Circle the Big Pinnacle and take in the view from Little Pinnacle
Pilot Mountain is the knob you can see for miles along US-52 north of Winston-Salem. The Big Pinnacle rises about 1,400 feet above the valley to 2,421 feet, and its sheer walls are closed to all climbing to protect nesting ravens and raptors. You can walk right around it on the Pilot Knob Trail (the old Jomeokee Trail), a 0.8-mile loop from the upper summit parking lot, and step out to the Little Pinnacle Overlook, where on a clear day the view covers about 3,000 square miles.
We went in August 2018 and again in April 2019. The summer trip started at the trail board and wound through the woods to the overlook. In April we did the loop under the cliffs of the Big Pinnacle.
🥾 Make it longer
- Ledge Spring Trail: 1.0 mile one way and strenuous, on rock steps below the cliffs. It makes a 2-mile loop from the summit lot.
- Grindstone Trail: 3.5 miles one way from the visitor center to the summit, also strenuous.
🥾 Trail facts
- Trail: Pilot Knob Trail, 0.8-mile loop (NC State Parks)
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Big Pinnacle: 2,421 ft, about 1,400 ft above the valley, no climbing
- Fees: No day-use fee listed
- Managed by: NC Division of Parks and Recreation
Trail facts checked October 2026. Sources: NC State Parks: Pilot Mountain, Pilot Mountain trail list. Trails and roads change, so check with the park before you go.
