The most famous feature of the 3.2 mile Lost Cove Ridge Trail is the lookout tower located on the 5080 foot Green Knob.  The views from the tower are spectacular.  It is a short 0.5 mile hike from the Blue Ridge Parkway to the tower with a 340 foot elevation gain.  This is one of the unknown gems of the parkway.

The Green Knob Lookout Tower is visible from on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The 360 degree, panoramic views from atop the tower are certainly worth the short 0.5 mile hike from the Parkway. The tower provides the best viewing point of the rugged and tall Black Mountains range, including Mt. Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Rockies. The fire tower, atop the 5,080 foot Green Knob mountain, was built by the U.S. Forest Service in 1931.

The lookout was staffed through the 1970s, with someone living in the cab of the tower. After threat of destruction several times, the tower was repaired in 1996 so visitors can enjoy the view from the top. Today it's on the National Register of Historic Places, but it needs additional rehabilitation. Straddling the Eastern Continental Divide, the tower also features spectacular views of the Great Craggy Mountains, Table Rock, Grandfather Mountain, and the North Carolina Piedmont.

The hike to the Green Knob Lookout Tower starts at the Green Knob Overlook at milepost 350.4 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The trail is not obvious from the overlook, since there is no signage. From the overlook, walk about 250 feet north (turn right from the overlook) and look for the signpost for the trail on the opposite side of the road.  The trail has yellow blazes and can be overgrown in certain areas. Since it is somewhat hidden, the trail is not used by many hikers.

The Lost Cove Ridge Trail continues on and descends 2.7 miles to the Black Mountain Campground.  The trail loses over 2000 feet in elevation on the descent to the campground.

Green Knob Lookout Tower