Covering more than 18,000 acres, the Shining Rock Wilderness in North Carolina is the state’s largest wilderness area, named for a unique, lofty peak that’s covered in gleaming white quartz rock outcrops and boulders. Hike our favorite trails in this remote, serene wilderness to grassy, wildflower-covered balds, sun-drenched mountain summits and the gleaming white summit of Shining Rock Mountain.