Trace Ridge Trail Map

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

Trace Ridge Trail Map

Route map of the Trace Ridge Trail as tracked by the Gaia GPS app...

Trace Ridge/North Mills River Trail Junction -- 2,260'

The junction of the Trace Ridge and North Mills River Trail isn't marked. You have to look up along the wood-line to the left where the Trace Ridge starts up the hillside to spot the sign in the following shot. Regardless, this spot marks the lower terminus of the Trace Ridge Trail...

Trace Ridge Trail -- 2,270'

The Trace Ridge Trail as it departs the North Mills River Trail at its lower terminus...it's about 1.3-miles from this spot up to the Trace Ridge Trailhead...

Trace Ridge Trail -- 2,290'

The trail starts with an immediate, moderately steep climb...

Trace Ridge Trail -- 2,300'

Ascending along the side of the ridge...

Trace Ridge Trail -- 2,300'

The trail has only gained about fifty feet of elevation thus far but the North Fork Mills River is already lost from view...

Trace Ridge Trail -- 2,320'

Laurels all around...come May this is a beautiful stretch of trail...

Trace Ridge Trail -- 2,340'

Curving along the hillside...

Trace Ridge Trail -- 2,360'

Not long ago this lower portion of the Trace Ridge Trail followed a more direct route up the ridge from the river. This former path must have been a heck of a lot steeper than the more gentle meandering route the current one does...

Trace Ridge Trail -- 2,400'

The rhododendron here seem to be breaking over the trail like a wave...

Trace Ridge/Wash Creek Trail Junction -- 2,420'

The Trace Ridge Trail now emerges beneath a hillside that looks to have been logged in recent years. At this spot the Wash Creek Trail heads right, while the Trace Ridge Trail switches steeply back to the left...

Trace Ridge/Wash Creek Trail Junction -- 2,420'

The Trace Ridge Trail as it begins the climb of the ridge from its junction with the Wash Creek Trail...

Trace Ridge Trail -- 2,450'

The climb is now getting quite steep again...

Trace Ridge Trail -- 2,500'

At the crest of the ridge the trail makes a hard right...

Trace Ridge Trail -- 2,520'

Now ascending along the crest of the ridge, and only about a half-mile from the Trace Ridge Trailhead, the path starts following the top of the clear cut seen from below a bit earlier...

Trace Ridge Trail -- 2,540'

The thinned forest here provides some nice views of the low ridges just to the east, across the valley of Wash Creek...

Trace Ridge Trail -- 2,550'

Beyond the opening the path climbs into a small, but stately, grove of pines...

Trace Ridge Trail -- 2,560'

A pleasant stroll through the pines...

Trace Ridge Trail -- 2,560'

The Trace Ridge Trail as it approaches the Trace Ridge Trailhead from the south...

Trace Ridge Trail @ Trace Ridge Trailhead -- 2,550'

The Trace Ridge Trail as it arrives at the Trace Ridge Trailhead from the south. To continue on the trail veer left through the parking lot to where a forest road is seen departing north...you should be able to pick out the trail marker in the next shot from there...

Trace Ridge Trail @ Trace Ridge Trailhead -- 2,550'

The Trace Ridge Trail leaves north side of the parking area, via gated Forest Road 5097...

Trace Ridge Trail (F.R. 5097/F.R. 5097A Split) -- 2,570'

Within a minute or two you'll arrive at a split...the Trace Ridge Trail bears right here to now follow Forest Road 5097A...

Trace Ridge Trail -- 2,570'

The trail just after the first split, as it begins to follow F.R. 5097A...

Trace Ridge Trail -- 2,600'

Tall pines line the trail here as it continues its steady, but not difficult, initial ascent...

Trace Ridge Trail/F.R. 5097A Split -- 2,620'

About 1/4-mile above the trailhead you'll reach yet another split. This time the Trace Ridge Trail bears left, leaving the old forest road, and becomes a more traditional hiking path...

Trace Ridge Trail/F.R. 5097A Split -- 2,620'

The trail as it leaves Forest Road 5097A...

Trace Ridge Trail -- 2,760'

The trail wastes no time gaining elevation after leaving 5097A...a couple hundred feet are gained in the subsequent 2/10-mile...

Trace Ridge Trail -- 2,800'

Trace Ridge Trail -- 2,840'

In the winter you can clearly make out the Pisgah Ridge, which the trail will reach in another 2.5-miles...

Trace Ridge Trail -- 2,880'

Cresting the ridge under the gaze of a tall solitary pine...

Trace Ridge Trail -- 2,860'

Now atop the ridge the trail is still ascending, but more in fits and starts than previously...

Trace Ridge Trail -- 2,920'

More winter views east, looking at the neighboring ridges beyond the valley of Wash Creek...

Trace Ridge Trail -- 2,950'

Another rather steep stretch of trail...

Trace Ridge Trail -- 3,000'

Despite the relative exposure of the ridge crest there are still some impressively large trees surviving up here...

Trace Ridge Trail -- 3,020'

As the ridge narrows the laurels fill in...

Trace Ridge Trail -- 3,020'

Tunneling atop the ridge...

Trace Ridge Trail -- 3,050'

At this point the trail has climbed halfway up the ridge from the Trace Ridge Trailhead, with 1.5-miles and 600-vertical feet to go...

Trace Ridge Trail -- 3,100'

Despite heavy foot and bike traffic the condition of the trail is quite good, even along steeper sections like this...

Trace Ridge Trail -- 3,170'

Granted there isn't much to see along this stretch but it's still a very pleasant walk...

Trace Ridge Trail -- 3,150'

Back among the laurels for a bit...

Trace Ridge Trail -- 3,170'

Flattening out...before one of the steeper climbs of the whole trail...

Trace Ridge Trail -- 3,200'

Suddenly the surroundings transition to an almost pure forest of hardwoods...

Trace Ridge Trail -- 3,220'

Just before its junction with the Spencer Branch Trail the path crosses one last unnamed knob atop the ridge. Approaching it from the south, the Trace Ridge Trail begins one of its steepest ascents thus far...

Trace Ridge Trail -- 3,250'

The steepness of the trail here has, unfortunately, resulted in one of its more eroded sections along its length...

Trace Ridge Trail -- 3,300'

In places runoff has carved three-foot deep trenches in the soil...

Trace Ridge Trail -- 3,320'

The grade eases slightly before the final climb to the top of the knob...

Trace Ridge Trail -- 3,350'

Straight upward...