Cemetery Loop and Long Branch Trail, Pisgah

Date	Distance	Time	Elevation Gain	Average Moving Time	Year to Date Miles
2/26/2024	5.7 miles	3 hours 17 minutes	530'	2.1 mph	107.9 miles

Parking: 

• FS 475

Map:

• Pisgah Ranger District, Pisgah Map Co.

Directions:

• Take Cemetery Loop Trail. Visit Cemetery on the left side. Continue to intersection with the Long Branch Trail. Turn left onto the Long Branch Trail and hike until it ends at Butter Gap Trail. Turn around and take the Long Branch Trail all the way to FS 475. Turn right on FS 475 and continue to the parking area. 

Carolina Mountain Club Challenges:

• Pisgah 400 - Cemetery Loop Trail
• Pisgah 400 - Long Branch Trail

Glen couldn't hike today, but I wanted to get out because it was a sunny 70 degrees in February! I was joined by Phyllis and Krumm. We stopped by the McCall Cemetery where we met 2 men doing trail work. It turns out one of them was a McCall, and he found the cemetery by accident while mountain biking - and recognized some of the names on the gravestones. It was his ancestors. So, he said he comes out once a year to weed whack there. 

We continued on. We had a stream crossing, but it was pretty easy to cross without getting wet. We passed a forest road which goes to Long Branch Falls. We decided to skip it today, but I'll come back another time and do it, as I noticed it's on the CMC waterfall list. We did encounter a few mountain bikers on today's hike, as they are allowed on these trails. A nice hike, not too hard, but a good way to loosen up my tired muscles after yesterday.

The trail starts behind the gate.
We actually took a herd path at first, but it was not the trail.

The McCall descendant we met said he put up this sign at the cemetery. 
Many of the gravestones were from the 1800's.

Turnaround spot