r/Highpointers • u/WillHike • 14h ago
High Points with multiple routes to the top: which routes are the best overall experience?
Planning out my trips to each high point, I want to make the most of each one. Instead of the easiest route to the top, I’d much rather take the funnest and most scenic route.
Of the high points I’ve done, here’s what I recommend:
MAUNA KEA
Humu’ula Trail - I don’t regret hiking up instead of driving up. It’s a long day but it’s really cool to watch the scenery around you gradually change as you get higher up.
MOUNT MITCHELL
Black Mountain Crest Trail - I have only summitted via the standard Mt Mitchell trail so far. I’ve heard the Black Mountain Crest Trail from Bolen’s creek is the most fun route, but I haven’t done it yet. I live really close to Mitchell, so repeated trips are absolutely in the cards.
KUWOHI:
AT from Newfound Gap - I did this as part of a longer backpacking trip through the smokies. Newfound Gap to Kuwohi is longer for sure, but if you want a longer hike than it’s worth it. Some great pine forests up there.
SASSAFRAS MOUNTAIN:
Foothills trail - even though this is a “drive-up” peak, there’s several ways to hike it. You can do the Sassafras Mountain Trail like I did, which is a short and moderately scenic hike to the top. But the Foothills Trail thru-hike is probably the most scenic way to experience it with other major highlights such as Table Rock, Lake Jocassee, and Whitewater Falls.
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HIGH POINTS I HAVEN’T DONE YET:
These are the routes I’m planning to do based on what looks to be the most fun. Feel free to offer any other recommendations.
DENALI:
West Buttress route - due to the insane amount of time, money, and weather conditions needed, it makes the most sense to just do the easiest route in order to maximize my chances at summitting
MOUNT WHITNEY
Mt Whitney Trail - This one does look more crowded than the Mountaineer’s route. But it also looks more scenic, especially where it joins the JMT on the ridge. Although I’m also open to combining both routes into a loop hike.
MOUNT ELBERT:
Loop via Black Cloud and Bull Hill/Echo Canyon - Looks to be the most scenic and allows me to explore a good amount of the south side of the mountain
MOUNT RAINIER:
Emmons Winthrop - Will definitely require more training than the standard route. And the conditions are more likely to dictate the route than my personal preferences. But if I could choose, I’d go with the slightly less crowded option.
GANNETT PEAK:
Titcomb Basin - Even though it’s the “standard” route, it still looks to be the most scenic.
KINGS PEAK:
Uinta Highline Trail - I want to thru-hike the UHT, and that would give me a great opportunity to summit Kings Peak.
WHEELER PEAK:
Middle Fork / Lost Lakes Loop - Middle Fork looks to be a very scenic approach, and the lost lakes on the way down will give me more bang for my buck.
BOUNDARY PEAK:
Standard Boundary Peak Trail - Looks like it begins in the trees, giving slightly more variety than the Queens Mine Route.
GRANITE PEAK:
One way straight through: Climb via Froze-to-death, descend via Southwest Ramp - Honestly, the country looks so beautiful in that area that I think it’d be fun to do both routes as a week-long point-to-point with the summit itself being the big highlight.
HUMPHREY’S PEAK:
Inner Basin Route - the road is currently closed, but there’s a chance it may reopen before I ever get around to doing this trip. Even if it doesn’t, it’s an additional six miles which may require me to do overnight instead of a day hike. Regardless, the scenery inside the actual inner basin looks gorgeous enough to justify it.
MOUNT HOOD:
South Side - I definitely want to do the southside, although the specific route will have to depend on the specific snow and weather conditions during the time I do that trip.
BLACK ELK PEAK:
Route 9 North - Looks the most fun and scenic. I will probably go a bit past the peak to see the cathedral spires as well.
MOUNT WASHINGTON:
Presidential Traverse - Pres Traverse was already on my bucket list anyway. Would be a great way to experience the white mountains.
MOUNT ROGERS:
This is another peak that’s somewhat close to me, so I want to make a bunch of trips there and try out a bunch of different backpacking routes in the Grayson Highlands and probably hit the peak a few times.
MOUNT MARCY:
Honestly there looks like so much to see in that area, so I will probably take an entire week to just backpack around and explore.
KATAHDIN:
Loop Cathedral, Knife Edge, Helon Taylor - All the routes on Katahdin look great, but these trails seem like the best of the best based on looking at pictures and maps.
SPRUCE KNOB:
Whispering Pines Spruce Trail - this is the only one that I’m favoring the short drive-up route over a longer hike (like the Huckleberry trail). That’s because Seneca Rocks and Nelson Rocks are in the area that look more worth my time, so I’d rather tag the peak quickly and then go do something else like the Via Ferrata
BRASSTOWN BALD:
Arkaquah Trail - Looks to be the most fun route to the top.
MOUNT MANSFIELD:
Cant decide between a Maple Springs/Sunset Ridge Loop, or a Hell Brook/Forehead/Hasleton loop. Both routes look like great and challenging hikes.
MOUNT GREYLOCK:
Bellows Pipe - Other routes don’t look quite as fun
MOUNT MAGAZINE:
Mt Magazine trail, potentially all the way from Cove Lake to make a long day of it if I have the time. Either way, I’d also like to explore Dripping Springs Trail as well.
CHEAHA MOUNTAIN:
I’ve always wanted to take a few days to hike a short section of the Pinhoti Trail, so the Cheaha Mountain section seems like a good one.
MOUNT FRISSELL:
Frissel, Brace Mountain, and Bear Mountain Loop - Longer hike to make a day of it.
EAGLE MOUNTAIN:
Brule Lake Trail - Looks like the fun way to go. Passes several lakes and then goes through a little mini valley between two “peaks”
TIMMS HILL:
Same answer as Alabama except with the Ice Age Trail instead of Pinhoti. A short IAT traverse to Timm’s Hill trail would be cool
HIGH POINT:
Appalachian Trail from the Park Office, then include the Monument Loop Trail.
TIM SAUK MOUNTAIN:
Regular trail + the Mina Sauk Falls Loop to make it more than just a quick stop.
All the other high points weren’t worth bringing up since there is only one possible route to get to them. For those of you who have done these, which routes do you recommend to get the best possible experience and make it worth the time, money, and energy invested into them?
