My friend Laurie knows the area of Haywood County, N.C., including its quaint and charming towns and its stunning trails. She recommended Purchase Knob Trail for its views. It turns out that Purchase Knob Trail offers the best day-hiking adventure.
We set out at a leisurely pace on a perfect autumn day. The sky was clear and blue, with puffy clouds overhead. The temperature was a pleasant 72 degrees. As we walked, rays of sunlight filtered through the trees, and an occasional light breeze sent bursts of autumn leaves spiraling to the ground.
Purchase Knob Trail offers the best day-hiking adventure for many reasons. First, it’s an easy hike with a moderate incline on a packed gravel road.
The wooded areas along the trail are thick enough to provide a sense of isolation but thin enough to offer glimpses of the panoramic views.
Also, we found the Purchase Knob Trail less crowded than other hiking trails. For much of the hike, we were the only people on the trail, and it was very clean. We saw no signs of trash. Limited parking at the trailhead helps reduce crowding on the trail. While this is good, it’s important to arrive early. In fact, we arrived just in time to get the last parking space.
Best of all, Purchase Knob is the best trail because there is so much to see. For example, one side trail leads to the Ferguson Cabin, the family home of John Ferguson, completed in 1875. Visitors might find the cabin locked. But all it takes is a little consideration of nineteenth-century home security, and you’ll be inside in no time. In fact, clues are provided. We noticed a group of hikers enjoying a picnic in the clearing behind the cabin.
Leaves were at their peak of fall color during our visit. But there is much more to see at Purchase Knob. In addition to leaves, we saw wildflowers, trees covered in furry lichens, and butterflies along the trail. We also identified horseshoe tracks and what appeared to be bear tracks along the road.
The very best part of this day-hiking adventure is getting to the top. The views there are breathtaking! But, that’s not all.
The meadows offer the best picnic spots, space for kids to run and play, or places to sit and enjoy the scenery.
It’s easy to identify year-round sights on the hand-illustrated map by local naturalist Ken Czarnomski. His maps identify seasonal views, flora and fauna, and other trails, such as the one leading to Cataloochee Valley. In fact, his maps are so beautiful that people use them as wall hangings. Best of all, they are free! You can get this one and more at the Visit NC Smokies Visitor Center. Read more about Ken in Keen Footwear.
Even though we caught the peak leaf-peeping season, Purchase Knob Trail offers unique beauty and is the best day-hiking adventure year-round.
Purchase Knob Trail offers the best day-hiking adventure. But it also serves a larger purpose. The Appalachian Highlands Science Learning Center is located at the top. There, scientists study how to help managers protect the parks while providing education and access to the public.
As we returned to the car, I thought the day couldn’t get any better. But Laurie had one more surprise to show me! We were near the Cataloochee Valley at dusk, when elk love to graze. After 21 hair-raising miles of twists and turns on narrow mountain roads, we arrived at dusk.
Once there, we saw what we’d come to see. Elk were grazing in the valley!
In addition to elk in the valley, the pull-off along Cove Creek Road provides the most amazing sunset over the mountains.
Allow time for sightseeing along Hemphill Road, where you’ll find five miles of vintage farm scenery. You’ll see red barns, bridges over stream beds, a one-room schoolhouse, and much more!
Travel Notes
How we got to the best day-hiking adventure.
Purchase Knob Trail Head from Maggie Valley. Drive east on US-19. Turn right onto 276 N toward I-40. Turn left onto Hemphill Road, which becomes Purchase Road.
Cataloochee Valley
Drive east on US-19 toward Hillbilly Circle. Turn left onto US-276, then take a slight left onto Cove Creek Road. From there, turn onto Cataloochee Entrance Road, then turn right onto Cataloochee Creek Road to arrive at Cataloochee Valley. The entrance to Cataloochee Valley is via a very winding, narrow gravel road. There are steep drop-offs where you must stop or back up to allow oncoming vehicles to pass.
About Laurie Morris
Laurie Morris is a retired teacher who spent the last 14 years teaching 5-year-olds in kindergarten. She continues to have a passion for reading and learning. She loves the outdoors and being immersed in nature. Although from South Carolina, her home away from home is the Maggie Valley area of North Carolina, where she’s sure to locate the best day-hiking adventure.
Find another beautiful mountain trail in the area of Maggie Valley at the link below:
Weekend with Friends at Maggie Valley and Four Easy to Moderate Mountain Trails Nearby
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