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Length: 2.25 miles round trip (includes all stops)
Time: 1.5 hours
Difficulty: Moderate

The Erwins View Trail starts from the Linville Falls Visitor Center at the end of Spur Road, a turnoff from the Blue Ridge Parkway at Mile Post 316. This trail takes you to views at the base of Upper Linville Falls and to views above Lower Linville Falls. If you prefer a view from the base of the Lower Falls, try the Linville Gorge Trail instead.

The ultimate destination of the hike is Erwins View Overlook, but along the way there are stops at the Upper Falls Overlook, the Chimney View Overlook, and the Gorge View Overlook. The trail map gives distances to each location as if you hiked from the Visitor Center to only that overlook. Pay no attention to these mileage markers. If you are going to hike all the way to Erwins View, you definitely want to stop at the other overlooks. Considering that, all you need to know is that the total distance of the hike, including all stops, is 2.25 miles round trip.

In truth, all the hike to Erwins View does is give you a view farther away from Lower Linville Falls than the one you get at Chimney View. I don’t really see much point in getting farther away from the main attraction, so my suggestion is to forget about the Gorge View and Erwins View overlooks. Hike to Chimney View and then return to the Visitor Center. Use the time saved to hike the Plunge Basin and Linville Gorge trails. I do have photos from Erwins View here in this report, so you can always decide for yourself.

The hike begins by crossing a footbridge located behind the Visitor Center. There is a nice view of a very calm Linville River. At this point it hasn’t started tumbling downhill.

Cross the footbridge behind the Linville Falls Visitor Center to start the hike on the Erwins View Trail on the Blue Ridge Parkway

Linville River near the Linville Falls Visitor Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway

You will find yourself on a wide, gravel road, which was probably a service road for vehicles at one time. The path is going uphill, but the incline is only moderate in difficulty. I saw kids running up and down this trail and people who looked like they had one foot in the grave hiking this trail. The tougher parts are the side trails to the overlooks. Those involve downhill hikes on more traditional trail-like terrain, and all involve stairs. If you have trouble climbing stairs, you may want to reconsider hiking the trail. Furthermore, the gravel path stops short of Erwins View, and you must proceed along rough terrain to the overlook.

Typical terrain of the main section of the Erwins View Trail on the Blue Ridge Parkway

The first turnoff is for Upper Linville Falls, and it comes .4 miles into the hike (all of the turns are marked with trail signs). As mentioned, you will be hiking downhill and down stairs. Within five minutes you will be at the double falls and can view them from a stone observation deck.

Observation deck at the Blue Ride Parkway’s Upper Linville Falls

Upper Linville Falls at Mile Post 316 on the Blue Ridge Parkway

Right side of Upper Linville Falls at Mile Post 316 on the Blue Ridge Parkway

Two tiered waterfall on the left side of Upper Linville Falls at Mile Post 316 on the Blue Ridge Parkway

One of the cooler things about this stop is not the waterfalls but the shoot that the river has carved out of the rocks as in flows farther down the gorge. It looks like a water ride at an amusement park. If somebody promised me that I wouldn’t get killed, I’d jump right in and go for the ride. You can see it from the backside of the observation deck.

Shoot of water near the Blue Ridge Parkway’s Upper Linville Falls

When done, return back to the main trail and continue on to the next stop, Chimney View, another ten minutes up the trail. As with the side trail to the Upper Falls, the side trail to Chimney View is a steep downhill hike along rough terrain and about 50 steps.

Stairs to the Chimney View Overlook at Linville Falls on the Blue Ridge Parkway

At the observation deck you will have a view of Lower Linville Falls, a much larger waterfall. If you remember the shoot of water at the Upper Falls, this is where you’d come out—most likely dead—if you jumped in. From here you get a birds-eye-view of the falls and can even see the Upper Falls.

Lower Linville Falls at the bottom, Upper Linville Falls at the top, Blue Ridge Parkway

Blue Ridge Parkway’s Upper Linville Falls viewed from Chimney View

For those looking to get a quality photo of Lower Linville Falls, do not visit until after 1 PM and no later than 4 PM. Prior to and after these times the waterfall is in the shadows. There is only a narrow window of time when the sun lights it up properly.

The Blue Ridge Parkway’s Lower Linville Falls as seen from the Chimney View Overlook (4:30 PM)

The Blue Ridge Parkway’s Lower Linville Falls viewed from Chimney View (11 AM)

From the backside of the overlook you get a nice view of the river and the gorge.

Linville Gorge in North Carolina near Mile Post 316 on the Blue Ridge Parkway

If you were to end your hike here and head back to the Visitor Center, you’ll have spent about an hour, which includes time to see the falls and take photos. Continuing on to Erwins View adds another half hour to the hike (roughly a half mile). If time and the extra mileage is not a factor in your schedule, you might as well continue on as I did.

The flat, gravel path does not run all the way to the end. The final stretch of the hike is up a very rocky and rooty trail. I did not stop at the Gorge View Overlook, but went straight on the Erwins View.

Final stretch of the Erwins View Trail at Linville Falls, Mile Post 316 on the Blue Ridge Parkway

As you can see, all you get at Erwins View is a look at the Lower Falls from a much greater distance. Yes, you do get a nice, sweeping vista, but when photographing a waterfall I don’t want to be this far away. Here are the photos, so you can decide for yourself.

View of the Blue Ridge Parkway’s Lower Linville Falls from Erwins View (28mm lens)

View of the Blue Ridge Parkway’s Lower Linville Falls from Erwins View (70mm lens)

If I had it to do again, I’d turn around at Chimney View and apply the half hour I saved to hiking to the base of the falls on the Linville Gorge Trail. This is very strenuous trail, so the extra energy might come in handy.

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