Trails in the Dupont State Forest Trailhead Area

Here is a list of all trails in the Dupont State Forest 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 Dupont State Forest trailhead, see the Dupont State Forest Trailhead page.

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

Airstrip Trail

• The upper end of this trail follows along the old airstrip itself with a nice view - unfortunately this can be awful on a hot, sunny day. The lower end of the trail is brand-new; winds down the dry slope below the airstrip on a moderate grade with...
• 1.01mi, Climbs Gently, Some Obstacles

Barn Trail

• 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)...
• 0.45mi, Climbs Gently, Some Obstacles

Big Rock Trail

• Trail is rocky and moderately rough at the lower end; offers a fairly gnarly descent or technical climb. Passes over the granite dome, and offers some great slickrock. There are some great views toward Pisgah from the middle. Winds thru pine/oak...
• 0.84mi, Hilly, Moderately Rough

Boundary Trail

• Forest loam surface. Connects Rifle, Guion, and Hickory Mountain trails, forming a small loop.
• 0.3mi, Climbs Gently, Some Obstacles

Bridal Overlook Trail

• 0.49mi, ,

Bridal Veil Falls Road Trail

• Gravel road occasionally used by forest service vehicles. Passes the horse stables and terminates at a loop, where a short path continues around a switchback to an overlook, and then the base of Bridal Veil Falls.
• 0.56mi, Some Hills, Paved/Graveled

Briery Fork Trail

• 1.47mi, ,

Buck Forest Road Trail

• 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 fast, packed doubletrack on an old unmaintained road bed.
• 3.18mi, Climbs Moderately, Some Obstacles

Buckhorn Creek Road Trail

• 1.14mi, ,

Buck Ridge Road Trail

• Ridgeline doubletrack. Ends at DSF boundary, pick up on Micajah trail to avoid trespassing on private property.
• 0.72mi, ,

Burnt Mountain Trail

• Southeast end is mostly on an old road bed, high above the Little River at first, undulating and fast. Then switches back and climbs up near the nondescript summit of Burnt Mountain, flowing on and off the old road bed. Steeper descent on northwest...
• 2.20mi, Hilly, Moderately Rough

Camp Summit Road Trail

• 0.55mi, ,

Cannon Creek Trail

• 1.36mi, ,

Cascade Trail

• Connects Cascade Lake Road to the Pine Tree & Sheep Mountain trails.
• 0.85mi, Climbs Moderately, Some Obstacles

Cedar Rock Trail

• Don't miss this one! This trail offers some of the best - and only - slickrock riding in the East. Combined with Big Rock, this covers most of the slickrock in Dupont. Long sections of solid, rough granite are interspersed with patches of trees,...
• 1.43mi, Hilly, Moderately Rough

Chestnut Oak Road Trail

• 0.46mi, ,

Conservation Road Trail

• 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.
• 2.61mi, Hilly, Paved/Graveled

Corn Mill Shoals Trail

• Mostly hardpacked, rolling doubletrack, but there are some areas with rocks and bigger gravel, as well as some sand and highly eroded sections. It's becoming singletrack in places. Starting at the Corn Mill Shoals parking area, the trail undulates up...
• 2.43mi, Hilly, Some Obstacles

Covered Bridge Trail

• Connects the High Falls trail to the covered bridge on Buck Forest Road. Gravel road surface. Extremely popular trail so take it slowly.
• 0.22mi, Climbs Moderately, Few Obstacles

Farmhouse Trail

• Forest (organic) surface.
• 0.56mi, ,

Fawn Lake Loop Trail

• 0.60mi, ,

Fawn Lake Road Trail

• Gravel road occasionally used by vehicles. Scenic; loops around Fawn Lake.
• 0.74mi, Climbs Gently, Paved/Graveled

Flat Rock Trail

• 0.49mi, ,

Flatwoods Trail

• Organic soil surface.
• 0.19mi, ,

Frank Street Trail

• 0.45mi, ,

Galax Trail

• **Note:** This trail was closed permanently in 2010. A replacement trail for horses and bikes, from Sheep Mountain up to the Triple Falls trail, is in the long term plans. Moderately steep climb on purpose built singletrack trail with several...
• 0.27mi, Climbs Moderately, Some Obstacles

Grassy Creek Trail

• 0.76mi, ,

Grassy Creek Falls Trail

• Short, travels down to the falls. Bike access ends right before you get to the falls so park and walk this convoluted section with lots of roots and rocks.
• 0.28mi, Climbs Moderately, Moderately Rough

Grassy Meadow Trail

• From the eastern end, the trail - which is an old road - ascends slightly, then crosses a tributary of Briery Fork before going through its eponymous meadow. The creek crossing is the only part of this trail that could be called even remotely...
• 0.83mi, Climbs Gently, Some Obstacles

Guion Trail

• 0.52mi, ,

Hickory Mountain Loop Trail

• This trail was rebuilt in the spring of 2014 by Elevated Trail Design. It was built with mountain biking in mind, and technical features abound. Climbs past an open meadow through some switchbacks before winding around atop Hickory Mountain a bit,...
• 1.06mi, Climbs Moderately, Some Obstacles

Hickory Mountain Road Trail

• Old gravel road travels from the meadow near Guion Farm to the bottom of Hickory Mountain, where it connects to Hickory Mountain Loop and Ridgeline. Mostly gravel; travels through pine forest. Passes through another clearing near the upper end with a...
• 2.76mi, Climbs Gently, Graveled

High Falls Trail

• This "trail" has a lot of parts to it. The portion open to bikes goes from the Triple Falls/Buck Forest Road intersection down to the picnic shelter above High Falls, and then on down to the Riverbend trail, then alongside the river to Triple Falls....
• 0.73mi, Climbs Moderately, Some Obstacles

Hilltop Loop Trail

• 0.42mi, ,

Holly Road Trail

• 1.22mi, ,

Hooker Creek Trail

• 1.08mi, ,

Hooker Falls Road Trail

• Old roadbed follows Little River to Hooker Falls. Mostly flat; drops a bit right at the falls to reach the base.
• 0.25mi, Some Hills, Few Obstacles

Hooker Ridge Road Trail

• 0.46mi, ,

Isaac Heath Trail

• 0.79mi, ,

Jim Branch Trail

• 1.29mi, ,

Joanna Road Trail

• Upgraded gravel road occasionally used by forest service vehicles.
• 4.24mi, Climbs Moderately, Paved/Graveled

Lake Dense Trail

• This has been renamed the Three Lakes trail.
• 0.46mi, Some Hills, Few Obstacles

Lake Imaging Road Trail

• Passes Lake Imaging and winds up at Grassy Creek Falls & Buck Forest Road; popular area for horseback riders.
• 1.53mi, ,

Lake Julia Road Trail

• Gravel road occaionally used by forest service vehicles.
• 0.4mi, Some Hills, Paved/Graveled

Lake View Loop Trail

• 0.23mi, ,

Laurel Ridge Trail

• Nice trail has been re-routed along much of its length. Travels sidehill below the summit of a steep ridge. Fun sections with TTF's. Mixed hardwood forest.
• 0.85mi, Few Hills, Some Obstacles

Little River Trail

• Follows an old roadbed. Mostly hardpacked with some sand and rocks, and one creek crossing (Tom Creek) where you can ford or take a sketchy log bridge. Not much in the way of elevation change. Follows the river in places. Ends at the State Forest...
• 1.17mi, Climbs Gently, Some Obstacles

Locust Trail

• 0.42mi, ,

Longside Trail

• 0.75mi, ,

Micajah Trail

• Narrow and twisty in places; crosses some sections of slickrock. Optional technical features. Excellent downhill.
• 0.82mi, ,

Mine Mountain Trail

• 1.42mi, ,

Moore Cemetery Road Trail

• 0.15mi, ,

Nooks Trail

• A little-used trail which dead-ends in the Nooks, a spit of land formed by the Little River's meanderings.
• 0.42mi, Some Hills, Some Obstacles

Oak Tree Trail

• 0.51mi, ,

Pine Tree Trail

• 1.58mi, ,

Pitch Pine Trail

• Short but fun trail. West of Joanna Road, there are some twisty sections, rollers, and moderate climbs. There is a neat rock feature with a technical and an easy option. East of Joanna Road, the trail descends gently on an old road bed with a few...
• 0.39mi, Climbs Moderately, Some Obstacles

Plantation Trail

• 1.16mi, ,

Poplar Trail

• Short connector descends from White Pine Loop to Rifle trail. Old forest road surface.
• 0.33mi, Climbs Moderately, Some Obstacles

Poplar Hill Loop Trail

• 1.39mi, ,

Reasonover Creek Trail

• 3.27mi, ,

Ridgeline Trail

• 1.21mi, ,

Rifle Trail

• 0.47mi, ,

River Bend Trail

• 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.
• 0.27mi, Climbs Gently, Some Obstacles

Rock Quarry Road Trail

• 1.27mi, ,

Rocky Ridge Trail

• 1.26mi, ,

Sandy Trail

• 0.55mi, ,

Scarlet Oak Trail

• 0.16mi, ,

Sheep Mountain Trail

• 1.55mi, ,

Shelter Rock Trail

• 0.62mi, ,

Shoal Creek Trail

• 1.19mi, ,

Shoals Trail

• 0.44mi, ,

Shortcut Trail

• 0.28mi, ,

Switchback Trail

• 0.63mi, ,

Table Rock Trail

• A nice short ride through the woods, but don't expect a view like the name might suggest. There's not really any rock visible on the small mountain known as Table Rock, and it is all tree-covered.
• 0.88mi, Climbs Gently, Few Obstacles

Tarkiln Branch Road Trail

• 1.39mi, ,

Thomas Cemetery Road Trail

• 1.60mi, ,

Three Lakes Trail

• 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...
• mi, Climbs Moderately, Some Obstacles

Triple Falls Trail

• **Please note:** Only open to bikes from Buck Forest Road down to the Triple Falls picnic shelter and overlook. The portion open to bikes is an old gravel road which descends moderately to the picnic shelter and falls. Closed to bikes beyond the...
• 1.03mi, Climbs Moderately, Some Obstacles

Turkey Knob Road Trail

• This old road is reverting back to a singletrack trail. The new extension from Pinnacle Mountain Road down to Briery Fork trail (built early 2013) is purpose-built singletrack, and it opens up more possibilities for loops in the south end of DuPont,...
• 3.1mi, Climbs Gently, Some Obstacles

Twin Oaks Trail

• 0.93mi, ,

Twixt Trail

• 0.42mi, ,

White Pine Trail

• 0.5mi, ,

White Pine Loop Trail

• Easy loop off Hickory Mountain Road. Old forest road surface. Travels through an area logged of White Pine.
• 0.24mi, Climbs Gently, Few Obstacles

Wilkie Trail

• 0.36mi, ,

Wintergreen Falls Trail

• Easy ride on an old road from Tarklin Br. Rd. to Sandy Tr. Narrows a bit, then narrows a lot. Leave your bike at the sign/horse tie-out and take the short, narrow, rough trail for a few hundred feet up over some rocks to the base of the falls.
• 0.52mi, Climbs Gently, Moderately Rough