Horse Cove Gap Trail Map

Route map of the Horse Cove Gap Trail as tracked by the Gaia GPS app (on multiple trips) and depicted a la Google Earth...

Horse Cove Gap Trail Map

Route map of the Horse Cove Gap Trail as tracked by the Gaia GPS app...

Horse Cove Gap/Cantrell Creek Trail Junction -- 2,850'

This is the lower terminus of the Horse Cove Gap Trail, where it intersects the Cantrell Creek Trail. This is one of the most remote 'trailheads' in the DIstrict, being at least 5-miles from the nearest road...

Horse Cove Gap/Cantrell Creek Trail Junction -- 2,850'

The Horse Cove Gap Trail as it departs its junction with the Cantrell Creek Trail...

Horse Cove Gap Trail -- 2,900'

This trail is a serious climb right out of the gate...gaining over 500 feet of elevation in the 3/4-mile distance between here and Horse Cove Gap...

Horse Cove Gap Trail -- 2,950'

The lower portion of the trail follows the small unnamed stream draining down from ridge to the north of Horse Cove Gap...

Horse Cove Gap Trail -- 3,000'

Steep terrain and few switchbacks mean that, predictably, the Horse Cove Gap Trail is quite eroded in places...

Horse Cove Gap Trail -- 3,100'

This is a fairly unrelenting climb...

Horse Cove Gap Trail -- 3,150'

The trail as it curves to cross the upper reaches of the tributary it has been following thus far...

Horse Cove Gap Trail -- 3,200'

The trail is now climbing south up the head of the valley which, seasonally, provides some nice views back down the drainage...

Horse Cove Gap Trail -- 3,250'

The climb doesn't let up for a second...

Horse Cove Gap Trail -- 3,300'

Winding along the steep slopes surrounding the head of the valley...

Horse Cove Gap Trail -- 3,350'

Up, up, up...

Horse Cove Gap Trail -- 3,380'

Blue skies through the trees ahead signal the trails arrival at Horse Cove Gap...

Horse Cove Gap/Squirrel Gap Trail Junction (Horse Cove Gap) -- 3,420'

Welcome to Horse Cove Gap...

Horse Cove Gap/Squirrel Gap Trail Junction (Horse Cove Gap) -- 3,420'

Horse Cove Gap serves as the meeting point for the Horse Cove Gap and the Squirrel Gap Trails. The Squirrel Gap Trail continues west from here, dropping off the opposite side of the ridge. The Horse Cove Gap Trail makes a hard turn north to continue following the neighboring ridge upwards...

Horse Cove Gap/Squirrel Gap Trail Junction (Horse Cove Gap) -- 3,420'

Looking at the trail standing in Horse Cove Gap. The Horse Cove Gap Trail heads up towards Funneltop Mountain on the left and also switches sharply back to the right off the side of the ridge. Only a few feet down the trail on the right (hidden by shrubs here) the Squirrel Gap Trail also arrives...

Horse Cove Gap/Squirrel Gap Trail Junction (Horse Cove Gap) -- 3,420'

The Horse Cove Gap Trail as it arrives from above at its namesake gap...

Horse Cove Gap Trail -- 3,450'

Departing Horse Cove Gap, the grade isn't all that terrible yet and the forest floor is carpeted in beautiful ferns...

Horse Cove Gap Trail -- 3,500'

One of the more rugged/washed-out sections of this stretch of trail...

Horse Cove Gap Trail -- 3,600'

The trail switches back and forth a few times up the steeper portions of the ridge...

Horse Cove Gap Trail -- 3,650'

The surrounding terrain is now extremely steep as the trail cuts across the hillside...

Horse Cove Gap Trail -- 3,680'

The grade begins to ease up...

Horse Cove Gap Trail -- 3,720'

The trail now begins splitting its time between forest and thick laurel groves...