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The Best Backpacking in Morganton

Looking for the best backpacking in Morganton? We've got you covered with the top trails, trips, hiking, backpacking, camping and more around Morganton. The detailed guides, photos, and reviews are all submitted by the Outbound community.

Top backpacking spots in and near Morganton

  • Connelly Springs, North Carolina

    Little River to Upper CCC to Horseridge to Upper Falls Loop

    11.87 mi / 1896 ft gain
    Little River to Upper CCC to Horseridge to Upper Falls Loop is a loop trail where you may see local wildlife located near Connelly Springs, North Carolina.
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  • Connelly Springs, North Carolina

    Backpack to Sawtooth Campground in South Mountains SP

    8.5 mi / 1500 ft gain
    This 8.5-mile total trip will take you through the highlights of South Mountains State Park with an overnight stay in one of the drier campsites.  You'll start with a 2.7 mile loop that you can do sans packs before picking up with a 3-mile each way out-and-back.  Begin by parking at the large par...
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  • Morganton, North Carolina

    Camp on Shortoff Mountain in the Linville Gorge

    5.0
    The Linville Gorge Wilderness Area, also known as the Grand Canyon of the East, is one of the wildest, most rugged gorges in the eastern United States. It's also an outdoor paradise for hikers and backpackers. Camping here is always a treat and you are sure to enjoy your time spent in the gorge.D...
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  • Linville, North Carolina

    Shortoff Mountain Summit

    4.8
    4.64 mi / 1178 ft gain
    Start your hike from the Shortoff Mountain Trail off of Wolf Pit Road at the base of Lake James. From the summit there is a small grassy area off a side trail that provided awesome cliff side views of the Gorge and Linville River! You can setup after making the hour and a half trek (maybe just in...
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  • Morganton, North Carolina

    Camp at the Chimneys in the Linville Wilderness

    5.0
    1 mi / 138 ft gain
    The Chimneys area is a lesser-known camping destination within the Linville Wilderness. The Chimneys are a series of rock formations that rise above Linville Gorge and provide unobstructed panoramic views of the gorge and surrounding mountains. These rocks sit adjacent to Table Rock which hosts w...
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  • Marion, North Carolina

    Camp in the Linville Gorge via the Pinch In Trail

    1.5 mi
    We are pretty notorious for passing up a good campsite but we are learning our lessons. We got a late but interesting start on Pinch-In trail. We climbed down a steep 600+ feet after passing this ledge only to climb right back to it a third of a mile in. If we come up to an awesome spot, we somet...
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  • Marion, North Carolina

    Hike the Rock Jock Trail

    6 mi / 700 ft gain
    One of the first things I noticed when researching this hike was the conflicting information regarding finding the trail head, length of the hike, and the hike's correct route. Hopefully, as of September 2017, this report will contain the most up-to-date information currently available. To find t...
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  • Morganton, North Carolina

    Hawksbill Mountain Trail

    4.9
    1.87 mi / 633 ft gain
    Hidden far above the beautiful Linville Gorge stands Hawksbill Mountain, among many other fantastic hikes. The roughly 1.7 mile hike from the dusty gravel parking lot is steep but worth every step. It took me about an hour to conquer with a few water bottle-guzzling stops. At the top, you are al...
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  • Marion, North Carolina

    Linville River

    8.48 mi / 2021 ft gain
    Linville River is an out-and-back trail that takes you by a waterfall located near Morganton, North Carolina.
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  • Collettsville, North Carolina

    North Harper Creek, Kawana Road, Harper Creek, and Raider Camp Creek Trail Loop

    16.44 mi / 2877 ft gain
    North Harper Creek, Kawana Road, Harper Creek, and Raider Camp Creek Trail Loop is a loop trail that takes you by a waterfall located near Collettsville, North Carolina.
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  • Newland, North Carolina

    Greentown Trail

    7.53 mi / 1798 ft gain
    Greentown Trail is an out-and-back trail that takes you by a waterfall located near Newland, North Carolina.
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  • Linville, North Carolina

    Harper Creek, Raider Camp, and Yellow Buck Mountain Trail Loop

    12.02 mi / 2418 ft gain
    Harper Creek, Raider Camp, and Yellow Buck Mountain Trail Loop is a loop trail that takes you by a waterfall located near Collettsville, North Carolina.
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  • Newland, North Carolina

    Linville Gorge Loop

    31.56 mi / 8530 ft gain
    Linville Gorge Loop is a loop trail that takes you by a river located near Newland, North Carolina.
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  • Linville, North Carolina

    Yancey Ridge Trail

    13.88 mi / 3094 ft gain
    Yancey Ridge Trail is an out-and-back trail that provides a good opportunity to view wildlife located near Collettsville, North Carolina.
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  • Seven Devils, North Carolina

    Calloway Peak via Profile Trail

    7.11 mi / 2493 ft gain
    Calloway Peak via Profile Trail is an out-and-back trail with waterfall views located near Banner Elk, North Carolina in Grandfather Mountain State Park.
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  • Burnsville, North Carolina

    Celo Knob Via Black Mountain Crest and Colbert Ridge Trails

    13.97 mi / 4446 ft gain
    Celo Knob Via Black Mountain Crest and Colbert Ridge Trails is an out-and-back trail that takes you past scenic surroundings located near Burnsville, North Carolina.
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