Whiteside Mountain Trail, over in Jackson County between Cashiers and the Georgia border, celebrates an enormous mountain named for the towering white cliffs seen for miles and miles on its facade. The mountain contains the tallest such cliffs in all of North Carolina where the lovely 1.9-mile loop trail takes visitors all the way to the top and along those cliffs. In spite of the more than 500 feet in elevation gain, the hike is only rated as moderate by AllTrails — and it's the perfect spot to get high above the local terrain and see some fantastic views.
Welcome to Whiteside Mountain!
As one of the best North Carolina hiking trails, you'll find the path here is one that's well traveled, called the Whiteside Mountain National Recreation Trail and, oh boy, is it a joy!
Lace up your hiking boots and prepare for an adventure.
Take the clockwise route on the way up and you'll follow some of what may be an old service road for part of the way.
Enjoy the wildflowers and lull of this part of the hike, but don't get too comfortable because that trail will soon change.
In fact, once you reach the top, if you continue on the loop trail you'll follow it for nearly a mile along the cliffs. The trail is a thrill and the views are simply exhilarating.
We love the variety of points to stop and admire the views. But Whiteside Mountain Trail will likely be well populated and in more narrow places it may take some time to funnel through the tight spots like this one.
Set aside some extra time to linger at the overlooks, if you can.
Views from high atop the Whiteside Mountain cliffs look toward the east, the south and the north.
Staying on this main trek without venturing off to other smaller North Carolina hiking trails on this hike will also mean you'll be mostly protected from those treacherous cliffs by safety wires installed by the Forest Service.
Those who are afraid of heights should probably avoid this trail altogether.
Once you've exhausted every single photo opportunity, it's time to head back down Whiteside Mountain.
The trail on the way back down gets more narrow than on the way up.
You'll find a combination of stairs, rocks, and root-laden trail on your way down, so be sure of your footing as you make your way back to your vehicle.
Speaking of vehicles, this is one hike where you'll want to arrive VERY early.
The parking area fills up quickly. It's usually full by 10 a.m. and stays that way all day long. Violating the parking rules could get you ticketed and towed.
See more of the magnificent 750-foot-tall cliffs of Whiteside Mountain in this fantastic video from YouTube user higgt00l:
Learn more about Whiteside Mountain National Recreation Trail from our friends at AllTrails. If you sign up for AllTrails Plus, your first week is free and you'll unlock a ton of special features to make your next hiking adventure even more awesome. And also check out the U.S. Forest Service page for one of the best North Carolina hiking trails.
Do you love the mountains? We do, too! Consider these 10 activities to do in the extraordinary North Carolina Mountains this summer. And to help you pack, here is our list of 75 must-have hiking accessories.
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