Hot Springs Mountain on a hot day

Hike was definitely more challenging than I thought it would be. The first two miles were absolutely horrendous, as the elevation gain was crazy. After that, we were able to enjoy our time up which was surrounded by tall trees and peaceful bird noises. The top view was gnarly and we definitely deserved a long break. We were lucky to get up there early, because on the way down the UVs were getting quite high. Overall, very tough hike, but the views were worth it.