ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Bent Creek Experimental Forest has a wealth of hiking trails. One that is an especially good time is the Hardtimes Connector Trail, which connects with Deer Lake Lodge Loop for a solid 2 mile hike.
Fast facts
- Bent Creek Experimental Forest has a wide network of trails used by mountain bikers, horseback riders and hikers alike, so be aware of your surroundings and follow trail etiquette.
- Hardtimes Connector Trail links up with Deer Lake Lodge Loop to form its full route.
- There are two road crossings on Wesley Branch Road. Look both ways when crossing!
- Bonus recreation for a full day out can be found readily nearby. Bent Creek Experimental Forest is located nigh-adjacent to the North Carolina Arboretum and Lake Powhatan.
Butterfly beauty
To embark on Hardtimes Connector Trail, navigate first to the Hardtimes Trailhead, 375 Wesley Branch Road. Parking can be competitive in the lot, but alternative parking along the side of the road is common in the forest.
Be sure to stop by the map kiosk, which has a display of the trails in the area, as well as fun facts about the Bent Creek Experimental Forest.
To begin the trail, walk past the gate. The trail begins wide, gravel and open. Continue until you reach a split limb which looks like a wishbone. Just beyond it, take the second left-hand path to a signpost for the Hardtimes Connector Trail.
The Hardtimes Connector stake will lay out a couple of trail rules: Horses are allowed, bikes allowed and hikers are, too. Be courteous on the trail and remember to follow the orange blazes, denoted by the circle at the top of the stake.
In many ways, the Hardtimes Connector Trail is built for mountain biking. The trail has many rolling hills on its ascent, with the impression of tire treads covering the orange banks on the side of the path.
The summit of the first major hill is fairly open to the sky, probably due to a significant amount of downed lumber piled around it. After returning to tree cover, the bike-inclined terrain reasserts itself. Watch out for the small ponds and be careful on the sudden and dramatic descent.
The downhill walk bottoms out with pretty flora and a wooden bridge over a small creek. After crossing it, it is not much further before the first road crossing over Wesley Branch Road. Look for the stop sign and watch for cars before crossing.
After crossing, the transition from the Hardtimes Connector Trail to Deer Lake Lodge Trail is soon to follow. Look for the long wooden bridge at the bottom of the hill. You will want to take a left, but before you do, stop and read “Trees,” the Joyce Kilmer poem emblazoned on a small sign just off of the bridge…