Mesa Top Trail

Dogs Leashed

There are a couple of parking spots at the start of this trail off Black Mountain Road, or you can connect in from Pickett State Park on Moccasin Rock Trail. The trail follows an old doubletack for 3/4ths of a mile through a dense canopy of hardwoods. Just after the doubletrack ends, you'll come to a staircase that descends steeply about 20 steps. The Upper Canyon Trail joins from the left at the bottom of the steps. Continuing on Mesa Top, you'll climb two steep staircases, each with about 20 steps out onto a bluff. At first, the tree canopy obscures the fact that you're on the bluff but after a few hundred feet, the trail passes within about 10 feet of an obvious cliff. There is a small clearing where you can walk out to an open rock to get the best view of the sandstone bluffs across Johnson Branch valley. The trail continues a couple hundred feet to another rock outcropping/cliff. Here you can also see deep into Pogue Creek valley. The view will be especially beautiful during leaf color season.

If you're doing Mesa Top as an out and back, it is worth a short detour (less than 1/4 mile) on Upper Canyon Trail to see the Kildeer Arch which the trail passes under.