Pickens Nose Trailhead

Trail is steep and rocky for a short distance right at the beginning but is mostly level beyond that initial section. There are several overlooks with beautiful views! Highly recommend!

The drive up the one lane dirt path 5 miles up the side of a mountain was worth it. Definitely recommend an AWD or 4x4 vehicle to get up. Once you get to the trailhead it's about half mile of steady incline to reach the end. There are done side trails along the way for different views. Parking area can fit about 4 cars

Great short hike for the amazing views at the end. Pretty steep going up but it evens out and it's nice and easy going down. Probably the best views in the area.

Awesome views in several directions. Don't miss the obscure side trail on the left only about ⅓ of the way in for views to the East.

I drove up from Hiawassee GA so it was about an hour and a half drive,with the majority of it being on a one lane gravelly road through the Nantahala National Forest. The trail itself is pretty short with a little bit of an incline in the beginning. Once you get closer to the end of the trail there are a couple of scenic spots to sit and enjoy the phenomenal view.

Trail is moderate with a 220 ft incline in the first half mile. It felt like we were going straight up but once you hit the .5 mile mark it gradually goes up the remaining 140 ft to top out at 360 ft incline from the trailhead. Well worth the hike and one will will do again.

This is an absolutely beautiful place. Quite a gem find. Beware there are no railings or any safety precautions so please be careful. Also it is very hard to get to. I definitely wouldn't attempt it with a car. I'm not even sure a Subaru would have enough ground clearance to make it over some of the ruts and rocks. We were in a truck and it did just fine. It's a one lane gravel road so be cautious of oncoming traffic.

Pickens nose is a wonder clifftop view of the southern Appalachian wilderness. The hike itself is pretty easy but the drive on gravel will take a while. I recommend the northern approach for easier roads. We made it out in a low clearance vehicle so it's doable for anyone. We caught it on a misty cloudy day but the views were still magical.

Great hike! Follow the trail that goes up.

Nice hike with great views

Hiked up to the top of Pickens Nose trail this past weekend. The trail begins right off of Ball Creek Rd. You will see a sign that says “Picken’s Nose”. The trail starts on the opposite side of the road from the sign as seen in the picture. The trail is very well maintained and very beautiful. There are several lookout points that you can walk out to to view the surrounding mountains and valley. The trail is 1.5 miles round trip which was very easy! I highly recommend hiking this trail

Easy hike with great views. There's quite a few overlooks on either side of the trail and plenty of rocks to climb on if you're daring enough and want a great picture.

Long drive in on a one lane mountain road, but a great little hike along the ridge with plenty of side trails to great views. Just be careful at the ends of those trails, as they have steep drop offs. The trail itself is well shielded from sun and wind as it cuts right through plenty of vegetation. Cloudy days yield no views, but the walk is still very nice

Had a blast with my wife on this hike. Make sure you have a 4x4 if bad weather for the ride up.
Otherwise a wise suv or small car can make it.
Water and a jacket. It gets windy and amazing at the top enjoy!
-D. Orr

Moderate trail especially with the fallen leaves covering the rocky path. But what a beautiful view!! One of the best hikes we have experienced!

Great little hike to a spectacular view!

One of the best views ever! With an easy 1.8 mile hike, this scenic vista will be sure to please.

Such a fun hike and not too far from Atlanta! The road to get there is a bit rough so I’d recommend a high clearance vehicle like an suv. Pretty easy hike though. Remember to leave no trace when visiting. One of my favs for sure!

Great hike. Not too strenuous. Like going up four flights of stairs in the beginning, but then it evens out. Like to take visitors on this hike for the high impact views.

Not a long hike, maybe a mile each way. The views are absolutely breathtaking. Worth the trip.