Lower Sidehill Trail Map

Route map of the Lower Sidehill Trail as tracked by the Gaia GPS app and depicted a la Google Earth...

Lower Sidehill Trail Map

Route map of the Lower Sidehill Trail as tracked by the Gaia GPS app...

Lower Sidehill Trail @ F.R. 479F

The northern terminus of the Lower Sidehill Trail, seen as it departs F.R. 479F. In the distance, past the gate, is F.R. 479 which is the closest trailhead...

Lower Sidehill Trail @ F.R. 479F

The Lower Sidehill Trail, departing from its northern terminus at F.R. 479F...

Lower Sidehill Trail

Starting things off along a fairly level grade...

Lower Sidehill Trail

A minute or so in the trail curves through this beautiful fern-covered gully...

Lower Sidehill Trail

As a sucker for ferns...I find this to be a fantastic way to start a trail...

Lower Sidehill Trail

Immediately after the fern grove the trail begins its first serious, but brief, climb...

Lower Sidehill Trail

At the top of the hill the trail breaks out into this grassy wildlife clearing...

Lower Sidehill Trail

There are even a few interpretive signs to enjoy along this part of the trail...

Lower Sidehill Trail

Climbing a bit higher...

Lower Sidehill Trail

...and flattening out again...

Lower Sidehill Trail

The trail now breaks out into a second large wildlife clearing...

Lower Sidehill Trail

The forest surroundings become more pine-dominated as the trail approaches Forest Service Road 479G, from the north...

Lower Sidehill Trail/Forest Road 479G Lower Junction

At the 2/3-mile mark the trail meets Forest Road 479G. Here the Lower Sidehill makes a dogleg right (north) for a few dozen yards before returning to the woods on the left (see the following picture)...

Lower Sidehill Trail/Forest Road 479G Upper Junction

Here, a few dozen yards above the lower junction, the Lower Sidehill Trail once again leaves F.R. 479G to continue south...

Lower Sidehill Trail/Forest Road 479G Upper Junction

The Lower Sidehill Trail as it enters the woods from its upper junction with Forest Service Road 479G...

Lower Sidehill Trail

Tall pines continued to surround the trail...

Lower Sidehill Trail

Perhaps 200 yards from F.R. 479G, the trail makes this crossing of the unnamed southern tributary of Yellow Branch (which I'm going to refer to as Yellow Gap Branch as that's where it flows from). Due to recent rains the flow you see here is a bit higher than average...

Lower Sidehill/Sidehill Connector Trail Junction

Just past the stream crossing the trail soon arrives at its junction with the Lower Sidehill Connector (left) which provides a shortcut back over to nearby F.R.479. The Lower Sidehill Trail makes a right to head up the valley...

Lower Sidehill Trail

The trail now begins an extended period of moderate climbing as it turns to head up the valley, alongside the stream crossed a few pictures back...

Lower Sidehill Trail

Up through the lush Bent Creek forest...

Yellow Gap Branch

A short side path offers this up close look at a pretty series of cascades on Yellow Gap Branch...

Yellow Gap Branch

Looking up through the rhododendron from the same spot as the previous shot...

Lower Sidehill Trail

The steepest part of the trail begins here, as it begins its winding climb up around the ridge to the south...

Lower Sidehill Trail

Switching back as the trail leaves the valley of Yellow Gap Branch...

Lower Sidehill Trail

The grade here isn't overwhelming, but it's enough to get the blood pumping...

Lower Sidehill Trail

A neighboring ridge can just barely be made out through the treetops here...which is about all the "view" you'll get from this trail in the summer...

Lower Sidehill Trail

The Lower Sidehill Trail as it curves around to the south side of the ridge, south of Yellow Gap Branch...

Lower Sidehill Trail

A view uphill from the trail...

Lower Sidehill Trail

As the trail makes its way around to the south side of the ridge the grade eases up significantly...

Lower Sidehill Trail

Winding along the side of the ridge through a tunnel of green...

Lower Sidehill Trail

Lower Sidehill Trail

Some of these small coves are incredibly beautiful...

Lower Sidehill Trail

The trail reaches its highest elevation here, while passing through this young grove of pine...

Lower Sidehill Trail

The trail as it curves past what I believe must have been a once-gigantic hemlock...

Lower Sidehill Trail

At this point, if heading southbound, all the climbing along this trail is behind you...

Lower Sidehill Trail

Winding through another narrow cove...

Lower Sidehill Trail

Rounding another corner, falling water might suddenly greet you. This little tributary of Rocky Branch doesn't even show up on topo maps so, I assume, you'll need to visit after a good rain for it to look this energetic...

Unnamed Cascade

A shot of the cascade on the tiny tributary of Rocky Branch. Unless you hike after a recent rain, I doubt it appears quite so nice the majority of the time...

Lower Sidehill Trail

Passing a few impressive rock outcrops as the trail now turns to make the moderate descent along the ridge to the east of Rocky Branch...

Lower Sidehill Trail

This is a potentially confusing spot. The Lower Sidehill Trail continues straight-left. I'm not sure where the trail on the right goes (it's not marked on any map) but I assume it heads down to nearby Rocky Branch, off the backside of the ridge...

Lower Sidehill Trail

The trail is now headed downhill in a hurry...

Lower Sidehill Trail

The west/south end of the Lower Sidehill Trail as it descends into the valley of Rocky Branch, just before reaching Forest Road 479...

Lower Sidehill Trail @ F.R. 479

The Lower Sidehill Trail, as it arrives at its southern terminus at Forest Road 479...

Lower Sidehill Trail @ F.R. 479

The southern terminus of the Lower Sidehill Trail, where it meets F.R. 479...as you can see there is no trailhead parking at this end of the path.