Review Date
August 2, 2009

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 3 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 3 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Every few months

Reviewed by: p0Ke'm@n ,  Cross Country Rider

Summary:
Introduction says it all....a fun trail that adds milage to the Bear Creek complex, or can be ridden as part of the Pinhoti 2 and 3 trail system or even the Southern X route thru the Cohuttas. Going up Bear Creek trail before the Gennett Poplar, you turn left at the marker and have a aerobic climb that immediately gets your attention. Up thru some nice fern-lined singletrack, then a swooping curved descent at the very edge of the fall line; more climbing thru switchbacks with wood rail waterbars, then a fast descent over waterbars and into a wet valley and over the Boy Scout bridge. Pops out into feed plot, and stay left on doubletrack back thru gate onto FS 90; left all the way down the curved gravel road puts you back onto Gates Chapel where you parked your 4-wheels. This trail requires some stamina more than skill....unlike the sketchy but fun downhill at Bear Creek. I have seen black bear near this trail, which hastens the aerobic effort!

Recommended Route:
Park where allowed on Gates Chapel Rd.; and up FS 241 past the Campground to the lower BC trailhead. Then you have options of doing the entire BC system before going up Pinhoti 1, or if your short on time or energy, turn left up the mountain at the marker just up from the parking lot. Some park further up FS 90, and ride Pinhoti 1 south to north, ending at Bear Creek trail. This would probably entail much more climbing.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Pinhoti 1, 2, and 3 have expanded great riding in the Cohuttas; see the other reviews on this site. Mulberry Gap is a good focal point for some R&R, camping, or catching a brew after a long ride.