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Green Knob and Sims Creek Hike

Green Knob/Sims Creek is another loop trail in Julian Price Memorial Park, however it is not connected to the main Boone Fork/Price Lake hike. The Green Knob Trail is a short 2.3-mi loop that can be hiked from the Sims Pond Overlook or Sims Creek Overlook. From the Price Lake Overlook, Sims Pond Overlook is 0.8-mi north on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is suggested to begin the loop at Sims Pond and head northeast along Sims Creek. This hike is not especially scenic, the highlights are walking under Sims Creek Viaduct, and one view from a meadow of Grandfather Mountain (morning is best for this view).

Mile 0.0/8.4 – Head down towards Sims Pond at the Sims Pond Overlook to begin the Green Knob Trail. The trail immediately crosses a bridge over Sims Creek leaving the pond. The concrete ramp for the creek looks like an inviting water slide. The trail loops around the east side of Sims Pond and follows Sims Creek upstream
  • Mile 0.2 – 1st crossing over Sims Creek
  • Mile 0.4 – 2nd crossing over Sims Creek. From here the trail rises above the creek as it passes through a ravine
  • Mile 0.7 – Walk under the Sims Creek Viaduct, the Blue Ridge Parkway towers above you. The trail continues on a bridge across the creek. A steep side trail on the right takes you up to the Sims Creek Overlook if you wish to walk across the viaduct. After the viaduct the trail climbs away from the creek.
  • Mile 1.2 – Pass through a cattle gate and enter an open field. Strong possibility cattle might be grazing near the trail. The trail climbs through the field and takes a U-turn heading southwest briefly through a forest. Stone arrow signs point the way.
  • Mile 1.6 – After passing through another field with few views the trail leaves cattle pasture through a cattle gate. In this forest the Green Knob Trail takes a surprisingly steep descent towards the parkway.
  • Mile 2.0 – The trail leaves the forest and descends through a thick wildflower meadow with butterflies everywhere. The highlight of this short loop is the direct southwestern view of Grandfather Mountain. It is best to see this in the morning, in the afternoon the sun sits directly above the mountain.
  • Mile 2.3 – Return to the BRP and cross the parkway to finish the hike at the Sims Pond Overlook
By HikingUpward Contributor: Zach Robbins
Explore 25 trails near Ansley Heights, NC

Know Before You Go

  • The Green Knob/Sims Creek Trail is a 2.3-mile loop in Julian Price Memorial Park (Ansley Heights, NC), accessible from Sims Pond or Sims Creek Overlook (0.8 miles north of Price Lake Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway).
  • The trail is recommended to be started at Sims Pond, heading northeast along Sims Creek, and includes features like creek crossings, passing under the Sims Creek Viaduct, and potentially encountering cattle in open fields.
  • A highlight of the hike is the meadow view of Grandfather Mountain (best in the morning) near the end of the loop, before returning to the Blue Ridge Parkway and finishing at the Sims Pond Overlook.
Interactive topographic map for Green Knob and Sims Creek Hike located in Ansley Heights, NC. Click the "View Map" button to load GPS coordinates and trail markers.
Get directions
Distance
2.3 mi
Difficulty
Moderate
Type
Loop
Est. Time
1.2 hrs
Elev. Gain
639'
Rating
4.0
Added
April 01, 2025
Updated
April 06, 2025

Weather Forecast

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Total Change
471'
Ascent
639'
Descent
646'
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Features

Vista / Lookout Point
Dogs
Mountain Summit
Water Source

Points of interest

  1. Parking

    36.142756, -81.719422
  2. Main Trailhead

    36.142727, -81.719506

Safety information

For your own safety: plan ahead, let someone know where you'll be, and hike at your own risk.

Hazards

Snakes (Rattlesnakes, Copperheads, others)
Poison Ivy or Poison Oak

Availability

All seasons

Surface type

Dirt

Trip Reports (Reviews)

Rated 4.0 out of 5 based on 1 rating.

Ready to help fellow hikers? Add a trip report to share your experience and provide valuable insights for other hikers!

By: Justin
2.3 miles / 3.7 km
November 24, 2019
This hike ends with stunning views for miles. The breathtaking scenery is almost worth the sometimes vertical scrambles uphill. I think that the fallen leaves causing traction issues for the entire trail might have added to the danger and difficulty so choose a warmer month to take on this shorter but slow moving hike. Overall this is an awesome hike for experienced and prepared hikers. Trekking poles are a must.
Legacy Review
No community routes found. To add your own hike as a Community Route for this Trail guide, leave a Trip Report with an attached GPX file.

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