whiteside mountain

Good trail, nice view at the top. Not too strenuous for this 65 year old non-athlete. Good parking with restrooms.

This is a 2-mile hike that is challenging enough to make it fun, but will not so hard to need ice packs afterward.Insider tip: take the path to the left. This hike is a big loop. By taking the trail to the left you stay on the hard packed trail for the inclines. The return loop are steps built into the trail. Much easier to take the steps down rather than up.Several breath taking places to stop & enjoy. Definitely take your camera and selfie stick!We went in the winter & there were frozen waterfalls and icicles everywhere. So I bet it's really nice when the water is flowing. We brought our dog, which was fun. One spot has a sign that told the story of some friends that had to rescue on of their group when he fell off the cliff. Read it then look down & imagine how that must've felt!Restrooms at the trail head. Take your time and have fun!

Cold cold day, but was well worth the drive. Two mile hike that may be challenging for some, but easy for the avid hiker. Bring a camera

I've reviewed this before (Feb 2013), but since we took a cub scout den (10-year-olds) and their associated families on a hike this past weekend, I figured I'd update my impressions.It's still not a difficult trek if you're in any decent shape. I say that because I now know that if you have breathing issues, it can be a little tougher. Still, I wouldn't avoid it because it has great views. Not just the distant vistas down in the valley and over to Cashiers, but even seeing the icicles that form on the rocks alongside the roadbed/trail.Note: the receptacle for paying your fee fell over and has been removed (I'm sure it will be replaced), but it means you cannot get a tag for your car or leave info on your party size in case nightfall comes and a car is still in the lot. I hope this gets corrected soon, but interestingly enough, people seem to drop their $2 into an unsecured pamphlet-holder as they leave an no one takes the money (well, maybe the forest service does later).

Whiteside Mountain is between Highlands and Cashiers and the views are amazing! If you go, take the left path up to the top and come down the other way. It's less of a hike that way. Be careful at the top. There are safety rails up there - as long as you don't go beyond them, you'll be safe.

Whiteside Mountain is a very popular hike in the Highlands/Cashiers area of NC. A 2 mile loop starts out as a fairly gentle walk, if you stay to the left trail. The trail does loop, but if you go right, it's a very steep and strenuous climb to the top. Just stay left. The vistas from here are amazing. You may even spot Peregrine Falcon as they ride the thermals till out of site. Then watch them as they dive down the face of the mountain. This is also a popular cliff for expert climbers, if you are trained and have the proper equipment. Still, the trail to the top is the safer route for the rest of us. At the top, there is a crag you can venture into known as "Fools Rock". PLEASE, don't let your children run around on this trail without a handhold. While there is a fence to keep you at a safe distance from the edge of the cliff, failure to use caution could lead to certain death. This is no playground!!! However, it is a beauty to behold. So, beholden onto your children. Don't forget to travel into Cashiers and follow "Whiteside Cove Road". This takes you into the valley below the cliffs. You can also stop just across the bridge on Whiteside Cove Rd. (you'll see the wide pulloff) and a short hike of about 100 yards leads you to Grimshaw Falls (mistakenly called by tourists, "Cashiers Sliding Rock"). Wonderful photographs await you on this journey. You can continue through Whiteside Cove Rd. and it joins back into Horse Cove Rd., which leads you back into the town of Highlands onto Main Street. Just before the junction back into Horse Cove Rd. is another hidden treasure known as Granite City. There are no signs and you'll miss it if you don't know what you're looking for. Granite City is large rock formations, crags, even a cave you can go all the way through if you want to do a little bouldering. Feel free to contact me.

There are 3 places you are unlikely to visit unless you get the word from a local. I call them the 3 holes in the wall, because 2 of the 3 are definitely off the beaten path. The 3 are DJ's crab shack on Duval, great for real Maine lobster rolls, Garbo's for grilled fish or Kobe beef tacos, and the Old Town Grocery, off the beaten path on Whitehead St, home of a great roast beef sandwiches on real Cuban bread. The store has an eclectic selection ranging from milk to beer and wine and unusual food stuffs. Don't mistake it for the selection at your local Publix but a visit is worthwhile. Did I mention the homemade soups? Get there early or the locals will beat you to it.

This hike is only about a 15 minute drive from Highlands and I'd definitely do it again. Once on the trail, keep to the left on the rocky road vs going up the steep steps to your right for a bit easier climb to the top. At the top you'll have the chance to straddle the Continental Divide and walk about a half mile along the ridge line with amazing views. It was foggy the day we went, but I've seen photos!

My family and I did the 2 mile loop up to the top of Whiteside Mountain. There are two sets of man-made stairs on the hike as well as God-made stairs made of rocks. This hike also features cliff faces. There are wire barricades that keep you from going over the side of the mountain. The hike offers spectacular views of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. It is really great for climbing also. It is supposed to take an hour to an hour and a half plus time to take in the view according to the sign but we took longer but we took a lot of pictures and took our time on the hike. It was foggy when we went on the hike but we were patient so the clouds opened up and we had a great view. It was also muddy in parts. We really enjoyed this hike and recommend itto others!

We stopped to hike Whiteside Mtn while in visiting family for the holidays. It was winter so we weren't expecting much but the views from Whiteside Mtn are amazing apparently no matter what time of year you visit. The hike is a must if in the area.

I really enjoyed making this hike with some friends. It was a beautiful day and there was lots to see...the only downside is it was pretty iced over in places which made the trail super slick. Fun activity!

Really enjoyed this. Can't wait to return. Want to do more geocaching next time & bird watching. Picked up some trash on the mountain, want to keep it clean.

Stunning views of the mountains. Would hike it again. Saw other enjoying the view and popular place during the leaves changing in October. Not too crowded though.

I prefer wooded mountains to mountains with bare sides. Some people like the way it looks and others like to hike it. I think there are prettier places nearby to visit.

Last Saturday (11/01/2014) with partial snow flurries and high winds, we hiked this beautiful mountain to the top. What a treat. I love mountains and hiking. The hike is about 2.5 miles up and down for the loop. One side is more challenging than the other. As you leave the parking area the trail splits left and right. The left side is more like a walking trail and the right side is a steeper climb, having to step up on rocks and handbuilt wood steps to climb the mountain. It is a loop if you go up one path and come down the other. We took the left fork to go up and planned to come down on the right path. It would have been better for us to have taken the right fork and come down on the other path. Due to the light snow, walking down and stepping on the stone steps was kind of treacherous at times. The wet leaves were slippery. I'd rather slip going up, than coming down. You can take the same path up and back down, but we wanted to walk the entire loop. The more scenic path is definitely the left one at the fork. It clings right next to the mountain and has a cable fence just in case you stray too close to the edge. You duck under Magnolia trees and between the rocks along the path. The view is unbelievable. It is 4,931 feet above sea level, with several granite walls going straight down. The horizon is nothing but mountains as far as the eye can see.