Best Rides in WNC

Choose a ride from the list below!

1. Boyd Branch Loop

2. Single Track Sampler

3. Flat Laurel Creek

4. Bent Creek-The Top

5. Picklesimer Fields

6. Fletcher Creek

7. Tsali's Left and Right Loops

8. Laurel Mountain

9. Black Mountain

Best Rides in WNC

Picklesimer Fields

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Click here to see a topographic map of this ride

• Seasonal Ride (October 15 to April 15) only!

• More Difficult Plus (about a 1600' climb total)

• Length: about 11 miles

• Trails/Roads: Cat Gap Loop trail, Butter Gap trail, Art Loeb bypass, unnamed gravel road/singletrack, FR 471, FR 475, Long Branch trail.  

• Loop; singletrack, doubletrack, gravel roads, section of singletrack ridden twice near fish hatchery.

• Start: Fish Hatchery (now the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education also). To get there: from Asheville, take I-240 west to I-26 east to Asheville Airport (exit 9). Head south (right) on NC 280 toward Brevard. Stay on NC 280 until intersection with US 276. Go west on 276 (right) into Pisgah National Forest. Follow signs to Fish Hatchery, you will make a left at intersection with FR 475.  Cross bridge and park in Fish Hatchery parking lot.

For an illustrated navigation of this ride, links in the description below will take you to an image of that part of the trail.  Use your browser's back button to return to this page after viewing the image.

Start the ride on the gravel road leading out of the back of the hatchery parking lot.  After going around the gate and crossing the bridge, turn right onto the Cat Gap Loop trail.  This starts out with a steep push up log steps but moderates into a gently rolling trail following a green fence, with a few technical spots. After crossing a footbridge, cross the gravel road and pick up the Cat Gap trail again on the other side. This steep climb soon levels out, and turns into a moderately climbing trail that will take you high up along the side of the valley. There are technical sections and waterbars in places, and rhododendron tunnels. At one point, the trail will pass by a nice but overused campsite under some huge hemlocks; there is a hidden waterfall just downstream of the campsite. Listen for it--it's worth a visit but be careful around waterfalls and slick rocks. Just past this campsite is the intersection with the Butter Gap trail, marked by a big rock slab.  Turn right here and ride through Picklesimer Fields, a relatively level area, with a greassy field. After that, there is a level to gently uphill section, where the trail runs close to the crystal clear mountain stream which you will follow all the way up to the headwaters. At the next intersection, turn left onto the Butter Gap trail to begin a  fast, gradual, fun climb. There is another waterfall just off the left side of the trail, you can't miss it. The trail switches back and, for a short distance, becomes quite steep and technical near the upper reaches of the creek. At Butter Gap and trail intersection, make a sharp right onto the Art Loeb bypass trail.  This last little climb will top out at about 3320' and bring you down to another intersection.  Ride straight across, onto the gravel road heading downhill.  This fast, fun downhill is becoming singletrack and has some nice turns.  At the bottom and gate, turn right onto FR 471.  Stay on this road for another tedious climb that will top out at about 3420' and begin to go down again, and end up in Gloucester Gap.  Here, make a sharp right onto FR 475.  This is another fast downhill, but beware of vehicles.  After a steep section where you just get your speed back up, there will be a small parking pulloff and you will want to turn right here onto the Long Branch trail, this turn is easy to miss! Follow this trail that is slightly downhill and fairly technical; at intersection with Cemetary Loop make a right. Another short climb and downhill will take you to an intersection with a gravel road (FR 5095), ride straight across and pick up the trail on the other side for some more downhill.  You will then cross Searcy Creek and begin another climb, which will top out, head back down, and intersect back with the Butter Gap trail. Make a left here and ride back to the fish hatchery and starting point.