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 Reporter |
Summary: From the gate walk down the road to the first intersection, turn right. Continue over the dam by Fishing Pier (lake is stocked with Trout during season). Continue to follow the trail, a gravel road at this point, to upper end of lake (About 1/4 Mi. watch for wide well worn path to left) cross wooden bridge turn left. Follow the trail past the beach, cross small bridge take left fork, follow this winding trail to intersection below dam of the trail you walked in on, ( Cross small concrete bridge to main road ) backtrack to car. Wildlife in the area is Canadian Goose in Spring, A errant Beaver or two, and a selection of water fowl during mating season. The fall colors here are worth a trip back, and wild flowers are numerous in the Springtime. Trailhead: From W. Asheville take Brevard Rd. this becomes NC-191. Travel 5.4 Mi. to red light at Bent Creek Ranch Rd. Turn Right, at the top of the hill turn Left on Wesley Branch Rd. (SR-3484) go to the Hardtimes Trailhead Parking area on Left. It is 2.2 Mi.from the red light to the parking area, park walk down the gated Rd. (Lat:35.48781 Lon:-82.62415) Trail Guides for Bent Creek Lake Loop: North Carolina Hiking Trails (third edition) by Allen de Hart (Appalachain Mountain Club Books.) Best Seasons: Fall, Spring, Summer, User Groups: Hikers, Dogs, Ranger Contact: Pisgah Ranger District, District Ranger, 1-828-877-3265 Localhikes Reporter: This hike was submitted by Steve Owen, who has posted 11 other hikes on this site. To visit this reporters web site, click here. Trail Reviews Submit your own review 
Reviewed by Zach on 2/19/2008 I'll go off what Trespassers W said- while this is a hike, this isn't what you go looking for in a hike. Its mainly a hike for those of us that live in Asheville and need somewhere close to go to get out of the city. For that, its great. For a real hike, do yourself a favor and check out another place.
Reviewed by wilma on 7/17/2007 This is a very pleasant hike. If you are looking for strenous exercise this is not the trail for you. But if you are looking for nice scenery and an easy hike this is a good choice. 
Reviewed by Trespassers W on 5/18/2004 Yuck!! It may just be that I took a wrong turn and ended up turning this 1.5 mile hike into a 6 miler, but I was unimpressed by this site. CLARIFYING STEVE's DIRECTIONS: From the gate, hike down until path dead ends into another. Turn right. Take this path through another gate (past the little stone bridge on the left). This will take you over the dam and to the lake. There's really no point in hiking around the lake unless you want to stop in for a swim. Otherwise, go check out another part of NC. I recommend the Three Falls Hike. Notice: Traveling in the backcountry can be hazardous. You are responsible for informing yourself about these hazards and taking necessary precautions. Information on this web site comes from volunteer reporters and may contain errors or omissions. A current guidebook and proper equipment are essential for safe enjoyment of the hikes posted on this site. Keys: North Carolina Hiking, North Carolina Trails, North Carolina Hikes, Buncombe County Hiking, Buncombe County Trails, Buncombe County Hikes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||