Pisgah Ranger District

The Pisgah Ranger District is home to many waterfalls, scenic views, and miles of hiking, biking, and equestrian trails. Bordering Transylvania, Buncombe, and Haywood Counties, Pisgah Ranger District is a short drive from Asheville, Hendersonville, Brevard, and Waynesville. Lake Powhatan Recreation area and Bent Creek Experimental Forest are also included in the Pisgah District, providing visitors with more recreation opportunities.
General Information
Directions:From the Asheville Supervisor's Office:
Take I 26 East to Exit 40 (Airport Rd.) Turn right on Airport Road (Hwy. 280) and continue on it until reaching Pisgah Forest. Turn right on US Hwy. 276 North. The ranger district office is approximately 2 miles on US 276.
Activities
Mountain Biking
Recreation areas with activity Mountain Biking:- Squirrel Gap Trail #147
- Cantrell Creek Trail #148
- Pink Beds Connector Trail #118A
- Pilot Cove-Slate Rock Trail #320
- Pilot Cove Loop Trail #320A
- Pilot Rock Trail #321
- Turkeypen Gap Trail #322
- Vineyard Gap Trail #324
- Horse Cove Gap Trail #325
- Mullinax Trail #326
- Avery Creek Trail #327
- Bear Branch Trail #328
- Cove Creek Trail #340
- Cemetery Loop Trail #341
- Club Gap Trail #343
- Pine Tree Loop Trail #336
- Pine Tree Connector Trail #336A
- Lake Powhatan Campground
- Lake Powhatan Picnic Area
- Lake Powhatan Swim Area
- North Boundary Trail #135
- Little Hickory Top Trail #136
- Lower Sidehill Trail #137A
- Greenslick Trail #139
- Sidehill Trail #145
- Ingles Field Connector #150A
- Campground Connnector Trail #329
- Homestead Trail #333
- Small Creek Trail #334
- Sidehill Connector Trail #145A
- Ingles Field Gap Trail #150
- Deerfield Loop Trail #335
- Flat Laurel Creek Trail #346
- Laurel Creek Trail #348
- Fletcher Creek Trail #350
- Bradley Creek Trail #351
- Middle Fork Trail #352
- North Mills River Trail #353
- Trace Ridge Trail #354
- Ivestor Gap Trail #101
- Graveyard Ridge Trail #356
- Big Creek Trail #102
- Buckhorn Gap Trail #103
- Daniel Ridge Loop Trail #105
- North Slope Trail #359
- Caney Bottom Trail #361
- Grassy Road Trail #364
- Farlow Gap Trail #106
- Laurel Mountain Connector Trail #110
- Spencer Gap Trail #600
- Riverside Trail #115
- Long Branch Trail #116
- Thrift Cove Loop Trail #603
- Wash Creek Trail #606
- Foster Creek Trail #610
- Yellow Gap Trail #611
- Davidson River Trail #650
- Cat Gap Loop Trail #120
- Cat Gap Bypass Trail #120A
- Laurel Mountain Trail #121
- Buckwheat Knob Trail #122
- Cold Knob Connector Trail #337A
- Explorer Loop Connector #337B
- Sleepy Gap Trail #339
- Butter Gap Trail #123
- Cedar Rock Trail #124
- Black Mountain Trail #127
- Ledford Trail #660
- Hardtimes Connector Trail #661
- South Mills River Trail #133
- North Boundary Trail #135
- Deer Lake Lodge Trail #664
- Boyd Branch Trail #665
- Wolf Branch Trail #666
- Cradle of Forestry
- Bennett Gap Trail #138
- Sycamore Cove Loop Trail #143
- Coontree Loop Trail #144
- Forest Discovery Center
- Pink Beds Loop Trail #118
- Davidson River Recreation Area
- Cove Creek Group Campground
- Pink Beds Picnic Area
- Pisgah Ranger Station/Visitor Center
- Bent Creek Experimental Forest
Campground Camping
Recreation areas with activity Campground Camping:- Wolf Ford Horse Camp
- North Mills River Campground
- Sunburst Campground
- Bent Creek Experimental Forest
- Davidson River Recreation Area
- Lake Powhatan Campground
Group Camping
Recreation areas with activity Group Camping:- Cove Creek Group Campground
- Kuykendall Group Campground
- Wash Creek Horse Camp
- White Pines Group Campground
Dispersed Camping
Recreation areas with activity Dispersed Camping:Lake and Pond Fishing
Recreation areas with activity Lake and Pond Fishing:- Bent Creek Experimental Forest
- Lake Powhatan Campground
- Lake Powhatan Picnic Area
- Lake Powhatan Swim Area
River and Stream Fishing
Recreation areas with activity River and Stream Fishing:- Davidson River Recreation Area
- Coontree Picnic Area
- Cove Creek Group Campground
- Kuykendall Group Campground
- North Mills River Campground
- North Mills River Picnic Area
- Pisgah Ranger Station/Visitor Center
- Sunburst Campground
- Sunburst Picnic Area
- Sycamore Flats Picnic Area
- White Pines Group Campground
Day Hiking
Recreation areas with activity Day Hiking:- Big East Fork 357 Shining Rock Wilderness
- Exercise Trail #344
- Shut-In Trail (NRT) #345
- Flat Laurel Creek Trail #346
- Little Sam Trail #347
- Laurel Creek Trail #348
- Poundingmill Trail #349
- Shining Rock Wilderness
- Little East Fork Trail #107
- Fork Mountain Trail #109
- Cold Mountain Trail #141
- Fletcher Creek Trail #350
- Bradley Creek Trail #351
- Middle Fork Trail #352
- Old Butt Knob Trail #332
- Big East Fork Trail #357
- North Mills River Trail #353
- Trace Ridge Trail #354
- Mount Pisgah Trail #355
- Greasy Cove Trail #362
- Shining Creek Trail #363
- Bridges Camp Gap Trail #607
- Ivestor Gap Trail #101
- Graveyard Ridge Trail #356
- Graveyard Ridge Connector Trail #356A
- Graveyard Fields Loop Trail #358
- Upper Falls Trail #358A
- Mountains to Sea Access Trail #358B
- Big Creek Trail #102
- Buckhorn Gap Trail #103
- Daniel Ridge Loop Trail #105
- North Slope Trail #359
- North Slope Connector Trail #359A
- Caney Bottom Trail #361
- Grassy Road Trail #364
- Farlow Gap Trail #106
- Art Loeb Spur Trail #108
- Laurel Mountain Connector Trail #110
- Pressley Cove Trail #112
- John Rock Trail #365
- Rainbow Falls Trail #499
- Spencer Gap Trail #600
- Sunwall Trail #601
- Thompson Creek Trail #602
- Looking Glass RockTrail #114
- Riverside Trail #115
- Long Branch Trail #116
- Slick Rock Falls Trail #117
- Case Camp Ridge Trail #119
- Thrift Cove Loop Trail #603
- Twin Falls Trail #604
- Wash Creek Trail #606
- Bridges Camp Gap Trail #607
- Seniard Ridge Trail #609
- Foster Creek Trail #610
- Yellow Gap Trail #611
- Sam Knob Trail #617
- Sam Knob Summit #617A
- Davidson River Trail #650
- Cat Gap Loop Trail #120
- Cat Gap Bypass Trail #120A
- Laurel Mountain Trail #121
- Buckwheat Knob Trail #122
- Explorer Loop Trail #337
- Cold Knob Connector Trail #337A
- Explorer Loop Connector #337B
- Sleepy Gap Trail #339
- Butter Gap Trail #123
- Cedar Rock Trail #124
- Black Mountain Trail #127
- Ledford Trail #660
- Hardtimes Connector Trail #661
- Chestnut Cove Trail #662
- Courthouse Falls Trail #130
- North Face Trail #132
- South Mills River Trail #133
- Wagon Road Gap Trail #134
- North Boundary Trail #135
- Deer Lake Lodge Trail #664
- Boyd Branch Trail #665
- Wolf Branch Trail #666
- Cradle of Forestry
- Bennett Gap Trail #138
- Sycamore Cove Loop Trail #143
- Coontree Loop Trail #144
- Art Loeb Trail #1 (NRT) #146
- Forest Discovery Center
- Biltmore Campus Trail #006
- Buck Spring Trail #104
- Pink Beds Loop Trail #118
- Art Loeb Trail #2 (NRT) #146
- Art Loeb Trail #3 (NRT) #146
- Art Loeb Trail #4 (NRT) #146
- Squirrel Gap Trail #147
- Cantrell Creek Trail #148
- Perry Cove Trail #151
- Pink Beds Connector Trail #118A
- Forest Festival Trail #319
- Thompson Creek Trail #602
- Barnett Branch Trail #618
- Middle Prong Wilderness
- Green Mountain Trail #113
- Dew Falls Trail #281
- Andy Cove Nature Trail #288
- Moore Cove Trail #318
- Pilot Cove-Slate Rock Trail #320
- Pilot Cove Loop Trail #320A
- Pilot Rock Trail #321
- Pilot Rock Extension Trail #321A
- Turkeypen Gap Trail #322
- Bad Fork Trail #323
- Vineyard Gap Trail #324
- Horse Cove Gap Trail #325
- Mullinax Trail #326
- Avery Creek Trail #327
- Bear Branch Trail #328
- Cove Creek Trail #340
- Cemetery Loop Trail #341
- Clawhammer Cove Trail #342
- Club Gap Trail #343
- Buckeye Gap Trail #126
- Haywood Gap Trail #142
- Mountains to Sea National Recreation Trail #440
- Art Loeb Trailhead, Davidson River
- Black Balsam Trailhead
- Coontree Picnic Area
- Andy Cove Trailhead
- Art Loeb Trailhead, Camp Daniel Boone
- Kuykendall Group Campground
- Ledford Branch Trailhead
- Looking Glass Rock Trailhead
- North Face Trailhead
- Pink Beds Picnic Area
- Pisgah Ranger Station/Visitor Center
- South Mills River Trailhead
- Turkey Pen Gap Trailhead
- White Pines Group Campground
- Bent Creek Experimental Forest
- Wolf Ford Horse Camp
- Davidson River Recreation Area
- Pine Tree Loop Trail #336
- Deerfield Connector Trail #335A
- Pine Tree Connector Trail #336A
- Lake Powhatan Campground
- Lake Powhatan Picnic Area
- Lake Powhatan Swim Area
- North Boundary Trail #135
- Little Hickory Top Trail #136
- Lower Sidehill Trail #137A
- Greenslick Trail #139
- Sidehill Trail #145
- Ingles Field Connector #150A
- Campground Connnector Trail #329
- Homestead Trail #333
- Small Creek Trail #334
- Sidehill Connector Trail #145A
- Ingles Field Gap Trail #150
- Deerfield Loop Trail #335
Backpacking
Recreation areas with activity Backpacking:Horse Camping
Recreation areas with activity Horse Camping:Horse Riding
Recreation areas with activity Horse Riding:- Flat Laurel Creek Trail #346
- Laurel Creek Trail #348
- Shining Rock Wilderness
- Little East Fork Trail #107
- Fletcher Creek Trail #350
- Trace Ridge Trail #354
- Graveyard Ridge Trail #356
- Buckhorn Gap Trail #103
- Riverside Trail #115
- Wash Creek Trail #606
- Yellow Gap Trail #611
- Hardtimes Connector Trail #661
- South Mills River Trail #133
- North Boundary Trail #135
- Deer Lake Lodge Trail #664
- Horse Cove Gap Trail #325
- Mullinax Trail #326
- Bear Branch Trail #328
- Wolf Ford Horse Camp
- Bent Creek Experimental Forest
- North Boundary Trail #135
- Little Hickory Top Trail #136
- Lower Sidehill Trail #137A
- Sidehill Trail #145
- Ingles Field Connector #150A
- Sidehill Connector Trail #145A
- Wash Creek Horse Camp
Visitor Programs
Recreation areas with activity Visitor Programs:Interpretive Areas
Recreation areas with activity Interpretive Areas:- Andy Cove Trailhead
- Art Loeb Trailhead, Davidson River
- Bent Creek Experimental Forest
- Lake Powhatan Campground
- Cove Creek Group Campground
- Cradle of Forestry
- Forest Discovery Center
- Davidson River Recreation Area
- Pisgah Ranger Station/Visitor Center
Visitor Centers
Recreation areas with activity Visitor Centers:Picnicking
Recreation areas with activity Picnicking:- Cradle of Forestry
- Forest Discovery Center
- Lake Powhatan Campground
- Lake Powhatan Picnic Area
- Lake Powhatan Swim Area
- Coontree Picnic Area
- Looking Glass Falls Scenic Area
- North Mills River Picnic Area
- Pink Beds Picnic Area
- Pisgah Ranger Station/Visitor Center
- Sunburst Picnic Area
- Sycamore Flats Picnic Area
- Bent Creek Experimental Forest
Scenic Driving
Recreation areas with activity Scenic Driving:- Bent Creek Experimental Forest
- Lake Powhatan Campground
- Forest Heritage National Scenic Byway
- Looking Glass Falls Scenic Area
Swimming
Recreation areas with activity Swimming:- Bent Creek Experimental Forest
- Lake Powhatan Campground
- Lake Powhatan Swim Area
- Coontree Picnic Area
- Davidson River Recreation Area
- Looking Glass Falls Scenic Area
- North Mills River Campground
- North Mills River Picnic Area
- Sliding Rock Recreation Area
- Sycamore Flats Picnic Area
Tubing
Recreation areas with activity Tubing:- Coontree Picnic Area
- Davidson River Recreation Area
- North Mills River Campground
- North Mills River Picnic Area
- Sycamore Flats Picnic Area