It offers a variety of different plants, shrubs, and trees, as well as bird and wildlife diversity for natural history buffs. The Graveyard Fields Loop Trail is a reasonable hiking distance for families, including children, and includes waterfalls. If you don't mind crowds, Graveyard Fields is an appealing hiking area for a variety of reasons. Rocks near waterfalls are notoriously slippery. Climbing on and near waterfalls is dangerous. The 1.2-mile loop trail is rated as easy overall, however the вЂњspurвЂќ trails to the waterfalls are steep and add additional mileageВ to the hike.

Please do not compound this problem by going off the established trails. вЂњSocial trailsвЂќ (or illegal trails) have been created over the years, which can make navigating confusing. Familiarize yourself with the general loop trail prior to hiking. A trail map is available in the overlook parking lot. Many parts of the trail beyond the asphalt portion have been worn into deep ruts which are often muddy due to the frequency of precipitation. The trail descends steps that give way to an asphalt path, necessary due to the amount of use the area receives. The two waterfalls in the Graveyard Fields area are accessible from the trailhead near the vault toilets in the overlook on the Parkway. The headwaters of the Yellowstone Prong, a tributary of the Pigeon River, originate in the mile-high valley.

Later, the Graveyard Fields area burned, destroying the stumps. Other theories include that logging in the early 20th century, prior to the area being under management of the US Forest Service, left tree stumps covered in moss resembling gravestones. Many years ago, a windstorm uprooted theВ forest, leaving behind stumps that gave the area the appearance of a graveyard. Be sure to investigate your options before you embark on your journey.ДЄ sign at Graveyard Fields explains one theory behind its strange name. If the parking lotВ is full,В visit one of the other hiking areas available along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Cars attempting to park in restricted areas have rolled over the edge down a steep embankment! Please do not put yourself or your family in danger.

Signs on the roadsides clearly mark where motorists can and cannot park. Finding a parking spot on a weekend or during a busy time of year requires an early start to the day, a great deal of patience, or the willingness to park a significant distance away and walk on the road to the overlook. Easy trail access is from the Graveyard Fields Overlook at Milepost 418.8 of the Blue Ridge Parkway, but the property is managed by Pisgah National Forest. Graveyard Fields is an extremely popular hiking area. This is a very popular area, so be prepared to share the trail with others. Hike into a mile-high valley featuring spectacular waterfalls surrounded by rolling ridges.

Graveyard fields trail