Trails in the Mills River Area
This is your guide to individual trails in the Mills River area.
Bear Branch
Blaze Color: Blue
USGS/USFS Number: 328
Going uphill, starts in a clearing, and then becomes a fairly technical and moderately steep route. Recommended direction is downhill, however, and you can make a nice loop using FR 5001 (a gated logging road).
Big Creek
Blaze Color: Yellow
USGS/USFS Number: 102
Follows one of the larger tributaries of the North Mills River. Steep near upper end. High elevation change.
Bradley Creek
Blaze Color: Orange
USGS/USFS Number: 351
Fun creekside, backcountry trail. Numerous water crossings (the deep, rocky, wading type). Good trail for a hot day. Log after log after log across the trail (touch up on your bunny hopping skills!). At some of the creek crossings, it is difficult to tell where the trail reemerges from the water. Goes by small dam on Bradley Creek. May be impassible in high water.
Cantrell Creek
Blaze Color: Red
USGS/USFS Number: 148
The upper 4/5 of this trail is one long, insane carry: it's terribly eroded and overgrown, difficult to follow (sometimes it becomes the creek--or vice versa?), and the trails it connects to are even worse. So, if you like that kind of stuff…
Fletcher Creek
Blaze Color: Blue
USGS/USFS Number: 350
Passing through some neat corn fields, the upper part of this trail makes a very fun downhill: it's fast, gradual, winding, and just steep and bumpy enough to spice it up. The lower part which joins with the Hendersonville Reservoir Road is a little steeper, faster, rockier, and more technical - fun in a different way. A few creek crossings. Trail follows old roadbed of Fletcher Fields Road. Part of the Fletcher Creek ride. Note: the log bridge at the intersection with the Spencer Branch and Middle Fork trails was washed away during the storms of September, 2004.
Laurel Creek
Blaze Color: Yellow
USGS/USFS Number: 348
A little overgrown with doghobble, but an otherwise nice trail; climbs by a creek in a scenic deep cove, then the narrow trail climbs up small, steep ridge. Some erosion on ridge.
Laurel Mountain
Blaze Color: Blue
USGS/USFS Number: 121
Long, narrow, backcountry singletrack trail which reaches high elevations. Gradual climb, cave, very technical spots, fast spots, views, and one incredibly steep section near top. Excellent trail. Makes a great loop ride when ridden with Pilot Rock trail and Forest Road 1206. Trail intersects Blue Ridge Parkway property (walk bikes here).
Laurel Mountain Connector
Connects Laurel Mt. tr. to Pilot Rock tr. Technical, moderately steep but very short.
Middle Fork
Blaze Color: Orange
USGS/USFS Number: 352
Traveling beside Middle Fork (stream) and crossing it once, the upper section is moderately sloped and bumpy with one section that has many logs laid across the trail side by side for erosion control. The lower section is a little steeper, more technical, and more scenic--passes by several large cascades on Middle Fork.
Mullinax
Blaze Color: Yellow
USGS/USFS Number: 326
Heavily erosion and horse damaged on upper half--parts of this trail are like a canyon (read: technical). Waterbars. Sandy sections. One unmarked and confusing intersection--if heading uphill, there is a sign, if downhill, you'll have to make a sharp left (no sign). Great technical down- or uphill on bottom half.
North Mills River
Blaze Color: Blue
USGS/USFS Number: 350
Fairly level but technical and has many river crossings where the trail is difficult to follow. Very little riding and a lot of wading. Impassible in high water.
Pilot Cove - Slate Rock
Blaze Color: Blue
USGS/USFS Number: 320
Fun creekside trail, rocky and rooty sections. Steep sections as it goes over the gap. Watch out or you will end up on the Laurel Mountain trail (there is a confusing, unmapped connector between these two trails!).
Pilot Rock
Blaze Color: Orange
USGS/USFS Number: 321
This trail is a blast. It's steep, with many sharp switchbacks. Very rocky, has a rock garden that's nearly impossible to ride, and many waterbars. Test out your suspension here! Great views. I would not recommend riding this uphill! Trail intersects Blue Ridge Parkway property (carry bikes here).
Riverside
Blaze Color: Yellow
USGS/USFS Number: 115
As its name implies, this trail follows the river (South Mills) and Bradley Creek, both of which you cross several times. Scenic. Expect to get wet up to your knees on this one. Few hills, some rocky and rooty sections. Impassible in high water.
South Mills River
Blaze Color: White
USGS/USFS Number: 133
Long, few hills but many river crossings (fords, concrete and suspension bridges); interspersed with VERY muddy places; wide, sandy places; some rooty and rocky areas; and some fast, level stretches. Heavy horse use. The Mills River is very scenic as it drops out of the Pink Beds. Impassible in high water. Lots of dead hemlock.
Spencer Branch
Blaze Color: Yellow
USGS/USFS Number: 140
The uppermost section of this trail is very steep with large drop offs and waterbars, covered with loose rocks and leaves. A great place to test out your technical skill! Below the steep section down to Fletcher Creek Road, and then down to the intersection with the Fletcher Creek trail, it is more subdued, with moderate climbs or great downhills, rocky/rooty sections and creek crossings. Below the Fletcher Creek trail to the Hendersonville Reservior, the trail is scenic, quite technical, very narrow, and precipitous as it clings to the steep side of the cove. In places, the trail is only a foot (or less) wide with nearly vertical slopes on either side. Be careful, or you could end up falling or sliding into the creek!
Spencer Gap
Blaze Color: Blue
USGS/USFS Number: 600
Connects Wash Creek Road to the Trace Ridge trail. Running just below the Blue Ridge Parkway, this trail is hilly and somewhat rocky. One steep part toward Wash Creek Road. Slightly overgrown. I've seen deer on this trail twice.
Squirrel Gap
Blaze Color: Blue
USGS/USFS Number: 147
Makes a great connector between the Laurel Creek and Mullinax trails. It's excellent - fast, technical, and fun singletrack. Last time I rode this from the Laurel Creek trail to the Cantrell Creek trail, it was insane - extremely overgrown with more vegetation than trail. Not ridden from Mullinax to Bradley Creek, but I assume it is just as overgrown.
Trace Ridge
Blaze Color: Orange
USGS/USFS Number: 354
Uphill from the Trace Ridge trailhead parking lot, this trail follows the old roadbed to the parkway. It is a fast, rocky trail: a bumpy downhill, or a steep, technical uphill. Highly recommended! Downhill from the trailhead, this trail is extremely damaged because water control devices have been destryoed and then erosion has taken its toll--in places it is a waist deep, clay canyon.
Turkey Pen Gap
Blaze Color: Blue
USGS/USFS Number: 332
Long ridgeline trail which undulates up and down over the various knobs on its summit. Very steep in places; has some issues with erosion as well. It winds onto the edge of private land in places; stay on the trail. Enables a connection with trails in the Davidson River area via the Black Mtn. trail.
