Double Spring Gap Climb

Dogs Leashed

Features Fall Colors · River/Creek · Spring · Waterfall · Wildflowers

This is a steady, yet moderate, climb through Cold Mountain Game Lands and into Pisgah NF to a gap between Richland Balsam, at 6410 feet, and Cold Spring Knob, just under 6k. During fall and spring this is an exceptionally colorful stretch.

The road/trail continues down the other side of the gap. I don't know where it goes but I'm going to find out!

The footing can be tricky, as with many of the old forest roads out here.

Starting off on Lickstone Gap Road, just past Sunburst CG you head up a gated Forestry Rd marked 97B. The trail quickly becomes singletrack and moves along a lovely creek. You'll soon start to climb and the creek next to you'll become an impressive cascade. Within a mile or so the trail leaves the creek and continues to climb around to the right. This stretch climbs for 2 miles before reconnecting with Lickstone Gap Road. If you are coming back this way, turn around and make a mental note of what the trail looks like, as it is hard to see from the road unless you are looking (the road across Lickstone Gap Road was my marker).

Take a right on Lickstone Gap Road and follow for less than a half mile before you come across the trail on the left. It is another FR that is gated closed and left to hikers and runners. This stretch will climb for another 2.5 miles before you finally reach the gap.