Jackie Steffan — 6.4 miles — 3 hours — Moderate — 1200′ elevation gain —
We had heard about a trail out to Yellow Mountain from Overmountain Victory, but we’d never found the trail until some our friends led the way. It really felt like we were transported to Scotland with the unique terrain on the Yellow Mountain bald area. Along the way, you’ll get several great views and might even find some unique wildflowers.
Getting There
From I-26
- Take Exit 24 towards Elizabethton on TN-67 E/US-321 N
- Travel 4.7 miles and then turn right onto TN-91S, then take a slight left on W G St.
- In 0.3 mile, turn right onto State Hwy 2377/TN-362 S
- Go 5.6 miles, then continue straight onto TN-361E/Gap Creek Rd
- In 2.4 miles, turn right onto US-19E S
- After 17.3 miles, turn right to stay on US-19E S (in Cranberry, NC)
- Travel 8.2 miles, then turn right onto Roaring Creek Rd.
- Should have a street sign now, but in the past, the turn was identified by a Roaring Creek Church sign
- You will reach the gravel parking lot in 4.7 miles on the left. The last 1.1 miles will be on a gravel road. The worst section for low clearance vehicles is the initial hill transitioning from pavement to gravel.
- There will be a small paved lot at the transition from pavement to gravel road, so don’t mistake this for the right place.
The Hike
The Overmountain Victory Trail begins opposite from the parking area, traversing through a small overgrown clearing next to the creek. The trail quickly opens up to a wider road and follows the creek for approximately 0.3 mile. The trail then takes a left into the field, skirting the edge, crossing over to the tree line on the other side of the opening. In 0.5 mile, continue right at a trail intersection (left takes you down to the previous Overmountain Shelter location, torn down in 2024).
Shortly, a larger trail intersection will appear. This is Yellow Mountain Gap, where the Overmountain Victory Trail and the Appalachian Trail (AT) cross. Turn right to follow the AT northbound. This will be the most difficult portion of the hike due to the steep ascent. Over the next 1.2 miles, you will ascend 575′. Take your time, enjoying the views along the first part of this stretch.
After that 1.2 miles, you will be in a large bald area. Little Hump is directly ahead of you. There is a small side trail on the right (almost looks like a social trail) going up the hill opposite of Little Hump, which will take you towards Yellow Mountain. The turn to Yellow Mountain can be a little hard to locate, especially if you are hiking when all the plants are green. Keep your eyes peeled as you hike up the hill, especially in the early summer, when the endangered and rare Gray’s Lily blooms. Since they do grow here, be very careful about staying on the small trail to avoid any plant damage.
Continue following the skinny trail for another 1.2 miles. The trail may be a little hard to locate at times, depending on the season and growth. The trail re-enters the woods, following a ridge line. For this reason, the elevation is mostly level on this section.
Before reaching the end of the 1.2 miles, you will reach a large metal gate and fence. The area is technically private property with livestock, but the signs clearly indicate day-hikers are permitted if the land is respected. Continue through the gate, making sure to re-latch, and enter the Yellow Mountain bald area, which we can only describe as feeling like Scotland. You can walk as far as you like onto the bald area. We personally liked relaxing on the rocky hillside since it also blocks a bit of the wind.
When satisfied with the views at Yellow Mountain, simply re-trace your steps back to the Overmountain Victory Trail parking area. If you want to increase the hike length, consider adding a small roughly half-mile round-trip jaunt up to Little Hump.
