Macrae Peak — Attraction in Banner Elk

We knew all the warnings, we knew it wasn’t for beginners or those afraid of heights but we did it either way. We don’t hike much and I’m a bit afraid of height and this was probably the scariest hike I’ve ever done. It has ladders (very vertical ones and on the edge of cliffs) and cables. We came up the usual way to MacRae peak and went down through another path with less ladders and cables. Well where do I start. THE VIEW IS SO WORTH IT AND REWARDING! I was so afraid multiple times but nothing I couldn’t manage. I can see how people can get anxiety/panic attacks in some parts of the trail. WEAR HIKING SHOES. Some parts are extremely slippery and rocky so good hiking shoes protect your feet a lot and help you climb easier than just running shoes. Maybe some gloves for when you’re on the cables, if you have sensitive hands Coming down the “easy” path isn’t so easy. There is no easy way of coming down from there. My knees hurt a lot on the way down, I slipped a couple times and slightly twisted my ankle alone with hitting my sheen with a huge rock for misstepping. The “easy” way down has a cable that seemed like hell to me and I freaked out a little but slid down either way. The one ladder on the “easy” path isn’t really easy either, it’s long and hard to get on to go down but definitely better than the other 8-9 ladders. If you’ve never done it and think you would be afraid, go with someone and stay close to other groups. They will help you and encourage you a lot. Which is awesome. Take plenty of water with you and enjoy the ride! Please note they have some permits at the beginning of the trail so you should fill out your info in case you go missing but that won’t happen if you stay on...

This trail is NO joke. We did it with our 14 pound, 10 year old pup but had to carry her up the ladders and pick her up to get up what would’ve been big jumps for her. Nevertheless, we did it! We only considered this trail due to the mile high bridge being closed, and oh my goodness I’m SO glad we did! It was a very challenging ascent mentally and physically, especially with our dog so I wouldn’t recommend taking a pup necessary if you plan to go up the ladders. I will say the “underwood trail” has only 2 ladders to get to this peak versus the “grandfather trail” which had about 7! But the views you encounter on the grandfather trail are much more stunning and numerous than that of underwood. We took the grandfather trail up and the underwood trail down. Either way, I wish we had had more time because you could easily spend a whole day there! Everyone was so kind to us, we made many friends on the hike! We love the mountain mindset ❤️ General Info: they make you sign a waiver at the beginning of the trail. There are no established bathrooms along the trail after you start it. The park closes at 5pm and it’s $24/adult and they give you a CD to tour guide you up the mountain and tell you about...

We were hiking back down from MacRae Peak (5,845ft) and couldn't help, but feel a little nervous around these edges (video attached). It's a very thrilling hike that made me feel like danger was but a misstep away! We ran into folks that made a day of hiking the entire trail from the opposite way we came from Grandfather Mountain's main entrance, so we didn't experience that, but it was still a great workout and super satisfying to reach the peak regardless. Beautiful views! It was the best taking it all in with my husband and good friends visiting from New York. Everything looked so tiny from up there! And it was amazing how far out you could see. Would definitely recommend if you're looking for a good hike. Not something I'd bring beginners or faint of...