Bear Pen Trail–Big Ivy Road, 8 sights is a 16-mile out-and-back in Craggy Mountain Wilderness Study Area near Dillingham, NC. It climbs 2,553 ft, with sections as steep as 28% grade. It scores 63/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Bear Pen Trail–Big Ivy Road, 8 sights
16 mi · ▲ 2,553 ft · 6 hr 37 min
Elevation 2,581–4,777 ft
Out & Back · Craggy Mountain Wilderness Study Area
Trailhead: Big Ivy Road · 35.72862, -82.37439
Weather Sep 5: sunrise 7:05 AM · sunset 7:53 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Big Ivy Road, heading N.
- 3.4 miBear left onto Stair Creek Trail, heading W.
- 1.1 miBear left onto Walker Creek Trail, heading W.
- 0.9 miTurn left onto Big Ivy Road, heading NW.
- 0.4 miReach Big Ivy Road, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.7 miTurn right onto Elk Pen Trail, heading N.
- 1.4 miSharp right onto Big Ivy Road, heading SE.
- 0.3 miBear right onto Little Andy Trail, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear left onto Big Ivy Road, heading NE.
- 2.6 miSharp left onto Bear Pen Trail, heading SE.
- 1.4 miSharp right onto Laurel Gap Trail, heading E.
- 2.6 miBear left onto Big Ivy Road, heading S.
- 1.1 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.1 mi in (~2 min). Leave by 7:32 PM for the 7:53 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:10 PM — 9 min before dark. Car visible from the viewpoint
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Big Ivy Road Trailhead
- Big Ivy Road 2.3 mi · ▲ 142 ft
- Craggy Gardens Viewpoint & Douglas Falls Trail 7.9 mi · ▲ 1,906 ft
- Craggy Gardens Trail & Douglas Falls Trail 8.5 mi · ▲ 1,889 ft
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