Overview Map

Dedication

Acknowledgments

Preface

Recommended Hikes

Introduction

Map Legend

Central

• French Broad River Greenway
• Destination Center Track Trail
• Rocky Cove
• Lake Powhatan

North

• Big Firescald Knob
• Hickey Fork Loop
• Lovers Leap
• Bailey Mountain Preserve
• Rattlesnake Lodge
• Hawkbill Rock
• Douglas Falls
• Craggy Gardens and Craggy Pinnacle

East

• Big Butt Little Butt
• Mount Mitchell High Loop
• Mount Mitchell Circuit
• Setrock Creek Falls
• Snooks Nose and Hickory Branch Falls
• Bearwallow Mountain
• Florence Nature Preserve
• Wildcat Rock

South

• Carl Sandburg’s Connemara Farms
• DuPont State Forest Four Falls
• Lake Julia
• John Rock
• Looking Glass Rock
• Moore Cove Falls
• Turkey Pen Loop
• Mills River Loop

West

• Mount Pisgah via Buck Spring Lodge
• Pink Beds Loop
• Cradle of Forestry
• Shining Rock
• Black Balsam Knob High Loop
• Sam Knob
• Cold Mountain

Appendix A: Outdoor Retailers

Appendix B: Hiking Clubs

Index

About the Author

Lovers Leap

• Scenery: 4
• Trail Condition: 5
• Children: 2
• Difficulty: 3
• Solitude: 2

Distance & Configuration: 4.5-mile loop

Hiking Time: 3 hours

Highlights: Views of the French Broad River and Hot Springs

Elevation: 1,314' along French Broad River, 2,382' on top of the ridge

Access: Free and always open

Maps: National Geographic #782 French Broad and Nolichucky Rivers (Cherokee and Pisgah National Forests), USGS Hot Springs

Facilities: None

Wheelchair Access: None

Comments: This hike can be shortened by taking the Silvermine Trail from Lovers Leap back to the trailhead. (Or it can be considerably lengthened by continuing on the Appalachian Trail to Maine.)

Contacts: Pisgah National Forest, Appalachian Ranger District, 828-689-9694

Overview

Nestled between the Blue Ridge Mountains and beside the French Broad River, the quaint town of Hot Springs anchors the Lovers Leap hike. The route follows the renowned Appalachian Trail (AT) beside the river and then presents a strenuous climb to Lovers Leap overlook. This rocky outcrop provides views of Hot Springs, the serpentine French Broad, and the distant ridgeline of the North Carolina–Tennessee border. Past Lovers Leap, the trail travels along the ridgeline before intersecting Pump Gap Trail. The route then follows Pump Gap Trail and weaves through the remnants of an old silver mining operation on its way back to the trailhead.

Route Details

You will begin the hike from a parking area up Silvermine Road, then walk it back down to join the Appalachian Trail directly beside the French Broad River, whose headwaters begin south of Asheville. However, because it falls to the west of the Eastern Continental Divide, the water flows north, traveling a winding route northwest through the mountains before emptying into the Tennessee River.

After backtracking down Silvermine Road to the French Broad River, look left for a small footbridge that spans Silvermine Creek. During summer, the creek is lined with Japanese knotweed, an invasive exotic species that now grows rampantly throughout the Southeast. Rising above the knotweed is a trailhead sign with a white blaze painted on it. Follow this marker across the footbridge that spans the creek, and then continue to follow the white blazes that lead south farther up the river.

As if this route weren’t already confusing enough, when you literally hike south along the north-flowing river, you are theoretically progressing north on the most famous footpath in the world: the Appalachian Trail. The AT travels 2,198 miles from Georgia to Maine, and it is marked the entire way with the white blazes that you are now following alongside this river.

If you hike this trail in the spring, you may be passed from behind by several rugged, sometimes smelly thru-hikers who have set out to complete the entire trail in one calendar year. You may want to even consider bringing extra snacks in your day pack to share with these long-distance hikers. Sharing along the AT is known as trail magic, and it is always appreciated.

Along the river, you may spot purple wildflowers such as the funny-sounding beardtongue (a common name for penstemon) or tall-growing spiderwort. After 0.2 mile of hiking along the French Broad River, you will notice a concrete tower to your right. This tower once served to gauge the height of floodwaters on the French Broad. In another 0.2 mile the trail will take a sharp turn uphill. This is the first of many switchbacks that lead up the steep mountain. The multiple switchbacks will raise your heart rate, but after 0.3 mile your hard work will be rewarded with views from rock outcrops on either side of the final switchback.

The first rock outcrop is Lovers Leap, for which this route is named. Cherokee legend suggests that this rocky ledge was the site where the fair maiden Mist-of-the-Mountain threw herself off the mountain after she learned that her love had been murdered by a jealous rival. The next outcrop gives a better view back to Hot Springs and the French Broad River. This is also the trail junction with the Silvermine Trail. If you want to shorten your hike, you can take the Silvermine Trail down the mountain and arrive at the trailhead parking lot after 1.6 miles of total walking. Otherwise, remain on the AT and continue uphill.

The trail does not immediately flatten out but now climbs along the ridge of the mountain. In winter, the bare trees reveal views of neighboring mountains to the north and south. After 1.7 miles of cumulative hiking, you will reach a nice level campsite on the ridge. Continue on the rolling ridgeline of hardwood trees and mountain laurel thickets for another 1.3 miles to a second small campsite on the left of the trail. Just past this campsite, the AT intersects the blazed Pump Gap Trail. Turn left onto Pump Gap Trail and follow it downhill beside a small stream.

The next half mile gives the feeling of hiking through a long green tunnel. Lady ferns and doghobble choke the forest floor, while thick groves of rhododendrons and tall poplar trees flourish to your left and right.

After nearly a mile of descent, the Pump Gap Trail widens into an old roadbed. It continues to follow the stream down the valley and past the remnants of old bunkers, which were once used to hold explosives. I like to think that the sticks of dynamite have been removed, but the Danger Explosives sign keeps me from exploring the concrete shed too closely, and I recommend keeping a safe distance.

Continue on the old roadbed through a valley rife with wildflowers in spring, past the site of the old Silvermine Group Camp, then walk around the pole gate to reach the trailhead parking area.

Nearby Attractions

A visit to the town of Hot Springs can turn this 4.6-mile hike into a full day’s outing. The main attraction is the Hot Springs Spa, where riverside hot tubs can be rented for an hour-long soak. These tubs are filled with water piped from the town’s naturally occurring hot springs. After a relaxing dip in the tubs, be sure to satisfy your hiking hunger with a trip to one of the Spring Street restaurants serving delicious food. Also, don’t leave town before visiting Bluff Mountain Outfitters. It’s a wonderful store with a knowledgeable staff who can help you prepare for your next adventure.

Directions

From Asheville, travel US 19/US 23 north (future I-26) to Exit 19A. Turn left off the exit and follow US 25/US 70 west 25 miles. Just before crossing the bridge over the French Broad River and entering Hot Springs, turn right onto River Road. After 0.1 mile turn left onto Silvermine Road and travel underneath the overpass. Continue 0.3 mile to the parking area at the end of the road.

The Five-Star Trails series of guidebooks utilizes text, maps, and photographs to introduce around 30 to 40 expertly selected hiking trails. Each book covers easy to arduous hikes, ranging in distance from under a mile to well over 10 miles round-trip and including such diverse types of hikes as out-and-backs, loops, and balloons. Perfect for part or all of a day trip, the trails are within easy access from the core location, with both urban and wilderness locations. Experienced Five-Star Trails authors infuse their descriptions with vital and appealing information for the reader. Keyed to the iconic series title, these authors note 1- to 5-star ratings for scenery, trail conditions, degree of hiking difficulty, atmosphere for solitude vs. crowds, and appropriateness for children.