Bear Branch Trail Map

"A Short Walk Through the Pines"

This short and easy trail begins alongside the popular Wash Creek Horse Camp and ascends to the gated Forest Service Road 5001. The forest here is dominated by pines. Despite being short, mostly flat, and right along the main route to Trace Ridge this trail sees far less traffic than you might expect.

GPS Coordinates: 35.425962, -82.652554 (Wash Creek Road Trailhead)

GPS Coordinates: 35.437864, -82.642057 (Forest Service Road 5001 Junction)

Album Direction-Of-Travel: Northbound

Highlights: Small Stream, Solitude

Length (one-way): 1.2 miles

Petzoldt Rating: 1.92

Difficulty: MODERATE

Total Elevation Gain: 360'

Elevation Gain/Mile: 300'/mile

Min. Elevation: 2,440'

Max. Elevation: 2,800'

Blaze Color: BLUE

See Following Trip Reports for more info:

Bear Branch Trail

Connecting Trails:

NONE

Bear Branch Trail (#328)

Bear Branch Trail Map
Route map of the Bear Branch Trail as tracked by the Gaia GPS app and depicted a la Google Earth...
Bear Branch Trail Map
Route map of the Bear Branch Trail as tracked by the Gaia GPS app...
Bear Branch Trailhead @ Wash Creek Road -- 2,440'
The lower terminus of the Bear Branch Trail is located alongside the entrance to the Wash Creek Horse Camp. The camp/trailhead are 1.9 miles up Forest Road 5000 (Wash Creek Road) from the North Mills Recreation Area...
Bear Branch Trailhead @ Wash Creek Road -- 2,440'
The trail begins alongside to the right of the metal gate seen above and in the previous photo...
Bear Branch Trail -- 2,440'
A dozen yards or so up from F.R. 5000 is the actual sign denoting the start of the trail...
Bear Branch Trail -- 2,450'
Tall pines are a common sight along this trail...
Bear Branch Trail -- 2,460'
For the first stretch the trail stays above and alongside the Wash Creek Horse Camp...
Bear Branch Trail -- 2,460'
The trail as it leaves from alongside the north end of the Horse Camp...
Bear Branch Trail -- 2,470'
Time to tunnel for a bit...
Bear Branch Trail -- 2,480'
To the right a thick wall of rhododendron separates the path from nearby Bear Branch, while uphill to the left towers a large pine forest...
Bear Branch Trail -- 2,500'
Rhodos below, pines above...
Bear Branch Trail -- 2,520'
If you're a sucker for a nice pine forest you'll like this trail...
Bear Branch Trail -- 2,540'
Below to the right Bear Branch can be heard but is seldom seen...
Bear Branch Trail -- 2,550'
Passing alongside a small patch of club moss as the trails surroundings open up a bit...
Bear Branch Trail -- 2,550'
As the forest transitions to almost pure pine the understory almost completely clears out...
Bear Branch Trail -- 2,560'
"Between every two pines is a doorway to a new world." - John Muir
Bear Branch Trail -- 2,570'
Climbing now, but just barely...
Bear Branch Trail -- 2,580'
The rhodos start to encroach the trail nears the creek again...
Bear Branch Trail -- 2,590'
About three-quarters of mile from the lower trailhead the path curves to make a crossing of Bear Branch. Unfortunately there's not much to see at this crossing as the stream passes under the trail via a buried culvert...
Bear Branch Trail -- 2,600'
Just past the crossing the trail makes a sharp turn back towards the creek...
Bear Branch -- 2,610'
The elusive Bear Branch...
Bear Branch Trail -- 2,620'
Just under a mile in, the trail makes a turn away from the creek...
Bear Branch Trail -- 2,630'
By now the trail is noticeably climbing, though it isn't a serious climb by any means...
Bear Branch Trail -- 2,650'
Ascending through the pines...