Rising only 200′ feet above the surrounding plateau, Cedar Rock Mountain contains some of the most exposed granite anywhere in the region. Hundreds of acres alternate between bare and moss/lichen covered rock.
The Big Rock trail rewards visitors with a westward view across a strange slickrock landscape. The area has become quite popular with mountain bikers and hikers.
Please stay off moss!
Directions to Cedar Rock Mountain:
Follow directions to the Corn Mill Shoals Access Area.
- Cross the road and proceed around the gate on the marked Corn Mill Shoals Trail. Continue past Longside Trail on the left. After a short distance past the gate as the road curves right, find Big Rock Trail, an old roadbed on the left leading uphill.
- Continue up the steady grade until the trail leads onto a granite slab.
- Continue forward and upward, looking for cairns (small pile of rocks) wherever the trail leads onto the granite. After reentering the forest, approach a much larger granite dome with excellent views westward of the Pisgah Range.
- At the top of this granite clearing, reenter the forest and continue over the summit and around several turns until the path leads back onto a large, nearly flat granite area (used as a helispot by the Forest Service). This is a three-way intersection where Big Rock Trail terminates into Cedar Rock Trail. Left to the north leads down the mountain to the powerlines with a loop to the right and Little River Trail. Right in the southeast direction follows Cedar Rock Trail down to Little River Trail near the Little River.
- Return or see Cedar Rock Mountain/Corn Mill Shoals Loop description.
For Cedar Rock Mountain on the Key Attraction page