North Carolina trails · Benton Mackaye -Cheoah Rd
Benton Mackaye -Cheoah Rd
A 25.1-mile network in North Carolina, with 4,232 ft of climbing. Reaches Stratton Bald and other pass/summit/viewpoint destinations. Managed by the U.S. Forest Service.
Elevation profile
The climbing leans toward the middle third: 45% of the ascent falls between mile 11.9 and mile 23.9. It gives back about 8,054 ft along the way, so it rolls rather than climbing steadily.
3-D terrain
USGS 3DEP ELEVATION × ESRI WORLD IMAGERY · VERTICAL ×1.5
Reaches
- Stratton Bald (summit)
- Bob Bald (summit)
- Kirkland Gap (pass)
- Saddle Tree Gap (pass)
- Big Fat Gap (pass)
- Green Gap (pass)
- Yellowhammer Gap (pass)
- Bearpen Gap (pass)
- Oldfield Gap (pass)
- Lookout Rock (viewpoint)
Heads up
Getting there
BENTON MACKAYE -CHEOAH RD access. 35.43978, -83.79366 · directions
Daylight at the trailhead
On August 31, 2026 — the day this page was generated — first light reaches this trailhead at 6:40 a.m., the sun rises at 7:06 a.m. and sets at 8:03 p.m., and the last usable light fades about 8:29 p.m. (EDT) — 12 h 57 min of daylight. At about 2.7 mph plus 30 minutes per 1,000 feet of climbing, the 25.1-mile route takes roughly 11 h 25 min, so leaving the trailhead at sunrise puts you back around 6:31 p.m. — 1 h 32 min before sunset.
Loop options
- BENTON MACKAYE -CHEOAH RD + Appalachian National Scenic Trail — 2.9 mi loop, 748 ft gain
- BENTON MACKAYE -CHEOAH RD + STRAWBERRY KNOB - BMT — 3.2 mi loop, 483 ft gain
- BENTON MACKAYE -CHEOAH RD + YELLOW CREEK MOUNTAIN + Appalachian National Scenic Trail — 8.2 mi loop, 2,748 ft gain
Across the border
- Continues into TN as BENTON MACKAYE -CHEOAH RD — view on the map
Nearby trails
- Wauchecha Bald — 6.3 mi
- Jenkins Ridge Trail — 9.3 mi
- Anst - Cheoah Rd — 13.6 mi
- Welch Ridge Trail — 15.2 mi