John Rock

Driving directions**: From the college, drive right on Broad Street for several miles until you get to the Pisgah Forest intersection (near the Wal-Mart store). Turn left into Pisgah Forest (Route 276N). Continue for about 5.3 miles until you come to the intersection for Route 475. Turn left onto 475 and follow the signs to the fish hatchery. Turn left into the parking lot; continue left through the lot to the far end of the parking lot. The hike is about 1 hour and 15 minutes up to the top of John Rock (where there will be spectacular view of surrounding mountains and Looking Glass Rock), then about 1-hour back down to the hatchery.

Hiking directions - The hike can be a longer loop hike, but I will give you directions for a more direct up and back route. Examine the trail map at the end of the parking lot. Begin on Cat Gap Trail, following it along the creek for about 40 minutes. As you do this part of the hike, you will notice that Cat Gap Trail has an orange blaze and goes along the river for quite a ways. The trail is pretty level for about 30 minutes until you ford the stream (this isn't too bad, but may have slippery moss covered rocks). Shortly after you cross the stream, you will cross an old road. Then shortly after that you will see the sign to turn right to go to John Rock (again, total time to this point is probably about 40 minutes). The John Rock trail will be marked with a yellow blaze, and will go up hill and away from the stream. You climb for about 35 minutes, through laurel until you come out on top of John Rock. The view is simply beautiful (overlooking the mountains and Looking Glass Rock). Follow the sign back the way you came to return to the Fish Hatchery. You can also go a longer way back, continuing on Cat Gap Trail Loop (this way takes about 20 minutes longer). If you take the loop on around, you will come out on a gravel road behind the Wild Life Center of the Fish Hatchery.  The following photos (and the trail map above) were taken by zen and included by permission.  Visit his website at http://www.main.nc.us/naturenotebook/hikesindex.html   for more hiking information.

• *As always, when hiking you should always:
• Hike with someone
• Let others know where you are going and when you expect to return
• Wear appropriate footwear and clothing (carry rain gear)
• Carry water (and snacks)
• Have a map of the area (available downtown at the Forest Place or at Dolly’s ice cream shop (at the corner of 64, 276 and 280, near Wal-Mart)

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