Brevard Music Center Lake–Sandy Gap, 6 sights
13.7 mi · ▲ 3,300 ft · 6 hr 13 min
Brevard Music Center Lake–Sandy Gap, 6 sights is a 13.7-mile out-and-back in Bracken Preserve near Balsam Grove, NC. The route passes Sandy Gap before reaching Brevard Music Center Lake at the turnaround, 6.8 miles in. It climbs 3,300 ft, with sections as steep as 16% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 76/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Brevard Music Center Lake–Sandy Gap, 6 sights
13.7 mi · ▲ 3,300 ft · 6 hr 13 min
Elevation 2,433–3,886 ft
Out & Back · Bracken Preserve
Trailhead: Catheys Creek Road · 35.24976, -82.82175
Weather Sep 5: Overcast, high 88°F / low 68° · precip 19% · wind 5 mph · sunrise 7:08 AM · sunset 7:54 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Catheys Creek Road, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear right onto Low Gap Road, heading NE.
- 0.8 miTurn right onto Art Loeb Trail, heading NE.
- 2.1 miPass Sandy Gap.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 1.2 miContinue straight onto 475C, heading E.
- 1.2 miContinue straight onto Brushy Creek, heading NE.
- 200 ftBear left onto Mackey Ridge Trail, heading SW.
- 450 ftContinue straight onto Bracken Mountain Trail, heading SE.
- 1.4 miReach Brevard Music Center Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 1.4 miContinue straight onto Mackey Ridge Trail, heading NW.
- 400 ftBear right onto Brushy Creek, heading SE.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto 475C, heading SE.
- 2.3 miTurn left onto Art Loeb Trail, heading NW.
- 2.2 miTurn left, heading W.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Low Gap Road, heading W.
- 0.5 miBear left onto Catheys Creek Road, heading SE.
- 50 ftArrive 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 3.5 mi in (~119 min). Leave by 5:35 PM for the 7:54 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:44 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Catheys Creek Road Trailhead
- Butter Gap–Cedar Rock Mountain Trail, 3 sights 2.3 mi · ▲ 466 ft
- 471A & Worm Hole via Catheys Creek Road 3.3 mi · ▲ 380 ft
- Rich Mountain via Art Loeb Trail 3.3 mi · ▲ 512 ft
- Low Gap Road–Searcy Connector, 3 sights 3.4 mi · ▲ 584 ft
- Long Loeb LWO via Catheys Creek Road 3.6 mi · ▲ 419 ft
- 471C via Catheys Creek Road 3.9 mi · ▲ 314 ft
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Hikes near Balsam Grove, North Carolina