Date: 08/24/2021
Name: Whiteside Mountain National Recreation Trail
Distance: 2.2
Difficulty: Moderate
Total Climbing Elevation: 522
Type: Loop
Notes: It was a nice day for a hike at ~75°F and clear skies. Being Tuesday, we were surprised by the large number of folks on this trail. We took the loop counter-clockwise with a short, but fairly steep initial climb and mostly a roadbed on the return, downhill leg. Despite being mostly a tourist walk, the views are quite impressive. From the Sylva Herald, " Nestled in the Appalachians, among the world's oldest mountains, Whiteside is considered by some to be the oldest, dated at anywhere from 390 to 460 million years old. A giant slab of granite itself, it's no wonder many of the legends regarding Whiteside are gigantic as well, particularly in Cherokee lore." We did see a few late summer wildflowers along the way and had lunch at the amphitheater at the Highlands Nature Center on our way to our next stop at Glen Falls.
AllTrails Link: Whiteside Mountain National Recreation Trail
Additional Search Terms: August