Drive to Trailhead & Trail Guide - Toxaway Mtn

The drive on Tower Road from US-64 to the summit to the summit is about 25 minutes. It is narrow, paved, and 1-lane. The dirt stretch had a nasty tilt and I scraped bushes in October 2021. I scraped bottom once. it was drivable in my Corolla. The left track (headed up) of the twin-track acts as a stream following a rain, so it can erode quickly. In a small car, you can just barely squeeze onto the mid-to-right-track, with some bush scraping.

Drive Guide - Toxaway Mountain from Highlands, NC

  • Duration: 0:55, 19 miles
  • Google Maps URL:
  • Directions:
    • East on US-64 and go 9.5
    • See “Amenities in Cashiers, NC” for food + gas
    • Continue at “Final Approach to Summit”

Drive Guide - Toxaway Mountain from Rabun Bald

  • Duration: 1:15, 33 miles
  • Google Maps:
  • Directions:
    • Drive out on the only road for 0.5
    • R on Bald Mtn Rd / Hale Ridge Rd and go 3.3
    • R at Dillard Rd/GA-246/NC-246/NC-106 and go 7.3
    • R on US-64 / Main St go 0.3
    • L on US-64 East and go 17.3
    • See “Amenities in Cashiers, NC” for food + gas
    • Continue at “Final Approach to Summit”
  • Food
    • Limited options

Drive Guide - Toxaway Mountain from Atlanta

  • Duration: 2:50, 148 miles
  • Google Maps URL from Atlanta (33.917, -84.3378): http://goo.gl/maps/3Bczs
  • Seasonal/Limited Access:
    • Tower Rd is a one lane paved road w/turn outs. A very slow drive.
  • Directions:
    • I-285 to I-85 N and go 83
    • Exit 1, SC-11 N and go L 32.6
    • Bear L on SC-130 N and go 10.4
    • S on NC-281 and go 8.7
    • L on US-64 W and go 3
    • If you need gas/food, you’ll have to drive a few more miles to Cashiers. (See “Amenities in Cashiers, NC”)
    • Continue at “Final Approach to Summit”
  • Food
    • Last McDonalds: Lavonia, GA at GA-17
    • Penultimate McDonalds: Commerce, GA at US-441

Amenities in Cashiers, NC

Just west of cashiers, on US-64, look for a dark green strip mall named “Creekside”. This is just west of the main intersection in Cashiers, NC. Opportunities for food and restroom:

  • There is a “stealth” Wendy’s in this shopping center.
  • There is a Subway just past the intersection.
  • There is an Ingles just past the Subway.
  • There is a gas station where US-64 intersects NC-107. (The main intersection in Cashiers.)

Final Approach To Summit

  • At 35.118001, -83.010826, with a sign “Hollyforest 4, Fox Run Ridge” (and another one which says “Falcon Ridge, Five Stone, Sapphire High”):
    • Turn L if you’re headed east. Turn R if you’re headed west.
  • The road immediately forks. Take the R fork on Tower Rd.
  • In about 1/10 mile, keep R to stay on Tower. Do NOT go L on E Christy Trail.
  • 0.8 after leaving US-64, Tower Rd makes a hairpin turn R.
  • Acute L on Tower Rd after hairpin turn and go 0.4 more.
  • R on Tower Rd and go 2.2 more
  • Road turns to dirt after the last home. Sometimes it is deeply rutted.

  • After the dirt, take the paved fork left.

  • Unusable gated route:
    • Google Maps satellite view shows a route along W. Whitetail Drive from US-64, East of Tower Rd. It does come out at the dirt stretch of Tower Rd. It is stoutly gated at US-64 by “Preserve at Rock Creek”. The top is also gated and is Posted.

Trail Guide

  • Duration: 0:00. It is a drive-up
  • Summit altitude: 4777’ at 35.1319, -82.9831
  • GPS tracks/waypoints:
    • End of pavement: 35.131222, -82.983638

Summit Guide

  • Hang antenna from tree: Y
  • Space to guy mast: Y
  • Cell coverage: AT&T=Y (with strong 3G); Vzn and APRS not tested but KI4SVM says they’re good.
  • Unique features: Fire tower, cottage, antenna farm on summit. UPDATE: Cell towers replaced the abandoned cottage in 2021.
  • KI4SVM says he had no problem with QRM in late 2014.
  • I had moderate, intermittent QRM near the fire tower in 2015.
  • I had no QRM in 2021, using CW on 20 ond 40, to the left of the opening when facing the fire tower from the road.

Plan-B Candidates

©2023 Kevin P. Kleinfelter.