Mountains-to-Sea Trail: Hwy 215 to Black Balsam Knob

This segment of the MST climbs steadily from Rt. 215 before leveling out and contouring above the Blue Ridge Parkway. The trail then climbs further to a junction with Black Balsam Knob Rd. The Mountains-to-Sea Trail will eventually provide a foot trail across the entire state of North Carolina. Its western terminus is at one of the highest points in the state, Clingmans Dome, on the North Carolina/Tennessee state line in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Its eastern end is in Jockeys Ridge State Park, near the Atlantic Ocean. It will eventually cover at least 935 miles and, as of the spring of 2008, over 400 miles of off-road footpaths were available. (The completion date for the entire trail cannot be estimated due to the need to negotiate with private landowners.) The trail will be a travel way with various sections open to hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, and even canoeing/kayaking on a parallel paddling path. However, the entire portion of the trail within the Pisgah District is restricted to foot traffic only.