The Lovers Leap acquired its name after an incident in 1762, when a young woman by the name of Hannah Baddeley, daughter of William Baddeley and his wife Joan née Townsend. The building at the foot of the cliffs where she came to rest took the name which it has kept to this day. Miraculously she survived with no more than cuts and bruises when her voluminous skirts billowed out and acted like a parachute slowing her fall. And see more things to do in Madison County.The Lovers Leap is a story of Hannah Baddeley, a lady jilted by the love of her life leapt from the cliff tops in Stoney Middleton.
#Lovers leap Patch
For GPS, use address: 25 Andrews Avenue North, Hot Springs, NC.įor other nearby hikes on the Appalachian Trail, go to Max Patch or Rich Mountain. Turn right on Andrews Avenue for parking. As you enter town, you'll drive across the river bridge and railroad tracks on Bridge Street (photo above). Take Exit 19A for US 25 North / US 70 West. They often book up, especially on weekends.įrom Asheville (36 miles), take I-26 West to Weaverville. If you want to soak in the hot mineral springs after your hike, be sure to make reservations in advance. Bluff Mountain Outfitters offers shuttles. If you have two cars, leave one in Hot Springs and drive to Tanyard Gap and hike downhill for 5.9 miles. It's a challenging uphill hike of 5.9 miles. Take a left on the road to walk back to the bridge where you began the hike (passing by some shabby shacks).įor a longer hike, continue on the Appalachian Trail to Tanyard Gap (where the trail crosses US Highways 25 and 70 east about 3 miles by car). You will walk down the back side of the ridge to the Silver Mine parking area. Just past it, take a left from the Appalachian Trail to stay on the Lover's Leap trail to Silver Mine. Return to the trail and continue up the ridge to the third outcropping.
The rocks are jagged, but you can find some spots to sit and enjoy the view. It's a great stopping point for snacks and water. Take a short but steep walk down to reach the point - be very careful walking on loose rock to the edge. Lover's Leap is the second rock outcropping.
The trail is well-marked and well-established.Ītop the ridge, you'll find three rock promontories along the trail with great views of the river, valley and town. Then the trail heads up the ridge via several switch-backs to ease the climb. The trail continues along the river for a short distance past camping spots. After a few hundred yards, see Surprise Falls (photo above), a beautiful rapid. Continue along the river by white blazes marking the Appalachian Trail. Follow that street up river about 50 yards until you cross a wooden bridge. Turn right and go down the stairs to stay on the AT. Immediately after crossing the river, there will be a guardrail with a path to the street below. Continue across the bridge over the French Broad River for the view above. You'll pass the Hot Springs Spa on the left - a great spot for a soak in the mineral waters after the hike ( read more). Don't forget water. On warm sunny days, hike in the morning since the afternoon sun really heats up this side of the mountain.įrom the parking along Andrews Avenue, walk on Bridge Street (which is the Appalachian Trail) across the railroad tracks. Take a short detour to legendary Bluff Mountain Outfitters (152 Bridge Street) for questions or supplies.
While the legend is that a lovesick woman jumped from the rock, it's not the place for leaping! We rank the hike as "moderate" since you are walking up the ridge, gaining about 500 feet in elevation. While you can hike the loop in less than an hour, allow plenty of extra time to enjoy the views along the way. It's 36 miles / 45 minutes from downtown Asheville.
#Lovers leap free
Find free public parking for hikers along Andrews Avenue (turn right from Bridge Street after you cross the railroad tracks).
Since the famous Appalachian Trail (AT) goes through the tiny town of Hot Springs, you can hike from the center of downtown for a very scenic 2-mile loop. Lover's Leap is a rock outcropping on the Appalachian Trail in Hot Springs that offers a spectacular panoramic view of the French Broad River and Pisgah National Forest.
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