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Arcadia Fall Ride

1K views 5 replies 3 participants last post by  CraigCreekRider 
#1 ·
Did a classic Arcadia loop a couple of weeks ago. I think there was about 10 of us middle agers and older.

Started near the North Creek Campground. Full house in the parking area

Across the road and up Whitetail Trail. Trail sign was dilapidated but the trail was rolling good.




Off the trail and across a field to one of the many grassy fireroads in Arcadia. Guess who all these guys are waiting on? Luckily they are used to it.

Pleasant riding on Thomas Mountain

Out to FS 812


Only a half mile or so and onto another grassy fire road.

Pleasant riding, like the first grassy fireroad



Eventually this dumps you out at the beginning of North Creek trail on an abandoned section of trail

Then about 1.5 mile up North Creek trail in the direction of Apple Orchard Falls. It is a nice scenic trail but designed for hikers and has too many steps, etc.



About half way to the falls we cross the creek and start the gravel grind up to Parkers Gap


Back onto FS 812 for the rest of the climb

Note radar dome on Apple Orchard Mountain



I think it is about 2500 vertical feet from our start, but we made in to Sunset Fields on the Blue Ridge Parkway

 
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#2 ·
About a mile on Apple Orchard Falls trail from the top.

It was gnarlier and leavier than I had expected, but got us going down.

Walking tree?

Regrouping now on Cornelius Creek trail

Probably an old timber or mining road, it rolls for a while

Pleasant, but wet in places

Cross the AT

From here on it is all down and gnarlier

Steep and full of leaf covered loose rocks had my pucker factor maxed out

It is also a very beautiful ride

Just don't take in too much scenery or you will be eating rocks



One of our crew had a nasty crash here

Out the end

They had a nine inch thunderstorm a couple of years ago and Cornelius Creek trail was beat up badly, as well as North Creek road. Looks like they have almost finished rebuilding it.
 
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