Trails in the Bent Creek Trailhead Area

Here is a list of all trails in the Bent Creek Trailhead area.

Each trail has its own printable page with all the information and links, including (where available):

  • directions to the starting point
  • difficulty
  • length
  • elevation change
  • a map
  • photos from along the way, and
  • a detailed description and trail directions.

For general information about the Bent Creek trailhead, see the Bent Creek Trailhead page.

Need to find trails by another method? Go back to Trails.

Boyd Branch Trail

Easy
  • Easy trail with a beautifully engineered creek crossing on the upper end. From Boyd Branch Road, the trail is graveled to the creek crossing, which also has a hard gravel bottom and large flat paving stones on either side. The rest of the trail is...
  • 0.7mi, Climbs Gently, Few Obstacles

Campground Connector Trail

Easy
  • Connects the Bent Creek Campground with Bent Creek Gap Road. A smooth, level old roadbed which follows Bent Creek part of the way. Interpretive signs. Mixed pine-hardwood forest. Nice bridge right before intersection with Bent Creek Gap Road.
  • 0.6mi, Level, Few Obstacles

Chestnut Cove Trail

Moderate
  • Since being re-worked to eliminate the straight-up-the-hill approach, this is a moderate climb through a couple of switchbacks. Only a few rocks and/or roots. Though technically closed to bikes, it receives heavy bike usage and is none the worse for...
  • 0.2mi, Climbs Moderately, Some Obstacles

Deerfield Loop Trail

Easy
  • Short, nice loop. Have a few extra minutes after work and want to burn off some steam? This would be a good choice for a short hike. Steep in places; passes a small wildlife opening. A narrow portion in a nice cove traverses a steep slope and a...
  • 0.8mi, Few Hills, Some Obstacles

Deer Lake Lodge Trail

Moderate
  • Starting at the Rice Pinnacle parking area, the trail is paved up to the former Deer Lake Lodge site and crosses a long wooden bridge along the way. Beyond the old lodge, which is now marked by a clearing on the right, the trail turns sharply left...
  • 1.4mi, Hilly, Some Obstacles

Explorer Loop Trail

Moderate
  • Travels on mostly old roadbeds; only a couple of steep sections. Crosses Beaten Branch a couple of times on the northeast end; this can be wet. Re-routed section near Cold Creek Knob Road is steeper with several switchbacks. Explorer Loop Alternate...
  • 3mi, Few Hills, Some Obstacles

Green's Lick Trail

Moderate
  • 2.5mi, Climbs Moderately, Some Obstacles

Hardtimes Connector Trail

Easy
  • Connects the Hardtimes parking area with the entry road near the Rice Pinnacle parking area and the Deer Lake Lodge trail.
  • 0.9mi, Climbs Gently, Some Obstacles

Homestead Trail

Easy
  • This trail was recently completely re-graded. Travels along the shore of Lake Powhatan. Passes through the beach area and past the dam, then downstream along Bent Creek. There are a few footbridges and some wet places, but it's otherwise a fairly...
  • 1mi, Level, Few Obstacles

Ingles Field Connector Trail

Moderate
  • 0.3mi, Climbs Steeply, Some Obstacles

Ingles Field Gap Trail

Moderate
  • Intersects many other trails. Mostly sidehill, level in places. Logged areas. Climbs from Ledford Branch Road to Ingles Field Gap.
  • 1.5mi, Climbs Moderately, Some Obstacles

Ledford Trail

Easy
  • Connects Wolf Branch trail to Rice Pinnacle Road (FS 479E), crossing Wolf Branch at a muddy area with huge ferns along the way. Climbs moderately toward the road through a young forest. Watch for blazes.
  • 0.6mi, Climbs Gently, Few Obstacles

Little Hickory Top Trail

Moderate
  • Starting at Boyd Branch Road, the trail climbs through several switchbacks through logged areas. The surface is a logging road which used to be a singletrack trail historically called Sidehill, but was revived into a road around 2005 (and is now...
  • 1.8mi, Climbs Moderately, Some Obstacles

Lower Sidehill Trail

Moderate
  • A steep climb near the south end gives way to a sidehill traverse, mostly on old road beds, before descending to lower elevations and smaller hills near the north end. This is one of the more remote-feeling sections of trail in Bent Creek. Passes...
  • 3.1mi, Hilly, Some Obstacles

Lower Sidehill Connector Trail

Moderate
  • From Laurel Branch Road and Lower Sidehill trail, this is downhill to Bent Creek Gap Road. A short trail with a nice hemlock grove.
  • 0.4mi, , Some Obstacles

North Boundary Road Trail

Moderate
  • Wide gravel road near bottom, wide trail near top. Old guardrails. Open areas with lots of poison ivy and thorns.
  • 3.8mi, Climbs Moderately, Few Obstacles

Pine Tree Loop Trail

Easy
  • 2mi, Few Hills, Some Obstacles

Shut-In Trail

Most Difficult
  • The Shut-In Trail is a long, historic route which shares the path with the Mountains to Sea Trail. It travels from NC 191 near Bent Creek and Asheville to the Mount Pisgah parking area. George W. Vanderbilt, builder of the famous Biltmore Estate near...
  • 16.3mi, Hilly, Moderately Rough

Sidehill Trail

Moderate
  • Most of this trail was turned into a road during 2005. From Ledford Gap to Boyd Branch Road, it is a gravel road and will be permanently maintained that way. Not a trail. From Boyd Branch Road to Ingles Field Gap, it is currently an unimproved road...
  • 0.5mi, Climbs Moderately, Some Obstacles

Sleepy Gap Trail

Moderate
  • 1.8mi, Climbs Moderately, Some Obstacles

Small Creek Trail

Easy
  • Follows a small creek through young, mixed forests with plenty of the usual rhododendron and mountain laurel. Has recently been re-graded with some new bridges installed. Pleasant walk.
  • 0.5mi, Climbs Moderately, Few Obstacles

Wolf Branch Trail

Moderate
  • Travels through the relatively flat stream bottom at the base of the mountains. Near the western end of this trail, you can see the hills rising out of the valley, and you'll start climb them before you reach Ledford Branch Road. Lots of ground pine,...
  • 1.2mi, Climbs Moderately, Some Obstacles

Nearby Trails

The following trails cross into this trailhead area, but are primarily accessed from another trailhead:

Mountains to Sea Section 3 Trail

Most Difficult
  • **Pisgah Inn to Black Mountain Campground** Pisgah Inn, BRP mp 408.6 to Folk Art Center, BRP mp 382: from the Pisgah Inn to the Mount Pisgah Parking Area, the trail is co-signed as the Buck Spring trail. This leads past the old Buck Spring Lodge...
  • 67.7mi, Hilly, Moderately Rough
  • Blue Ridge Parkway Section 5 Trailhead