アッシュ郡のおすすめウォーキング＆ハイキングルート

A nice climb to get there, but then a great satisfaction to spend an afternoon there.

New River State Park in North Carolina offers a variety of recreational opportunities centered around the scenic New River, one of the oldest rivers in North America. New River State Park straddles Alleghany and Ashe Counties in far northwestern North Carolina and protects a 30-mile stretch of the New River. The park spans nearly 3,000 acres across several access areas, with most reachable by car and some only by water. The U.S. 221 Access Area houses the main office, a visitor center, the park's only drive-in campground, picnic spots, a boat launch, and river access. This part of the park also features several hiking trails that wind through lush forests and along the riverbank. River Run Trail and the Hickory Trail are the two primary trails here, and they actually connect to each other to make a nice loop.

The Mountain Ridge Trail climbs steadily alongside the Mount Jefferson Park Road and is a great way to get in quite a bit more elevation up to the Mount Jefferson Picnic Area and the summit of the namesake mountain itself. This section of trail ascends up some switchbacks from the start of the trail right at the park entrance by the sign, to Sunrise Point, a popular spot on the road for catching, you guessed it, sunrises!

Rhododendron Trail is a popular loop trail in the Mount Jefferson State Natural Area. The trail leaves from Mount Jefferson Picnic Area at the top of the main road. You can take the loop to Mount Jefferson and Luther Rock, which are down short spur trails. After visiting Luther Rock, you can take a cut-through trail to shorten the loop if you want a shorter hike or are running out of time.

Luther Rock is a large rocky outcropping just southeast of Mount Jefferson. It is often completed along with Mount Jefferson by hikers on the Rhododendron Trail. This is a fantastic spot to sip some water and admire the sweeping views.

Mount Jefferson, located in Ashe County, North Carolina, is a prominent peak rising to about 4,665 feet. It is part of the Amphibolite Mountains, known for their unique geological composition. The mountain is named after Thomas Jefferson and is a significant natural landmark in the area. Located in Mount Jefferson State Natural Area, there are several trails you can take to the summit that lead through diverse ecosystems, and provide panoramic views of the surrounding region, including the popular Rhododendron Trail and the Mountain Ridge Trail.

Shortly after beginning your hike up Three Top Mountain you navigate two stream crossings. At the second, there is a small scenic waterfall. This is a great place to rest before the grade really steepens!

Three Top Mountain in North Carolina is a fantastic, less crowded hiking destination in Ashe County. Three Top, also known as Big Rock, has ten other sub-peaks of varying height, but at its highest, Huckleberry Knob, it stands at 5,020 feet. The trail is about two miles one-way, and quite steep and rocky, with some stream crossings and a final rock scramble. It can also get a little overgrown as you draw closer to the summit, which provides stunning 360-degree views. You can scramble a bit beyond Huckleberry Knob, but caution is required. It’s located on game land, so hikers should be mindful of hunting seasons.