Cat Gap Loop to John Rock Trail, Pisgah National Forest, North Carolina

ACTIVITIES: Birding, swimming, paddling, climbing, biking, fishing LENGTH OF HIKE: 4.4 miles OUT AND BACK OR LOOP: Loop DIFFICULTY OF TERRAIN: Moderate ELEVATION GAIN: 859 feet PARKING FEE/PASS: No TOILETS: Yes CHANGING TABLE: No NURSING BENCHES: No DOGS ALLOWED: Yes BIKES/HORSES/MOTORS ON TRAIL: No CELL RECEPTION: Spotty DRINKING WATER AVAILABLE: Yes POTENTIAL CHILD OR BABY HAZARDS: Can be slick when wet and steep. GEAR SUGGESTIONS: Shoes good for uphill terrain and that can get wet There are many reasons Cat Gap Loop is a family favorite. Depending on what path you choose, you are in for a few different adventures. There are stunning mountain views, three waterfalls, camping sites, and areas to splash in the creek. If you decide to climb up to John Rock, you have an amazing view of Looking Glass Rock as well as the surrounding mountains. This will be about 4 miles out and back. Once on top, sit and have a snack and watch hawks fly overhead while you take in the view. There’s a pretty decent climb up to this point as well, so this is the best spot to take a breather. The view from John Rock is beautiful year-round, so there is no best time. But if you want to see mountain laurel and rhododendron blooms, then spring and early summer are good times. If colorful leaves are your thing, the coverage is an amazing fiery orange and red in the fall. On the opposite side of the loop, you are closer to upper and lower Cedar Rock Falls. Those are about a mile in. Take Butter Gap, a side trail, and you can also get to Grogan Falls from this trail, which is a small but beautiful cascading waterfall. Depending on how much rain there has been, a lot of water crosses the trail in streams, and little tiny waterfalls can even be found right along the sides of the trail in places. Wildlife is plentiful, from hawks to snakes to centipedes. The forest floor is thickly covered with ferns and moss. Also look out for “rhododendron tunnels,” where the rhododendron trees cover the trail and you feel as if you are in a tunnel. This trail offers comfortable amenities for families, with comfortable benches for nursing and a great covered area in case your hike gets rained out; but these are at the beginning of the hike, not on the trail. There are a lot of secret things for kids to find, like tunnels in trees; and at the entrance of the park, there’s ice cream, which you can use as a posthike bribe to get your 3-year-old down the rest of the trail. As with any hike, there are a few hazards to be aware of. John Rock can be slippery, so we don’t suggest toddlers roam free here. Also, be aware that the creek can have slippery rocks and the water is cold, cold, cold no matter what time of year. Keep kids out of overgrown foliage (adhere to Leave No Trace, of course) because there is lots of poison ivy in this area. INSIDER’S TIP Dolly’s Dairy Bar sits right at the entrance to the Pisgah National Forest and has great ice cream with a big porch with rocking chairs to sit in while you enjoy your ice cream. A great way to finish off your hike!