(updated 11/14/2024)
A handful of trails will be reopened Friday, November 15. They are listed below. Do not access closed trails for any reason without explicit permission from the Mountain Retreat Association (dba Montreat Conference Center).
Following Hurricane Helene, staff and volunteers have been hard at work assessing the Montreat trail system for damage. Based on their findings, we have developed a phased reopening plan for the trail system. We are happy to announce that phase 1 of our trails will be reopened as of Friday, November 15.
Trails in phase 1 are located on the southern end of the East Ridge and include:
- Lookout Trail
- Rainbow Mountain Trail
- Rainbow Road,
- Trestle Road south of Appalachian Way, and
- the East Ridge Trail south of Sourwood Gap.
Other trails requiring more extensive repair will open in later phases once maintenance is completed.
If you choose to hike reopened trails, here are a few things to note:
- All hiking in the Montreat Wilderness is “at your own risk.”
- We do not own or maintain the Toll Road and cannot speak for its condition.
- It is currently hunting season! Please wear blaze orange on trails that cross or are adjacent to hunting grounds. Additionally, biking is not allowed in these areas until after January 3, 2025.
- Parking and road access is limited. All hikers should park at Anderson Auditorium and walk to trailheads.
- The bridge which crosses Flat Creek at the Memorial Garden parking area is still out. To access Rainbow Mountain Trail, please walk up to Shenandoah Road, use that bridge to cross the creek, and walk back down Elizabeth’s Path to the trailhead.
- Only hike on trails that have been reopened and do not attempt to do any unsupervised work or cut new trails around obstacles. The Montreat Wilderness is a protected conservation area with the State of North Carolina which restricts how we can clear trails and cut down trees.
If you would like to volunteer to assist with trail repairs, please email wilderness@montreat.org. Additionally, the Montreat Wilderness is not supported by local tax revenue, so if you would like to make a financial donation to aid with trail repairs, we welcome your gifts at montreat.org/trail-giving.
Closed trails are closed for the following reasons:
- Unsafe Trail Conditions: The trails system currently has unstable bridges, downed trees, and shifting paths, making the trails hazardous for hiking.
- Town Infrastructure Repairs: The Town of Montreat is still working on repairing critical infrastructure and has requested that we limit traffic on the roads.
- Parking Lot Usage: Some of our parking lots are being used to store debris and are unavailable for visitors.
- Strain on Emergency Services: The local emergency personnel are already operating at capacity, and we do not want to increase the risk of unnecessary rescues.
- Campus Restoration: Our immediate focus is on restoring the conference center’s facilities to resume regular programming.
To financially show your support to Montreat and the Montreat Wilderness, donate to the Montreat Hurricane Relief Fund.
The Montreat Wilderness and trail system is on private property managed by the Mountain Retreat Association (dba Montreat Conference Center). Our trail system is protected by conservation practices and is a hike-at-your-own-risk facility. There are more than 20 trails in Montreat stretching over 40 miles, offering a variety of hikes for all skill levels.
This trial system does not receive public funding. Please consider donating to the Montreat Fund to help preserve the health of our wilderness areas!
Need to report an issue with a trail? Please report it below.