"A Winding Walk in the Woods"

GPS Coordinates: 35.48585, -82.64939 (Little Hickory Top Trail Junction)

GPS Coordinates: 35.48132, -82.65203 (Forest Service Road 479G Junction)

Album Direction-Of-Travel: Southbound

Highlights: Bent Creek Experimental Forest

Length (one-way): 0.9 miles

Petzoldt Rating: 1.60 (N to S); 1.14 (S to N)

Difficulty: MODERATE

Total Elevation Gain: 350' (N to S); 120' (S to N)

Elevation Gain/Mile: 389'/mile (N to S); 133'/mile (S to N)

Min. Elevation: 2,550'

Max. Elevation: 2,800'

Blaze Color: YELLOW

See Following Trip Reports for more info:

Bent Creek - Green's Lick/Sidehill Loop

Connecting Trails:

Green's Lick Trail (#139)

Little Hickory Top Trail (#136)

Sidehill Trail (#145)

Sidehill Trail Map
Route map of the Sidehill Trail as tracked by the Gaia GPS app and depicted a la Google Earth...
Sidehill Trail Map
Route map of the Sidehill Trail as tracked by the Gaia GPS app...
Sidehill/Little Hickory Top Trail Junction -- 2,760'
Just over a mile below Ingles Field Gap, is the Y-split marking the upper terminus of the Sidehill Trail...at its junction with the Little Hickory Top Trail...
Sidehill/Little Hickory Top Trail Junction -- 2,760'
The Sidehill Trail as it departs its upper terminus a the Little Hickory Top Trail...
Sidehill Trail -- 2,770'
The Sidehill Trail begins at a meandering downhill grade along the side of the ridge...
Sidehill Trail -- 2,790'
There may not be many views in this area but, boy, are the forests lovely...
Sidehill Trail -- 2,800'
Less than a quarter-mile down from the LHTT you may notice this unmarked path dropping down the ridge to the left. This is an unofficial trail which drops more directly down to the junction with the Green's Lick Trail. Please just stick to the official trail and avoid contributing to erosion problems the other path will cause...
Sidehill Trail -- 2,800'
Passing through a beautiful tunnel of young maple...
Sidehill Trail -- 2,780'
Here the trail skips across the unnamed northern tributary of Laurel Branch...
Sidehill Trail -- 2,750'
Bent Creek is simply magnificent...
Sidehill Trail -- 2,720'
Looking uphill from the trail through an impressive mixed grove of oak, maple, and tulip-poplar...
Sidehill Trail -- 2,700'
In spots it's obvious this trail was designed with bikers in mind...
Sidehill Trail -- 2,660'
Winding ever lower...
Sidehill Trail -- 2,630'
The grade steepens a bit as the trail drops to the drainage of the south tributary of Laurel Branch...
Sidehill Trail -- 2,600'
In case there is any question where the trail is heading...
Sidehill Trail -- 2,600'
The cove down from which the tiny south tributary flows is incredibly beautiful...
Sidehill Trail -- 2,580'
Here the trail follows alongside the tiny tributary as it splits briefly, creating a small island...
Sidehill Trail/Green's Lick Trail/F.R 479G Junction -- 2,550'
The Sidehill Trail as it arrives at its lower terminus, where it meets the Green's Lick Trail (right) at the upper end of gated Forest Service Road 479G (straight-left)...
Sidehill Trail/Green's Lick Trail/F.R 479G Junction -- 2,550'
The Sidehill Trail seen at its lower terminus (on the right), where it meets the Green's Lick Trail (left) at the upper end of gated Forest Service Road 479G (behind).