First Bent Creek Ride Report

[dcubed]

I rode Bent Creek for the first time last week. I had never been to NC, but I had heard and read a lot of good things about the BC trail network. The guys at Motion Makers recommended a loop that we modified to extend our ride.

The trails were almost exclusively hardpack with no technical content. The only challenges that most riders would face are climbs. Some are long-ish, while others are shorter and steeper. Most of the ST trails had excellent flow. A great place to ride if you don't want to get beat up, but still want to get a good cardio workout and ride some flowey trails.

The highlights were the descent along Little Hickory Top/Sidehill, Lower Sidehill and the Hardtimes Connector (high, sweeping berms).

Ride:
1. park at Hardtimes
2. ??? to Deer Lake Lodge Tr (flat)
3. Wolf Branch Tr (climb)
4. Ledford Branch Rd (climb)
5. Ingles Field Gap Tr (climb)
6. Little Hickory Top Tr (descent)
7. Sidehill Tr (descent)
8. Laurel Branch Rd (descent)
9. Lower Sidehill, west
10. Sidehill Connector (descent)
11. Bent Creek Gap Rd, sw (climb)
12. Lower Sidehill, ne (climb/descent)
13. Sidehill Connector, second time (descent)
14. Bent Creek Gap Rd, sw
15. Explorer Loop, northern leg, ne
16. (cross creek north to) Bent Creek Gap Rd
17. Bent Creek Gap Rd, sw
18. Laurel Branch Rd, nw (climb)
19. Lower Sidehill, ne
20. Boyd Branch Rd, se
21. Bent Creek Gap Rd, sw
22. Explorer Loop, northern leg, sw [pick up point 15/16, above]
23. Pine Tree Loop, southern leg
24. Deerfield Loop, southern leg
25. Small Creek Tr
26. Homestead Tr, east
27.short dirt road section
28. Hardtimes Connector Tr, ne
29. Deer Lake Lodge Tr to ???
30. Hardtimes parking area

In hindsight, I think we should have stayed on Lower sidehill (step 12) all the way to Boyd Branch Rd. From here we could have ridden sw, south of BCG Rd, to the Explorer Loop and actually done the whole Explorer Loop and ridden more of the Pine Tree Loop.

[SlowMTBer]

I've only ridden there once, but you missed the best downhill at Bent Creek IMO. When you climbed up Ingles Field Gap, and came out at 5 forks, you could have went up the gravel road for a bit and arrived at Greenslick, which is a pretty fun downhill. I will admit that Bent Creek isn't very technical though, at least not the parts I have ridden.

[dcubed]

I've only ridden there once, but you missed the best downhill at Bent Creek IMO. When you climbed up Ingles Field Gap, and came out at 5 forks, you could have went up the gravel road for a bit and arrived at Greenslick, which is a pretty fun downhill. I will admit that Bent Creek isn't very technical though, at least not the parts I have ridden.

I considered this option, but many of the reviews I read said that Greenslick was overrated and not worth the dirt road climb. However, maybe next time I visit, I'll take that option at 5 forks.

[kjlued]

I find nothing technical at Bent Creek
Greenslick is a fun down hill. I dunno if you find the climb to be worth it or not but several people do it on a regular basis.

You could try Dupont too.
It has a great network of trails and a few of them are slightly technical.
I think you get a little more variety out there and the scenery is also a better.
Downfall is sometimes there is more traffic but I have gone out there before and not seen anyone.

[dcubed]

I find nothing technical at Bent Creek
Greenslick is a fun down hill. I dunno if you find the climb to be worth it or not but several people do it on a regular basis.

You could try Dupont too.
It has a great network of trails and a few of them are slightly technical.
I think you get a little more variety out there and the scenery is also a better.
Downfall is sometimes there is more traffic but I have gone out there before and not seen anyone.

I actually rode at Dupont the day before I rode BC. Your assessment is spot on. We had a great time at Dupont, especially on the flowey ST (Ridgeline, Isaac Heath, Hilltop, Laurel Ridge, Cart Mountain).

[kjlued]

Did you actually take Cart?
The sign at Laural and Cart is all wacked out and you may have stayed on Laurel and not known it.
Cart right now is pretty covered up and really hard to follow.

Ridgeline is good but if you didn't hit Reasonover, Cedar Rock, Big Rock, Burnt Mtn, Airstrip, you missed some great trails. I have a course I ride leaving from Guion that is a little over 30 miles using very little service road and includes all those trails you mentioned, the ones I mentioned and a few more.

[dcubed]

Did you actually take Cart?
The sign at Laural and Cart is all wacked out and you may have stayed on Laurel and not known it.
Cart right now is pretty covered up and really hard to follow.

Ridgeline is good but if you didn't hit Reasonover, Cedar Rock, Big Rock, Burnt Mtn, Airstrip, you missed some great trails. I have a course I ride leaving from Guion that is a little over 30 miles using very little service road and includes all those trails you mentioned, the ones I mentioned and a few more.

I do not think that we rode Cart. We rode up Corn Mill Shoals to Laurel Ridge to Mine Mountain towards Fawn Lake, and turned around to come back down Laurel Ridge and Corn Mill Shoals to Shelter Rock.

We did a loop that an employee at the Hub mapped. We were a little sad with the amount of fire road and wide boring trails that we ended up riding. It looks like we could have easily picked up Airstrip and Reasonover. By that time, however, we were 4+ hours in and running out of daylight and energy.

This was our loop:
park at High Falls
Buck Forest Rd
Pitch Pine Tr
Conservation Rd
Joanna Rd
Twin Oaks Tr
Briery Fork Tr
Grassy Creek Tr
Sandy Tr
Thomas Cemetery Rd
White Pine Rd
Hookers Creek Tr
Ridgeline Tr
Jim Branch Tr
Isaac Heath Tr
Locust Tr
Hilltop Tr
Lake Imaging Rd
Buck Forest Rd
Conservation Rd
Bridal Veil Falls
Corn Mill Shoals Tr
Laurel Ridge Tr
Mine Mountain Tr
turn around at high point
Mine Mountain Tr
Laurel Ridge Tr
Corn Mills Shoals Tr
Shelter Rock Tr
Conservation Rd
Three Lakes Tr
Joanna Rd
Pitch Pine Tr

[kjlued]

Starting from Guion Farms

Buck Forest
White Pine
Hooker Creek
Ridgeline
Lake Imaging
Jim Branch
Isaac Heath
Locust
Hilltop
Lake Imaging
Buck Forrest
Pitch Pine
Three Lakes
Conservation
Shelter Rock
Corn Mill Shoals
Burnt Mtn (1st entrance)
Little River'
Cedar Rock (2nd entrance)
Big Rock
Corn Mill Shoals
Shoals
Laurel Ridge
Mine Mtn
Fawn Lake Rd
Reasonover Creek
Camp Summit
Airstrip
Shelter
Conservation
Three Lakes
Pitch Pine
Buck Forrest
Lake Imaging
Hilltop
Locust
Isaac Heath
Buck Forrest back to Guion parking

That is a little over 30 miles. If you have a little more in you take Jim Branch back down and Ridgeline back up to Hooker Creek then go back. There are a few more trails you can add in it if you like and I am adding more as I get better but I started riding 3-4 months ago so 30+ miles is where I am at.