Trails in the Dupont State Forest Trailhead Area
Here is a list of trails in the Dupont State Forest Trailhead area. For more information and a map (where available), click the trail name.
Airstrip
Other Map ID: Dupont State Forest #1
Lower end of trail is brand-new; winds slowly up the dry slope below the Airstrip on a moderate grade. The rest is the old airstrip itself with a nice view. Not recommended, though, on a hot, sunny day!
Barn
Other Map ID: Dupont State Forest #2
Travels from the horse barn near Bridal Veil Falls, past the scenic pastures, and uphill past a small creek to join with the Shelter Rock trail near the bottom of the Airstrip trail. Quickest way to get from the airstrip (and Fawn Lake parking area) to Bridal Veil Falls.
Big Rock
Other Map ID: Dupont State Forest #3
Trail is rocky and moderately rough at lower end. Middle part passes over solid granite domes, offering up some nice views of areas within Dupont State Forest and over toward Pisgah. Winds thru dry pine/oak forest near jct. with Cedar Rock trail. Highly recommended.
Bridal Veil Falls Road
Other Map ID: Dupont State Forest #6
Gravel road occasionally used by forest service vehicles.
Buck Forest Road
Other Map ID: Dupont State Forest #8
Gated, wide, maintained gravel road occasionally used by park and private vehicles (by permit) on the western end down to the Grassy Creek bridge. Rest is an unmaintained old roadbed.
Burnt Mountain
Other Map ID: Dupont State Forest #11
Southeast end is mostly on an old road bed, high above the Little River at first. Then switches back and climbs up near the nondescript summit of Burnt Mountain, on and off the old road bed. Steeper on northwest end with some rocks & roots.
Cart
Other Map ID: Dupont State Forest #14
Steep in places. This trail is now closed to bikes and horses.
Cascade
Other Map ID: Dupont State Forest #15
Connects Cascade Lake Road to the Pine Tree & Sheep Mountain trails.
Cedar Rock
Other Map ID: Dupont State Forest #16
Interesting trail passes over the granitic dome of Cedar Rock Mtn. Although the mountain is small by mountain standards, this trail provides some great views and an interesting environment. There are some rocky sections near the bottom; rest is mostly solid rock with patches of moss and low pine trees on either side of the trail.
Conservation Road
Other Map ID: Dupont State Forest #18
This is a wide, graded, maintained gravel road, which is gated but occasionally used by park vehicles, and private vehicles for visiting the waterfalls (by permit). Passes the old airstrip.
Corn Mill Shoals
Other Map ID: Dupont State Forest #19
Old roadbed; no longer maintained. Mostly hardpacked, but some places are rocky, highly eroded, or sandy. Starting from the Corn Mill Shoals parking area, the trail fords the Little River at Corn Mill Shoals. Use extreme caution if you cross here: the rock is EXTREMELY slick (seriously - wet ice grips like sandpaper compared to the slime on these rocks). Beyond the shoals, the path has been re-routed from the old roadbed onto a true trail. It winds up the ridge through a pine-oak forest before re-joining the old roadbed, and then ends at Bridal Veil Falls.
Covered Bridge
Other Map ID: Dupont State Forest #20
Connects the High Falls trail to the covered bridge on Buck Forest Road.
Fawn Lake Road
Other Map ID: Dupont State Forest #22
Gravel road occasionally used by vehicles. Scenic; loops around Fawn Lake.
Galax
Other Map ID: Dupont State Forest #26
Note: This trail was closed in 2010 "until it can be reconstructed". It appears this won't be happening; a replacement trail from Sheep Mountain up to the Triple Falls trail is in the long term plans. Until then, use the Triple Falls trail as an alternative.
Newer, short trail winds up through several switchbacks from the Hooker Falls parking area up the hill to the picnic area at Triple Falls. Named for large amounts of galax which grows on the ground in the woods here. DO NOT CUT SWITCHBACKS!
Grassy Creek Falls
Other Map ID: Dupont State Forest #27
Very short; travels down to the falls. Convoluted trail right before you get to the falls with lots of roots and rocks.
Grassy Dam
Other Map ID: Dupont State Forest #29
This trail is no longer maintained.
High Falls
Other Map ID: Dupont State Forest #34
This "trail" has a lot of parts to it. Starting at the High Falls parking area, a brand-new portion of footpath leads to the intersection with the Triple Falls trail. It's nice because it keeps you from having to walk on the boring, open, sunny portion Buck Forest Road which leads to the covered bridge. (Bikers and horses still use that portion of the road). This path is hard-packed and smooth, and is open to hikers only (and is wheelchair accessible). This path has one neat, sturdy footbridge that kids will love.
At the Triple Falls tr. intersection, this "trail" goes straight, and becomes a gravel road. It passes the Covered Bridge tr. on the right, and descends a short distance to a split. The left fork is mostly level, and goes to the picnic shelter and a great view of the falls. This is the easiest way to the falls overlook.
The right fork gets narrower and descends steeply, past the lower overlook of the falls. (A short path also connects the picnic shelter to this lower overlook). Below the lower overlook, the trail descends steeply to the river and joins the River Bend tr. on the right. (That's the way to the base of the falls.) Then it curves left and becomes a rocky old roadbed; eroded in places. It follows a tranquil section of the Little River on a gentle grade downstream, before climbing up just a bit to the intersection with the Triple Falls trail right above Triple Falls itself.
Triple Falls is about 100 feet downhill from this junction.
Hooker Falls Road
Other Map ID: Dupont State Forest #38
Old roadbed follows Little River to Hooker Falls. Mostly flat; drops a bit right at the falls to reach the base.
Joanna Mountain
Other Map ID: Dupont State Forest #42
Dead-ends on the backside of Joanna Mountain. Would make a great trail if it traveled to the overlooks on the front of the mountain, but you'll have to bushwhack to get there for now. This trail is no longer maintained and is closed to bikes and horses now.
Joanna Road
Other Map ID: Dupont State Forest #43
Upgraded gravel road occasionally used by forest service vehicles.
Lake Dense
Other Map ID: Dupont State Forest #44
This has been renamed the Three Lakes trail.
Lake Imaging Road
Other Map ID: Dupont State Forest #45
Passes Lake Imaging and winds up at Grassy Creek Falls & Buck Forest Road; popular area for horseback riders.
Lake Julia Road
Other Map ID: Dupont State Forest #46
Gravel road occaionally used by forest service vehicles.
Laurel Ridge
Other Map ID: Dupont State Forest #48
Nice trail has been re-routed along much of its length. Travels sidehill below the summit of a steep ridge. Mixed hardwood forest.
Little Briery
Other Map ID: Dupont State Forest #50
This trail is no longer maintained.
Little River
Other Map ID: Dupont State Forest #51
Follows an old roadbed. Mostly smooth with some sand and rocks, and one creek crossing (Tom Creek) with a log bridge. Not much in the way of elevation change. Follows the river in places. Ends at the State Forest boundary above Bridal Veil Falls. The portion beyond the boundary to Bridal Veil Falls is on private property; this trail is mainly used to access the northeastern end of the Cedar Rock trail.
Nooks
Other Map ID: Dupont State Forest #57
A little-used trail which dead-ends in the Nooks, a spit of land formed by the Little River's meanderings.
Pitch Pine
Other Map ID: Dupont State Forest #60
A scenic trail with gentle grades. West of Joanna Road, the trail goes through second-growth forest with only a few bigger trees (mostly white pines). There are some nice areas of galax, and a couple of neat, mossy rocks beside the trail. East of Joanna Road, this trail descends gently to the shore of Lake Dense on an old road bed through a dying stand of hemlock, then winds back toward the picnic shelter along the scenic lake shore.
River Bend
Other Map ID: Dupont State Forest #67
Provides access to the base of High Falls. An old road bed leading along the river fades into a narrower path before ending at the pool below the falls. Rocky in spots near the base of the falls.
Three Lakes
From Lake Dense, the trail follows an old road bed past the picnic shelter, across the dam, and over to Lake Alford. It has moderate grades, and goes through a pine/hemlock forest where many of the hemlocks are dying. There is a great view of Joanna Mountain across the lake. At Lake Alford, the trail goes over the dam to a small pier and resting bench. From Lake Alford, the trail is more of a footpath; it climbs moderately past the spring feeding Lake Alford, then comes out on a ridge above the Lake Julia spillway. There are some limited views of the lake and the spillway. The trail winds back down to Conservation Road just north of the spillway bridge.
Combined with the Pitch Pine trail, this makes a nice bypass of the boring section of Conservation Road from the Covered Bridge area up to the Lake Julia spillway bridge. Or, these trails combined with the road make a nice loop.
Triple Falls
Other Map ID: Dupont State Forest #82
Travels from the Hooker Falls parking area up to Triple Falls. Near the parking area the trail is level with a few rocks and wet places; near the falls it climbs very steeply but the surface is mostly smooth.
Wintergreen Falls
Other Map ID: Dupont State Forest #91
Easy walk on old road from Tarklin Br. Rd. to Sandy Tr. Narrows a bit, then narrows a lot and gets rougher - with some climbs up over some rocks - right before reaching the base of the falls.
