About
Length3.8 mi
ShapeLoop
DifficultyModerate
Elevation gain800 ft up
Typical time6 hr 30 min
TrailheadSkyline Drive mile 21.1, Hogback area
SurfaceForest trail and Appalachian Trail
Best seasonApril to early June for wildflowers and waterfalls; mid-October for fall colour. Skyline Drive closes in ice and snow.
DogsLeashed / limited stretches
AccessibilityThis trail does not meet ADA accessibility guidelines.
What you'll see 🌼 Wildflowers🦌 Wildlife

Sugarloaf leads to a viewpoint. In the early summer, the showy white flowers of mountain laurel bloom in abundance here. Distance: 5.0-mile circuit hike Difficulty: Moderate (explanation of our hiking difficulty scale ) Hiking Time: 7 hours Elevation Gain: 1,120 feet Hike Description From the trailhead at the Piney River Parking Area (mile 22), take the Piney Branch Upper Trail to its intersection with the Pole Bridge Link Trail. Go left on the Pole Bridge Link Trail. Turn left onto Sugarloaf Trail. This will bring you out near Skyline Drive, above Hogback Overlook. Turn left to take the Appalachian Trail (white-blazed) back to your starting point.

Tips
Late May and early June, when the laurel and azalea bloom, is the time to walk this one.
Location

Skyline Drive mile 21.1, Hogback area

Other Hikers
No one has logged this trail yet.
Your Hikes

🔒 Login or create an account to record the trails you've done, rate them, and tie them to a trip.