Grandfather Mountain: Profile Trail to Swinging Bridge

Simone up on the ridgeline on the Grandfather Trail

Simone and I are ramping up for the Table Rock 50K next month, so we decided it was

time to start focusing on longer trail runs instead of treating our Linville Gorge climbing

days as trail-running training. To be fair, those days can be pretty grueling in their own

right. We figured a good route to "ease" into the training buildup would be Profile Trail to

the Swinging Bridge and back.

The Profile Trail is arguably the most iconic trail in the High Country. Gaining 2,000 feet

in just 3.6 miles, most of it in the final two miles, this trail is a well-known humbler and a

must-do route for anyone visiting the area. Whenever my family came to the High

Country during the summers of my childhood, my parents would always take us up

Profile Trail. We knew it was going to be a tough day, but the rewards were always

worth the effort.

10 years ago, my siblings and I (plus Mikey, the toughest yorkie their ever was) at the start of the Profile Trail.

Profile Trail had been closed since Hurricane Helene, which knocked hundreds of trees

down across the route. Recently, however, the trail reopened, and we knew it was time

to get back on it. We started at 9:00 a.m. on a Saturday, and the parking lot was already

filling up with hikers, trail runners, and backpackers. One of the best things about this trail is that it begins around 4,000 feet in elevation and tops out near 6,000 feet, which means you can usually expect much cooler temperatures during the warmer months. The change of elevation also leads to a very cool transition from a typical mountain deciduous forest lower on the mountain to a coniferous forest that resembles what you would see up North.

The namesake "Profile View" that you see about 3/4 of the way up the mountain

We were able to run the first mile and a half at a solid pace as the trail wound through

the lower mountain forest. After about 1.5 miles, though, you get a glimpse of what's ahead: stairs, switchbacks, and steep climbs that seem to go on forever. About half a

mile from the top of the trail, you reach Shanty Spring, where a pipe delivers crystal

clear mountain water straight from the source. From there, another half mile of recently

reworked stone stairs brings you to the ridgeline.

Almost to Shanty Springs, and the forest starts to change to conifer trees and blankets of moss.

The ridgeline is where the fun scrambling begins. From the junction with Profile Trail to

the Swinging Bridge is 1.9 miles along the Grandfather Trail, a route that combine hiking through boreal forest with exposed rock outcrops, ladders, and cables

that help hikers navigate several third class sections. It had rained quite a bit during the

previous week, making the terrain especially muddy and slick. Highlights along this

stretch include Attic Window, the Chute, MacRae Peak, and the series of ladders

beyond the summit.

Simone descending the "Chute" after Attic Window.

The final ladder to MacRae Peak

Attic Window from MacRae Peak. The Chute is on the upper left side of the dome

One of many ladders you will encounter on the Grandfather Trail.

We reached the Swinging Bridge a little over two hours after leaving the Profile Trail

trailhead. After refilling our water bottles, grabbing a Powerade from the gift shop, and

taking a quick walk across the bridge, we turned around and headed back. Rather than

retracing our steps along the Grandfather Trail to Attic Window, we opted for the Underwood Trail to avoid getting caught in any more traffic jams on the exposed

ladders. The Underwood Trail turned out to be much steeper and rockier than we expected for what we thought would be the easier option. By the time we made it back to the top of Profile Trail, I was excited to finally be heading downhill. That descent, however, was no walk in the park. Once you're back down near creek level, you are more than ready to reach the car, but there is still about a mile of gradual singletrack left, the same stretch that felt so easy at the beginning of the day.

Made it to the bridge! All that is left to do now is do it all in reverse...

Simone made quicker work of the descent than I did and finished in 3 hours and 55

minutes car-to-car. I crossed the finish line exactly five minutes behind her. We had a

great time revisiting this classic route and were thrilled to get back on it after it had been out of commission for the past couple of years. Whether you are looking for a big adventure like this one or a shorter hike with some truly otherworldly views, Grandfather Mountain has something for everyone. We would be happy to help you find the right trail and point you in the right direction for your next High Country adventure.

Solid day!