HikeWNC Trail Details: Buck Springs
Description
The Buck Spring itself is located beside the parkway where the road for Mount Pisgah parking area turns off. It is inside a small A-frame building, barely visible through the trees. The ridgeline trail named after it has two access points - the Pisgah Inn parking area at milepost 407.6, and the Mt. Pisgah Trail parking at milepost 406.5. Traveling from the Mt. Pisgah parking area, you will shortly pass an overlook of the Mills River valley, and then pass through the site of George W. Vanderbilt's Buck Springs Lodge. There are some interpretive signs and another overlook here, and then the trail plunges back into the forest of spruces and firs, northern hardwoods, and tunnels of rhododendron. The trail is moderately steep and wet in places, with some roots and rocks. The trail intersects the Laurel Moutain and Pilot Rock trails - both which continue onto National Forest land. Further along, there are some more views off to the left before the trail descends moderately from the edge of Little Bald Mountain to the Pisgah Inn. One notable aspect of the Buck Springs trail is the large number of remaining American Chestnut trees. Some specimens along this trail reach relatively great heights of 40' or more before dying back. In fact, both the tallest and thickest living American chestnuts I've seen grow right beside this trail. In other places, the entire understory is almost nothing but chestnut saplings. Will this be where a blight-resistant, totally natural strain of American Chestnut will eventually develop? Only time will tell.
Details
Trailhead: Linville Falls
Overall Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 1.1mi
Steepness: Hilly
Tread Condition: Some Obstacles
Other Map ID: BRP MP 407.6
Allowed Uses: Hiking
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