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Beartree Gap Area Trails
2 reviews
4 of 5
From there my favorite route is to ride the main road to the last camping area(3 miles)and get on Yancy Trail. Then you will climb the drain bed until you intersect Iron Mtn Trail, take a left and head towards Damascus. After a few miles of "ridge running" you will come down a long downhill until you come to a 4-way crossroad @ Shaw's Gap. Take a left and then an imediate right, this will put you on the old race course. Follow this trail for about 2 miles until you intersect Beartree Trail, take a right and you will come out @ the park entrance.
Countless miles of excellent single track & fire roads can be accessed from Beartree Gap Campground, 9 miles NE of Damascus on State Route 58. Upon turning into the campground, drive to the top of the hill and take the first right into "Fishermans Parking Lot" (no fee to park there). From there you can ride back up to the main road and left to the Ranger's Station, or you can take the quick left in the parking lot down across the dam and around the lake. Watch out for hikers & campers in the main summer months, it get crowded.
Summary: Yes, Just as described below in previous review. Trails are excellent Back Country Type Trails. Let me suggest an altenative or two. Camp @ Beartree and ride yo butt off on these trails. Get National Geographic non tearable map from Ranger Station in Marion. No sorry no naked native women in map. Nat Geo just does maps better than anyone else. Ascend (climb) the Lum trail no, not Yancey and turn RIGHT for an epic on the Iron Mountain Trail to Hurricane campground and take a combo of Forest Roads and Trail back to Beartree. Or, beartree to Damascus and return via 58 and Beech Tree Gap trail.
Recommended Route: Dude, its all good. WARNING, watch the Jackasses on the Rice Rockets on 58. One came left of center and hit me in my Soobie Forester. Soobie 1, Dork on Rice Rocket 0. He lose, He lose bad.Not a good situation. Just consider yourself warned. Also, be nice to equestrians. They can be found out on the Iron Mountain Trail also. Most are good folks but hey there is always a bad apple.
Other recommended trails in the same area: Get yo BOB trailer and do a overnight epic going between the Creeper and the New River TRail. Schweet!!
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Summary: The trail from the upper end of the road up to the Iron is Lum trail, not Yancey. Yancey is a quick half- mile connector from Beartree Gap Trail down to the pay station. The summer crowds mentioned apply only to the area around the lake near the fishermans' parking lot- pretty rare to see anybody up on the mountain. Great ride, all singletrack once you're off the paved campground road. Lots of embedded rocks on the ridgetop, great views on the ridgetop, lots of options and connecting trails.
Recommended Route: Park at Fishermans' lot (free) and ride up road through pay station and on up to the end of the paved road. Turn left into the last campground and look for a bathhouse on your right. Lum Trail is an extreme right just behind the bathhouse. Climb the Lum for about 1 mile to an old AT shelter and the intersection with the Iron Mtn. Trail. Turn left and climb on the Iron to the ridgetop, ride along the ridge for 3 miles or so to Shaw Gap (4-way intersection) and turn left which brings you immediately to a T- intersection. Here you can choose either trail, both will put you back down into Beartree Rec. Area.
Other recommended trails in the same area: Mill Creek on back side of Iron Mtn. Bring map.
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