From Industrial Site to Outdoor Treasure

DuPont Forest protects thousands of acres of trees, five lakes and more than one hundred miles of multi-use trails. It attracts hikers, equestrians and mountain bikers from all over the United States, and its six waterfalls have been featured in movies like The Hunger Games and The Last of the Mohicans.

All of this natural beauty is easily accessible, increasing its appeal. It took not only the generosity of a multinational company but also Southern Appalachian grit and self-reliance and local activism to make these benefits available to all. DuPont Forest is young, and its future is still unfolding.

Author and hiker Danny Bernstein traces the past of DuPont State Recreational Forest and shows its potential.

Disclosure: I was contacted by the author, Danny Bernstein, and a representative of Arcadia Publishing with an offer to receive this book. It was provided at no cost to me. My only responsibility was an agreement to complete this review. I was not pressured in any way to make an endorsement.

An Introduction

As Ms. Bernstein describes in the first chapter, this written portrait of DuPont Forest uses historic documents, Dupont Corporation memos, newsletters, Friends of DuPont research and photographs, North Carolina Forest Service reports and newspaper clippings. It also relies on the best recollections of people in the area at various times.

Since it first opened in 1997 and was expanded a few years later, DuPont State Recreational Forest has been a haven for those who live in Western North Carolina and Upstate South Carolina, especially those in the Hendersonville, Brevard, Greenville region. It is only in recent years that the name DuPont has been spread far and wide as a world-class mountain biking destination, bringing with that well-earned notoriety nearly a million visitors per year.

I first moved to WNC in 2003, soon after all the political upheaval surrounding the establishment of DuPont Forest had begun to simmer down. So I was able to skip right over the tedium and jump directly to the enjoyment. With this book Danny Bernstein fills in the blanks of what happened prior to when I arrived, and offers a look at the problems created by the astronomical growth.

Mountain biker getting some air – Photo by Jeff Clark

From the Cherokee Through DuPont Corporation

Ms. Bernstein takes us through the early development of what is now DuPont State Forest, including relics of the Native American past. There are petroglyphs to be found on the property. Many of the early settlers used the land and water as a respite from the summer heat and humidity of the Southeast. The mountains helped with that. I can certainly relate.

In the first half of the last century the bulk of the land was owned by two groups: the Guion family who farmed the land out what is now Sky Valley Road, and a consortium of families who constructed a lodge overlooking High Falls. The picnic shelter at High Falls now sits on that former site.

In the 1950s DuPont came along, eventually purchasing the entire acreage and building a plant that provided employment for more than a thousand residents of Henderson and Transylvania counties for decades. By all accounts DuPont was a good corporate citizen. The plant evolved over time, eventually settling on a films business and was sold multiple times. The final operator was the Belgian Agfa Corporation who closed and dismantled the plant in 2002.

The End of an Era

By the mid-1990s DuPont was ready to sell all the land. The eastern half was simple. It included Hooker and Wintergreen Falls and Stone Mountain. The process of turning over the land to the State of North Carolina went very smoothly, and in 1997 DuPont State Forest was born. As Danny wrote:

The DuPont Company was not demanding. It didn’t require that the forest be named after the company. But it was felt that there were so many DuPont retirees and employees in the area that it was right to acknowledge them. Everyone felt very good when the company sold such a large tract of land for a nominal price.

The other half of the property including the major waterfalls and the plant site was not as simple. It took five years of political squabbling to resolve many conflicts. Bernstein provides the details and helps us to understand the give and take, and the nail biting that occurred at the turn of the century. Spoiler alert: the land was saved, and merged with the original half to form a larger and more robust DuPont State Recreational Forest.

Today, DuPont is managed by the North Carolina Forest Service, though it seems more like a state park because of all the recreation opportunities. Bernstein describes what it’s like to walk in the varied timberlands:

In DuPont Forest, the most abundant natural community is montane oak-hikcory. Scarlet oak and white oak are the dominant trees on more than half the land. Widespread American chestnut sprouts are also found here. But pastureland was planted with white pine all at once.

Perhaps the largest contemporary problem for DuPont State Forest is managing its success. Crowds have boomed over the years with annual attendance approaching a million. The waterfalls area is especially packed, representing 75% of all the traffic. If you get out and about on other trails within the forest you are likely to find some solitude.

A heron visits Triple Falls – Photo by Jeff Clark

How to Get One

Danny Bernstein is a hiker, hike leader, and outdoor writer. She’s been a committed hiker since her early twenties, having completed the Appalachian Trail, all the trails in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the South Beyond 6,000 peaks, the Mountains to Sea Trail across North Carolina and three Caminos de Santiago. She currently leads hikes for Carolina Mountain Club, Friends of the Smokies, and the Asheville Camino group.

She has written two Southern Appalachian hiking guides, The Mountains to Sea Trail Across North Carolina, published by The History Press, and Forests, Alligators, Battlefields: My Journey Through the National Parks of the South to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service.

In her previous life, she worked in computer science, way before computers were cool, first as a software developer and then as a professor of computer science. Her motto is “No place is too far to walk if you have the time.” Her personal website is Hiker to Hiker.

DuPont Forest – A History retails for US$21.99 and is published by The History Press. You can order copies from Amazon in softcover book form, or US$12.99 for your Kindle. You may also order from Arcadia Publishing.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

Horse safety and the need for trailer parking, overcrowded hiking trails, the desire for single-track mountain bike trails and more trail etiquette education at DuPont State Recreational Forest are just some of the issues swirling around the much loved, multi-use state forest, which is entering its 20th year.

The 12,000-acre state forest in Henderson and Transylvania counties, about an hour southwest of Asheville, NC, attracted nearly 1 million visitors from across the country and the world in 2019, leading to a quest by management and volunteers to seek input on the forest’s future.

The N.C. Forest Service is looking for public comment with an online survey as part of its in-the-works forest recreation plan, while Friends of DuPont Forest, a nonprofit that provides volunteers for education and trail work and raises funds, has just launched an online survey asking the public what it would like to see from the group.

“Out of the nearly 1 million visitors, 60-65% are estimated to be from out of town and a majority are going to the waterfalls. But our local folks are using the forest on a monthly, weekly basis,” said Sara Landry, Friends of DuPont executive director.

“We’re trying to gauge an idea of what our members would like from us, and a better idea of how people are using the forest.”

“It’s intense out there on the weekend. One of the things we’re campaigning for is a master trails plan. That has morphed into an overall recreational master plan. There’s no way that we thought 20 years ago that DuPont would be as popular as it is today,” she said.

Read full story and access to surveys…

Tucked away in the northeastern corner of DuPont State Forest in Western North Carolina, Stone Mountain is the highest point in the state forest at 3,620 feet. Appropriately named for the exposed granite slab that traverses its summit, Stone Mountain offers a near 270° view of the surrounding terrain to winter hikers. Since the first time I went, nearly 12 years ago, the pines are taking over the summit, so views are harder to come by. Especially in summer, the leaf cover makes it even more difficult. This hike occurred on Monday, February 3, 2020 from 12:00 noon to 2:30pm. Our plan was to take the Rocky Ridge Trail to the Stone Mountain Trail, then on to the summit. Return would be back the same way.

There are two ends to the Rocky Ridge Trail that meet up with the Stone Mountain Trail. The southern end is on Sky Valley Road, is a 3 mile round trip, and rises 660 feet to the summit. The northern end starts on the Old CCC Road very near the junction with Sky Valley Road, adds a mile to the total distance and 500 feet more elevation gain.

The southern Rocky Ridge trailhead has a parking area large enough for a half dozen cars on the left side of Sky Valley Road less than two miles up from Guion Farm. The trail is wide and pleasant, and sandy with an indistinguishable uphill grade. This northeastern section of the state forest is dense woodland with a delightful mix of deciduous and evergreen trees.

You will discover the DuPont State Forest trail system to be quite robust. We reached two trail junctions on the short 1.5-mile hike up Stone Mountain. The first is .4 mile in. The Rocky Ridge Trail bears left and eventually down to the Old CCC Rd. and the Stone Mountain Trail turns right. Then just another tenth mile later, the Switchback Trail bears right and Stone Mountain takes off uphill to the left.

The Stone Mountain Trail begins moderately steep climbing right away and continues uphill until the summit. Unlike the near perfect conditions on the Rocky Ridge Trail, this trail is rocky and rutted from drainage. Just a touch less than a mile in, the trail turns a decidedly northeasterly direction and climbs to a large grassy clearing perhaps two acres in size. Passing through the meadow, we climbed another tenth mile past several large boulders alongside the trail, then began the final climb to the summit.

Those boulders are a nice place to take a breather because the last tenth mile is the steepest. The good news is that it isn’t far as the trail climbs through laurel and rhododendron. Just about the time you think you’ve had enough, you pop out on the summit with large granite outcrops and gnarly wind-swept pines. The summit surface is quite large and flat and affords long-distance views in nearly every direction. Be sure to spend some time exploring the summit. You can walk several hundred feet left or right.

To the left is a northerly view toward Asheville with the Great Craggy and Black Mountains behind. Looking west is the high country of Pisgah National Forest, including the easily identifiable tower-topped Mt. Pisgah. Straight ahead is Pinnacle Mountain with its radio and cell tower. You can also see the clearings in the forest that are the horse farms along Pinnacle Road.

To the right is the most expansive view, stretching far and wide toward South Carolina. There are communications towers barely visible many miles away that sit atop Rich Mountain in Transylvania County. Below you is the southwestern area of DuPont State Forest. When you go, see if you can pick out some of the more notable landmarks.

If you packed a picnic lunch, there are numerous great spots on the granite to sit for awhile and enjoy the picturesque surroundings. The largest of these is to your left, about 200 feet from the initial summit. Just follow the path through the gnarly pines. Speaking of lunch, while on top, we enjoyed following the circuitous path of a lone buzzard hovering on the wind a hundred feet above. Fortunately, his eyes weren’t on us.

The return trip for us was uneventful, but you really must keep your eye on the trail. It is a steep descent with many, many hazards from washout. There are exposed rocks and roots seemingly everywhere, just waiting for their chance to trip you, or worse.

When we got back to the car, the thermometer read 70 degrees. Can you believe that for early February?

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

Located in the Guion Farm region of DuPont State Forest, this hike will take you to one of the lesser known, but equally memorable, of the exciting DuPont waterfalls. You are surrounded by majestic pine forest nearly throughout, with a walk along Grassy Creek for good measure. Most of the way is excellent double track surface, but that means you should listen for the sound of mountain bikes coming up behind you. Keep your eyes on the map and the markers as you will change trails several times to finish this easy loop. My brother and I hiked to Wintergreen Falls on Thursday, January 23, 2020 beginning at 11:00AM and finishing about 1:50PM. Our plan was take Tarklin Branch and Wintergreen Falls trails to the waterfall, then return on Sandy Trail, Thomas Cemetery Trail, and Buckhorn Road.

Start in the south corner of the large Guion Farm parking area and head in a generally south direction on Tarklin Branch Trail, proceeding alongside a large meadow and into a mature pine forest. On sunny days, this transition from wide open spaces to dark canopy may take a moment for your eyes to adjust.

It’s roughly a mile from the trailhead to the next junction with Wintergreen Falls Trail. Along the way you will pass the occasional educational sign explaining the remedial work the State Forest Service has done to improve the pathways and waterways in the area, preventing flooding and washouts.

As DuPont is a working forest, so too will you find evidence of the logging activity that occurs throughout the state forest. You will pass a large clear cut area on your right along Tarklin Branch Trail, and later, as you meander along Thomas Cemetery Trail you will notice the forest thinning that has happened there. The loggers harvest only the most mature of the trees, leaving the younger ones for future use.

I think the forest that surrounds this region is among the most beautiful in DuPont. Another example of a beautiful pine forest hike off of Sky Valley Road is the Plantation Trail, a few miles farther up the road. The aroma of the pine is magnificent, and during warm weather you are treated to the wonderful bird music high above in the tallest boughs.

When you reach the junction, turn left (east) on Wintergreen Falls Trail, then it is an additional half mile to the waterfall. Continuing through the forest, you will notice fields of massive boulders on your left, fallen from the granite plutons high above. As you approach the end you will see horse tie-offs, and safety signs warning of the danger of waterfalls. First, you will reach the rocky whitewater cascades of Grassy Creek on your right, then wind your way northeast through a very thick rhododendron forest that parallels the creek.

As you duck through the rhodo branches, there are many large boulders creekside that are useful for setting up a camera tripod, or just sitting to watch… and listen. Wintergreen Falls is not particularly large, perhaps 15-20 feet tall and of equal width. The largest channel is on the left side of the cascade. During the dry season you can wade in the splash pool, but I wouldn’t recommend it during high flow periods.

This is Wintergreen Falls. Due to the very wet winter of 2020, it is flowing pretty nicely.

We stayed to visit for about 20 minutes, joined eventually by another pair of hikers. When we’d had enough, we returned the same way, a half-mile to the junction with Tarklin Branch. However, rather than going back, we turned left (west) here on Sandy Trail. This one is named appropriately. The tred on Sandy Trail is indeed quite sandy, remnants of being in the flood plain of Grassy Creek.

Grassy Creek starts with whitewater, but soon calms down to a slow, quiet stream cutting through dense, overhanging rhododendron thickets. Did you know that Grassy Creek is named for the evergreen teaberry ground cover that can be found along its banks? There is one junction where you can wade the creek to try Grassy Creek Trail, but we continued on Sandy Trail for 0.6-mile. At the end it rejoins Tarklin Branch Trail, but further southwest. Turn left.

It is roughly another half mile on Tarklin Branch to its meeting with Thomas Cemetery Trail. We turned right here (north), but you can also go left to view the Thomas Cemetery. Another wide double track, Thomas Cemetery Trail takes you through yet more stunning pine and hardwood forest. As mentioned above, there is evidence here of fairly recent logging activity.

We found a nice log on the side of the trail to enjoy lunch, and heard an unexpected crash in the forest nearby. We soon found out it was a State Forest Service ranger in a pickup truck driving through a frozen puddle, causing the crash-like loudness in the otherwise silent woods. We waved back and forth as he passed by, then put our packs back on to resume the trek.

You stay on Thomas Cemetery Trail for about a mile, until it crosses Buck Forest Road where you turn right. It’s then one last half mile on Buck Forest back to the parking lot. You will pass one of the few remaining inholdings within DuPont State Forest as you approach the finish. I often wonder how annoying it is to the people who live there to have hikers and bikers traversing their backyard day after day.

Summarizing this hike, the destination is a delightful picturesque waterfall deep within the forest. Along the way you’ll be treated to the smells and sounds of a vibrant pine woodland, the exciting rush of whitewater, and the calm soothing essence of a clear mountain stream. This is a great one for the whole family, both kids and the elderly, as it is not the least bit hard. Be careful around waterfalls as always, but have a great time.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

To celebrate the winter solstice – the longest night of the year – a nighttime walk to Hooker Falls will be hosted by Conserving Carolina on Saturday, December 21, 2019 in DuPont State Recreational Forest, at 7 p.m.

Meet at the Hooker Falls parking lot on DuPont/Staton Road in DuPont State Recreational Forest. There is no charge for this event and it is open to the public.

Participants can register by emailing Pam Torlina at, [email protected], or just show up on the day of the event.

The stroll will be along a one-fourth mile trail to the base of Hooker Falls. In the dark of night we’ll create soft moonlight by shining flashlights upon the falls…creating a quiet moment to celebrate the return of the sun to the northern hemisphere.

Participants are invited to bring a thermos with a warm (non-alcoholic) drink to toast the sun’s return when arriving back at the parking lot. Bring a flashlight for use when necessary. The event will be cancelled in case of heavy rain, snow, or ice. For more information about this hike, visit Conserving Carolina’s website calendar of events.

In case of inclement weather, the website event will be updated by 12 p.m. the day of the walk if cancellation is necessary.

For your safety, do not attempt any hike beyond your ability and experience. Walkers should wear appropriate clothing and footwear and bring plenty of water. Please be sure to also bring any personal medication that you may require.

The training exercise, which began Friday and concluded Sunday, was divided into four 12-hour operational periods and managed using the National Incident Management System.

This year the theme of the exercise was “Creating a culture of preparedness.” Training and scenarios involved combining knowledge, skills and abilities to overcome challenges found in the wilderness environment, officials said.

Sessions hosted by DuPont Rescue Experience instructors focused on search management, technical rope rescue, land navigation, wilderness EMS, mountain bikes in search and rescue, disaster communications, canines in search and rescue and incident management.

A Special training: Minimal Gear Sustainment class gave students the skills necessary to shelter in place overnight with minimal gear. It covered how the body loses heat and several ways to minimize it. Skills taught included campsite selection, what items to carry, knife/tool safety and use, shelter construction (manmade and natural materials), and fire-making.

The training is hosted each year by Mountain County Emergency Managers and local emergency response agencies. The training is considered one of the top search and rescue exercises in the nation.

Cite…

State officials held a public comment session on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2016 at the Transylvania County Public Library, but only a half dozen people attended and just one came forward to comment.

Most of the ground contamination from the DuPont plant that existed there has been addressed, but the site where the company made film and silicon is still contaminated with toxic chemicals such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The plan calls for removal of some soil and capping and fencing of areas where the chemicals still exist.

The state Division of Waste Management has been overseeing the remediation activities, which have included the demolition and removal of the former plant and the removal of X-ray film waste.

The plan, drafted by DuPont in May, 2016, was presented to the public and changes were made based on feedback. If no major changes to the plan were suggested by public comment, work should begin sometime early 2017 and be completed in two to three years.

The draft of the plan can be found here.

DuPont State Recreational Forest’s popularity has been increasing rapidly, and forest leaders say that growth is putting a strain on their ability to accommodate visitors. At the annual meeting of Friends of DuPont State Forest, members heard about a fee proposal that would bring in revenue for more amenities to help shoulder the growing load of visitors.

The proposed fee schedule would raise money for much-needed improvements, said Forest Supervisor Jason Guidry, who stressed that the fee schedule was just a draft.

The fee schedule would include higher fees for higher-use areas that have the most impact and greatest needs, namely Hooker Falls and High Falls. They account for roughly 75 percent of the forest’s traffic. A daily fee would be instituted of $8 per vehicle Monday through Thursday, and $12 on weekends and holidays. For large vehicles and buses, a $20 fee would apply Monday through Thursday and $30 on holidays and weekends.

Lower fees of $6 per vehicle and $20 for large vehicles or buses is proposed for lesser-used areas like Lake Imaging, Fawn Lake, Guion Farm, Corn Mill Shoals and other trailheads.

A proposed annual fee of $30 for North Carolina residents and $70 for out-of-state residents was also included in the proposal.

Read full story…

Plan to charge admission fees at DuPont State Forest on hold

Rep. Chuck McGrady, (R-Henderson), says instead of the fees, the state should appropriate more money.

“If you put fees in place, they would not generate as much money as a direct appropriation would, if we are capable of going there,” McGrady told News 13.

McGrady says the legislative session begins next week, and members of the general assembly have already expressed interest in helping out DuPont State Forest.

When you step on a trail at DuPont State Forest, you can usually tell pretty quickly if it was designed and built for mountain biking. Some tell-tale signs are banked curves and bumps, rails for tricks, and a smooth, hard-packed surface. Such is the case with Ridgeline Trail. DuPont State Forest is a haven for mountain bikers from all over the Southeastern United States, and Ridgeline Trail is one of their favorites. Hey, equestrians like it too. Combine it with a loop around and over Hickory Mountain for a nice hike, or an exciting ride. I traversed these trails on Sunday, March 6, 2016 from 10:45AM to 1:30PM. My plan was to take Ridgeline Trail to Hickory Mountain Loop, circle the loop counter-clockwise, then return.

Warning! Ridgeline Trail is a very popular mountain biking trail. The riders like it because of its many banked curves, jumps and bumps, and hard-packed surface. Because it is mostly downhill from the north end, the bikers can generate quite a bit of speed during the descent. Which means, for those of us who are hiking the trail at a much slower pace, that we need to keep our heads up and our eyes and ears open. Crashes are not good. The mountain bikers don’t want to hit a hiker, nor do we want to get hit. So be safe.

Access to Ridgeline Trail is from the Lake Imaging parking area on Staton Road. You will reach Ridgeline Trail just a few hundred yards after starting, but you should first continue on another couple hundred feet to see the lake. More of a pond really, it is almost always still, creating a reflective effect of the sky and the surrounding trees. Worth the effort. Then, simply backtrack to the Ridgeline trailhead.

You notice almost immediately that this trail is meant for bikers. The trail tread is very hard packed and smooth from constant use. You don’t see the usual exposed roots and rocks that hikers are so familiar with. Then, you encounter a log ride that the bikers use for slow speed balance practice, and the built-up banked curves that twist through the trees making their ride that much more fun. Five minutes after I stepped on Ridgeline Trail the first mountain bikers came whizzing by. It is almost like a raceway.

But a beautiful setting it is. The forest is very dense with young pine growth, and the floor is covered with the soft cushion of orange-red needles. I heard the near-constant rat-a-tat of woodpeckers sharpening their beaks looking for food hidden deep within the bark. When you enter DuPont State Forest from the north, you descend Staton Road on a long hill to the Lake Imaging parking. Ridgeline Trail is climbing that same hill, although at a much more gradual pitch because of long curves and switchbacks.

A mountain biker acquaintance told me these log rides are used for balance practice. As you can see, the forest is quite dense here, as it is throughout the length of the Ridgeline Trail.

About a mile up the hill I heard another animal sound I recognized — the snort from a horse that was coming up behind me. In fact, there were two. One of the great things about the DuPont State Forest trail system is the ability for multi-use. I paused for a moment to catch a couple pictures of the equestrians as they rode past, then soon after saw the first horse-bike encounter. There is a certain etiquette on shared trails that helps with safety. Bikers yield to hikers and horses, and hikers yield to horses. When executed properly it works just fine.

Next I passed Hooker Creek Trail coming up from the right. It is a connector that enables you to get to the Guion Farm region of DuPont. But for this hike, I stayed on Ridgeline Trail, reaching Hickory Mountain Loop just a few hundred yards later. This is also the junction with Hickory Mountain Road, a forest service access that also reaches Guion Farm.

There is a grassy meadow at this junction of trails, and a shelter. There was also another horseback rider, in addition to the duo that had passed me earlier. I tried to be a prognosticator. I would much rather have downhill bikers approaching me from ahead rather than from behind, so I tried to decide which direction to take the loop. In the end I chose counter-clockwise.

Hickory Mountain Trail passes the north end of the meadow, then bears east and begins a steady climb through a mixed deciduous and pine forest. The entire loop is supposed to be just 1.1 miles, but it seemed longer to me. About half way up you can begin to see through the trees some of the landmarks that surround DuPont State Forest. There never is an overlook, or unobstructed vista, but you get a sense of the topography from this far northern boundary of the state forest.

There is an odd outcrop about 50 yards off the trail that I just had to see, so I crunched through the fallen leaves to get there. Nothing remarkable, but odd that these large rocks were so far away from any others. When I reached to top of Hickory Mountain I found another rock, this one perfect for a rest and a snack. Several bikers rode past while I enjoyed the long distance scenery, and the assortment of ground level vegetation.

I found holly and long leaf pine, various and sundry mosses and lichens, as well as dog hobble, mountain laurel and rhododendron. In winter I tend to be more aware of what is on the ground. Wildflowers jump out at you in Spring, as do colored leaves in Fall, and wildlife in Summer. But in winter you have to look harder for the unusual treat. I try to make the time.

I liked how these holly leaves and long leaf pine branches were intertwined. It caught my eye.

Apparently I made the right decision about direction, because on the downward half of the loop I only encountered bikers coming toward me. It may have been just luck, so see how it works out for you. The return on Ridgeline Trail was another matter though. I was passed by a number of bikers as I descended. For awhile I decided to walk off the edge of the trail just for safety.

I saw several of the riders going past having a great time on the jumps and banked curves. I thought how neat it would be to try to get some high speed action photographs and started looking for a biker who might be stopped for a break. My patience was rewarded about half way down when I happened upon Jim Miller, a young mountain biker from Arden, NC. He was trying to setup his Gorillapod to capture a photo of himself as he rode past. So, being the good Meanderthal that I am, I volunteered to take his picture then email him the result.

That result is the photo you see at the top of this page. Click it for a larger view. As you can see, Jim was at least a couple feet off the ground as he got some air while riding past me. I was pretty pleased with the way it turned out as this was really just my first try at capturing any kind of action sports. As I continued the rest of the way down the trail, I paused occasionally to photograph other bikers as they passed by. One of those others is in the gallery below.

To summarize, the first thing I would mention is that it is probably a good idea to only hike Ridgeline Trail on weekdays. It isn’t likely to be as busy with mountain bikers and should therefore be safer. I was there on a Sunday with beautiful weather. Lots and lots of bikes. Otherwise, this is a trail of moderate difficulty that can be done in under three hours, and is also easy to hike because of the packed tread. There aren’t any rewards per se, like waterfalls or majestic overlooks, but it’s a delightful stroll through a very thick forest. There are also plenty of other trails in close proximity, so you can make it longer if you wish.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

Working on a little project to tick off all the trails within DuPont State Forest, I visited two short ones that are close to each other in the northeast corner off Sky Valley Road. Each is little more than a mile round trip. Flat Rock Trail passes through a boulder field and past a recent logging operation to a dead end at the confluence of Jim Creek with Grassy Creek. Plantation Trail walks among an absolutely stunning pine forest that, judging by all the ribbons tied to trunks, is unfortunately probably next for the lumberjack’s axe. Ken and I hiked these immediately after a brief snow fall on Friday, February 12, 2016 from 11:00AM to 12:45PM. The plan was to take Flat Rock Trail out and back, then drive the two miles to Plantation Trail for the same.

As I was approaching DuPont State Forest from the north on Crab Creek Road, I could see a fresh powdering of snow on Stone Mountain. Since I was heading to that general area of the forest, my anticipation filled with the possibility of white trailheads on Sky Valley Road. To get to Flat Rock Trail take Sky Valley Road past Guion Farm, then up the steep hairpin climb to the top of the ridge. The trailhead is on the right, with barely enough room for two cars off the side of the road.

Sure enough, when I arrived at the Flat Rock trailhead there was still a light dusting of snow on the trail and the pine boughs. The trailhead is marked with an old culvert drain pipe, kind of an unusual designator, but I suspect it’s an effort to keep wheeled vehicles off the path. As I proceeded a couple hundred yards into the forest, there was a boulder field strewn about. Car sized rocks were half buried and half exposed as if blasted from a volcano eons ago.

Unlike what I would find later, the forest is rather thin here as if selective logging has occurred in the past. 10 minutes later there was more definitive proof of logging, this time clear cut. On the left of the trail is a stripe through the pine forest about 30-40 yards wide where everything but the stumps has been removed. I know that one of the purposes of DuPont State Forest is timber management, including pine harvest, but it’s still sad when you happen upon a decimated grove.

The Flat Rock Trail makes a very gradual decline as it approaches Grassy Creek. You begin to hear it on your left, then suddenly it is upon you straight ahead. Where the trail meets the creek is a dead end. Jim Creek comes in from the north to meet Grassy Creek right here at the terminus. The creek bank consists of a very fine tan colored sand that on this morning was still frozen. The creek bed is filled with multi-colored cobblestones that glimmer and glint in the sunlight.

On the right side of the trail I saw evidence of a game path that followed Grassy Creek, so I did too. I was able to continue another couple hundred feet before being swallowed by the ubiquitous Carolina rhododendron.

This is upstream along the game trail that parallels Grassy Creek. Looking at the azure sky it’s hard to believe a snow squall came through just a couple hours before.

I stayed for 10 minutes to enjoy the crystal clear water of Grassy Creek then made my way back to the trailhead. I got back in my car and continued farther up Sky Valley Road, perhaps another two miles, where I met my usual hiking partner Ken. The sign for the Plantation trailhead is kind of hidden by vegetation along the roadside, so keep your eyes peeled.

It became obvious almost immediately that the white pine forest surrounding Plantation Trail is mature. These trees have been here for quite awhile, some standing 60-70 feet above the forest floor. The understory itself is awash with new growth… hundreds of new pines standing 10-18 inches. So you can imagine our discouragement a little while later when we noticed the tell-tale ribbons tied around nearly every tree beside the trail.

It has been my experience in other forests that ribbons mean logging. These are the chosen. It is likely that sometime in the next couple years the loggers will come… and what a shame. This plantation forest is absolutely stunning. The photo at the top of this post offers an example. Hopefully the N.C. Forestry Service will sparingly harvest here.

The southern end of Plantation Trail makes a kind of lasso loop. We chose to take it clockwise. Soon after there was a log with our name on it and we stopped for lunch. The woodland was nearly silent, interrupted only by the breeze and the occasional squeaking of two trees rubbing together in the wind. The air had quickly warmed, melting all the remaining snow, although it isn’t likely much found the ground here because of the dense tree tops.

Resuming our hike, the path became surrounded by rhododendron and mountain laurel, almost swallowing us. As we snaked our way through, we happened upon a young couple out enjoying the woods like us, the only other folks we would see.

Summarizing, these two trails in the northeast corner of DuPont are ideal for beginning hikers. Maybe you aren’t in the best of shape. Perhaps you’re recovering from an injury. Maybe you’re looking to take your toddlers along. Both trails are extremely easy and short. Since they are separated by only a couple miles on Sky Valley Road, you to do both in a single morning. So, if you’re looking for a gentle stroll through beautiful pine forest, this may be just the ticket. If you’re looking for more, there are other trails located between these two that offer more of a strenuous challenge including Stone Mountain. Throw that one into the mix as well.

Updated February 1, 2017: As mentioned above, there were a number of ribbons on the stately pines along the Plantation Trail, usually a harbinger of timber harvesting. Since our last visit nearly a year ago, the loggers have indeed been busy. It is not a clear cut, but the loggers are taking a fair amount of this forest. It is still in process, so the post harvest remediation work has not yet begun. Following are a few pictures showing how this forest is changing. I will leave it to you to decide if it is for the good.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.