Explore Elk Knob State park

If you’re planning a visit to Elk Knob State Park and looking to plan out your hike, you’ve come to the right place. The park’s four trails wind through northern hardwood forest in the rare Amphibolite Mountains just outside Todd, NC, offering something for every kind of hiker — from an easy, family-friendly loop with interpretive signs and local art to a strenuous 1.9-mile climb to the 5,520-foot summit. Click on the trail names below to dive deeper into each one — including what to expect on the path, where to find the trailhead, and our own first-hand notes from the trail.

Trail Name	Blaze	Length	Difficulty	Trail Use
Backcountry Trail	Orange Diamonds	2-mile one-way	Moderate to Strenuous	Hiking Only
Beech Tree Trail	Yellow Diamonds	1-mile loop	Easy	Hiking Only
Maple Run Trail	Red Diamonds	0.5-mile one-way	Easy	Hiking Only
Summit Trail	Blue Diamonds	1.9-mile one-way	Moderate to Strenuous	Hiking Only

Planning Your Hike

For a short, easy walk that’s perfect for families, the Maple Run Trail runs between the visitor center and the park’s outdoor amphitheater — a gentle introduction to Elk Knob that pairs well with the Beech Tree Trail, a 1-mile loop designated as a Kids in Parks TRACK Trail with free kid-friendly brochures, interpretive signs, and local art installed along the path. Both trails are well-suited for younger visitors and offer accessible ways to experience the rare amphibolite forest that gives Elk Knob its ecological significance.

For a more challenging outing, the Summit Trail is the park’s signature hike — a 1.9-mile one-way climb to the 5,520-foot summit of Elk Knob, with switchbacks that earn you panoramic views of high peaks in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. The Backcountry Trail is a less-traveled 2-mile one-way route that follows an old access road steeply down through the woods toward the headwaters of the North Fork of the New River, with primitive backcountry campsites available along the way. Note: A portion of the Backcountry Trail remains closed due to Hurricane Helene damage. Check with the park office at 828-297-7261 for the most current status.

The park also offers about a mile of ungroomed trail for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in the winter — one of the few state park trails in this part of North Carolina genuinely designed for winter recreation. Visitors planning to ski or snowshoe should bring their own equipment.