Trails in the Shope Creek Trailhead Area

Here is a list of all trails in the Shope 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 Shope Creek trailhead, see the Shope Creek Trailhead page.

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

"Crested Iris" Trail

Moderate
  • Climbs moderately along the east side of Shope Creek; a bit more steeply near the upper end. Makes a good loop with the Shope Creek and Forrest Falls trails. Wildflowers, including Dwarf Crested Iris, line the trail in spring.
  • 0.65mi, Climbs Moderately, Some Obstacles

"Fairy House" Trail

Moderate
  • Crosses Shope Creek at the gate, then climbs through a clearing and into the forest beside a tiny wet-weather stream. Climbs steeply at the end before reaching an old logging road/trail.
  • 0.35mi, Climbs Moderately, Some Obstacles

"Forrest Falls" Trail

Moderate
  • Leads from the Shope Creek trail across a tributary of Shope Creek to the top of Forrest Falls. Provides connections with "Crested Iris" and "Upper Shope", making some loop possibilities. The lower part is identified as "I" on the Shope Creek logging...
  • 0.35mi, Climbs Moderately, Some Obstacles

"Lane Pinnacle" Trail

Moderate
  • Climbs a tributary of Shope Creek through a beautiful cove from Wolfden Flats to a (semi-) dead-end at the head of the cove near a large, angled rock feature below Lane Pinnacle. Unofficial scratch-paths head off in several directions from there. ...
  • 0.2mi, Climbs Moderately, Some Obstacles

"Rich Cove Loop" Trail

Moderate
  • Loops around a beautiful, gently sloping cove on old logging roads in an open, young hardwood forest of mostly Tuliptree/Yellow Poplar and Black Cherry below Rich Knob. Crosses a couple of tributaries of Shope Creek in wet weather at the upper end of...
  • 0.9mi, Climbs Moderately, Few Obstacles

"Rock Payne" Trail

More Difficult
  • Climbs over Rock Knob, Paynes Knob, and another unnamed summit as it traverses the ridge at Shope Creek's eastern boundary. Very steep in places; cliff-top views in others. Nice sections of surviving Carolina Hemlock forest. Can be used to make a...
  • 2.3mi, Climbs Steeply, Moderately Rough

Shope Creek Trail

More Difficult
  • FS 220, Shope Creek Road. Logging road with a gravel/natural surface climbs beside the main stem of Shope Creek through pine and hardwood forests. Reaches a logged area on the left, where the trail hooks into a clearing and ends. This area is filled...
  • 0.75mi, Hilly, Moderately Rough

"Shope Creek Connector" Trail

Moderate
  • Placeholder for a few short connector trails in the Shope Creek area.
  • mi, Hilly, Some Obstacles

"Thalweg" Trail

More Difficult
  • Follows the upper reaches of Shope Creek inside a small gulch cut by the stream, above Forrest Falls. Steep in places. Crosses the creek and tributaries in a few places. The creek is small and slows to a trickle at times up here. Beautiful...
  • 0.45mi, Climbs Moderately, Moderately Rough

"Twisted Vine" Trail

Moderate
  • Short loop through a nice cove in the center of the Shope Creek area below Paynes Knob.
  • 1.27mi, Climbs Steeply, Some Obstacles

"Upper Shope Creek" Trail

Moderate
  • Travels up along the highest reaches of Shope Creek to a pretty cove below Wolfden Knob.
  • 0.3mi, Climbs Steeply, Some Obstacles

"Warbler Cove" Trail

More Difficult
  • Easy at first as it climbs along a tributary of Shope Creek, then steepens near the end as it climbs to a gap below Rock Knob. Follows and old logging road. Several other old road beds go off from this one, but this is the most well-worn path....
  • 1.3mi, Climbs Steeply, Some Obstacles

"Wolf Branch" Trail

Moderate
  • Moderate uphill hike along Wolf Branch through a couple of logged areas. Continue uphill on Wolf Branch past the last clearing to reach "Casita Falls". Unofficial names.
  • 0.65mi, Climbs Moderately, Some Obstacles

"Wolfden Falls" Trail

Moderate
  • Climbs from Wolfden Flats trail up to a dead-end not far below Wolfden Falls, which only flow during wet weather. The falls is located high up on a tributary draining Wolfden Knob. You may be able to see and hear the falls from the end of the road...
  • 0.15mi, Climbs Moderately, Few Obstacles

"Wolfden Flats" Trail

Moderate
  • Climbs from Forrest Falls toward the upper reaches of Shope Creek along old logging roads. Enters a nearly flat area below Wolfden Knob at its upper end, which is wet with several tributaries. Identified as roads "I" and "J" on the Shope Creek...
  • 0.6mi, Climbs Moderately, Some Obstacles

Nearby Trails

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