway

A tenth of a mile after the split with the Tanawha Trail is the split with the Mountains to Sea Trail. This intersection is also marked with a sign.

Beacon Heights Trail splits with the Mountains to Sea Trail

Minutes later you will come to an unmarked intersection where you can turn right or left. This is essentially the end of the Beacon Heights Trail, and both directions lead to viewing areas. The trail to the right is much easier, and the view is excellent. I believe the mountain with the antenna on it is Grandmother Mountain, but I am no mountain identification expert.

Panoramic view from the top of Beacon Heights, a mountain situated along the Blue Ridge Parkway (click to enlarge)

Panoramic view from the top of Beacon Heights, a mountain situated along the Blue Ridge Parkway (click to enlarge)

If you take the trail to the left, be prepared to climb a steep staircase of rocks. You don’t get as good a view of Grandmother Mountain from here, and there are many trees that interrupt the otherwise 180° view. I prefer the view from the other overlook, and it’s a lot easier to get to.

Stone staircase leads to another view at Beacon Heights

Panoramic view from the left-side trail at Beacon Heights (click to enlarge)

There are some other unmarked trails at the top that people have blazed over the years, so there are other places to wander about. I only explored the two main trails, and unless you have nothing better to do, I suggest sticking to these two as well. When done, head back down the way you came. The round-trip hike shouldn’t take much more than a half hour.

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