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A ten-mile ride from the Trace Ridge trailhead.


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Map Key

9.5

Miles

15.3

KM

40%

Singletrack

2,857' 871 m

High

2,415' 736 m

Low

712' 217 m

Up

719' 219 m

Down

3%

Avg Grade (2°)

17%

Max Grade (10°)

Dogs Off-leash

E-Bikes Unknown

Overview

A fairly mellow ride, for Pisgah at least. A good place for visitors or those averse to steep climbs to taste Pisgah. Starts with a long gravel climb with mellow grades, followed by a fun singletrack downhill that starts flowy and adds some rock farther down. There are a couple stream crossings, so expect wet feet.

Need to Know

Just before you reach the North Mills Rec area campground, hang a right onto FR 5000. There's a gate here, and it's not well-signed. After a couple miles, you'll reach the Wash Creek Horse Camp and a fork in the road. There is limited parking here, and it might be busy enough to make the next turn difficult to see. Keep left and cross the stream. You'll drive past a few roadside campsites before you reach the Trace Ridge trailhead/parking area. Once you reach the trailhead, begin the climb up Fletcher Creek Rd. (FR 5097) After around 6mi, look for Fletcher Creek Trail #350 on your left.

Description

This ride starts with a long, gradual climb up Fletcher Creek Rd. (FR 5097), aka Never Ending Road. It's not a consistent climb. Rather, there are quite a few spots where the road pitches downhill where you can catch a breather. You'll pass by the intersection with Spencer Gap Trail #600, first on your right and then on your left. A little later, you'll take a left turn onto Fletcher Creek Trail #350.

Fletcher Creek Trail #350 starts off with a nice, flowy downhill as it drops down into the valley. After the second stream crossing, you'll meet up with the bottom of Spencer Gap Trail #600 and Middle Fork Trail. Keep left and climb up the steepest climb of the ride. There are a couple false flats along this section, and it starts to get a bit rockier than you've seen so far.

Once you reach the top, be prepared for the steepest part of the ride overall. Thankfully, it's a downhill section. This stretch is fast and it's the rockiest part of the trail, so keep on your toes. At the bottom, you dump out onto Hendersonville Reservoir Rd. (FR 142), which gives you a stretch of gravel back to the trailhead. You'll finish this ride with an approximately half-mile gravel climb up Hendersonville Reservoir Rd. (FR 142) to the trailhead.

Contacts

Shared By:

Nate Hawkins

Trail Ratings

  4.4 from 21 votes

#2

in Trace Ridge

#817

Overall
  4.4 from 21 votes
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Recommended Route Rankings

#2

in Trace Ridge

#817

Overall
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10,197 Since Sep 4, 2015
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Photos

Near the start of the doubletrack.
Oct 20, 2020 near Avery C…, NC
On the doubletrack climb.
Oct 20, 2020 near Avery C…, NC
Falling water on the gravel trail out
Jul 14, 2020 near Avery C…, NC
The Falls at the bottom of Fletcher Creek.
Mar 27, 2021 near Avery C…, NC
Doubletrack is what you get for about the first half of the trail.
Jul 14, 2017 near Avery C…, NC
Fletcher Creek January Ride
Jan 29, 2018 near Avery C…, NC
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