Doughton Recreation Area Loop | 17.5 Mile Endurance Hike | Blue Ridge Parkway | North Carolina

In early December, we visited the mountains of Western North Carolina by hiking at Doughton Park (Doughton Recreation Area), located between mileposts 238 and 241 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. To make it challenging, however, we started at the low-lying Longbottom Road and climbed up the Cedar Ridge Trail just to come back down the Bluff Mountain and Flat Rock Ridge Trails. This epic hike encircles the largest recreation area on the parkway and provides the ample exposure to largely untouched and awe-inspiring overlooks, ridgetop meadows, and steep mountainsides. Along the way, we visited Brinegar Cabin, a superbly preserved piece of early mountain life.

CONTENTS
00:00 Intro Teaser
00:54 Map & Overview
01:45 Trailhead Cedar Ridge Trail
04:20 Brinegar Cabin
05:25 Bluff Mountain Trail
06:00 Doughton Park Campground
06:35 Blue Ridge Parkway View
07:45 Bluffs Restaurant & Visitor Center
09:50 Bluff Mountain
11:25 Ooops - Wrong Turn
12:25 Back on Course
13:00 Flat Rock Ridge Trail
14:00 Flat Rock Knob
14:30 Trail Dashboard
15:45 Hike Assessment

Under normal groundcover conditions, the beautiful scenery can be reached via mildly uneven terrain with little anxiety. But make no mistake, the ascent is challenging and the distance is just about the most you can do on a day hike. So, be prepared for a good endurance trail.