Trust Old Whiteside

Written By: Emily Crowell | Issue: 2019/03 - March

You’ve heard of Whiteside Mountain. It may even be the first trail you hiked around here. 

I used to live in Whiteside Cove and on winter mornings would sit with a cup of coffee and watch the sunrise’s reflection slink down the bare side of the mountain until it was all lit up bright pink, loud and joyful. How lucky I was to later be able to hike to the top and try to find the house I lived in, tucked in snugly among the trees.

The Whiteside Mountain Trail, at around two miles round trip, is probably the most popular trail around, which is why I recommend giving it a go during the “off-season” (or at a weird time, like in the middle of the night). As a matter of fact, I thought I might write an article about it last summer, but the parking lot was so crowded that my sweetie and I couldn’t even pull into it, much less find an unoccupied space. 

This may not sound like much of an endorsement so far, but as these things go, there’s a reason why Whiteside is so popular. It’s a relatively easy loop trail, for one thing. From the parking area, the trail starts out wide, with built-in wooden steps. In a few minutes walk, you’ll have the option of continuing on the wide trail or taking a narrower trail up to the right. I recommend the trail to the right – it’s steeper going up, but that makes the path back down that much sweeter.

There are views, of course. Standing atop Whiteside, you’ll be standing on the very edge of the Southern Blue Ridge Escarpment. (Well, almost – there’s railing to keep people from going over.) Beyond the immediately close mountains, the landscape instead gets dramatically flatter and dotted with lakes. If you’re lucky, you may even spot a peregrine falcon riding the breeze at eye level. Whiteside is a nesting spot for the birds of prey, and some of the overlooks are closed during nesting season, which shouldn’t deter you from the hike. 

My favorite part about this trail is all the water. Water seeps out of the ground, across the trail, down the mountain in so many tiny unexpected places here – even during the drought a couple years ago, water could be found on this trail. Subfreezing temperatures turn this hike into a stroll through Mother Nature’s abstract sculpture gallery, fitting right in with the Plateau’s artistic sensibility. 

The trailhead is mid-way between Highlands and Cashiers on U.S. Highway 64. From the Cashiers Crossroads, take 64-W for five miles to a left turn onto Whiteside Mountain Road. From downtown Highlands, take 64-East for six miles to a right turn onto Whiteside Mountain Road. Drive another mile to the trailhead parking lot on the left, and bring cash with you – it’s $2 per car to park, and well worth it.