AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Discovery Falls–Bear Pen Branch, 6 sights

11 mi · ▲ 1,630 ft · 4 hr 29 min

Discovery Falls–Bear Pen Branch, 6 sights is an 11-mile out-and-back near Balsam Grove, NC. The route reaches Discovery Falls at the turnaround, 5.5 miles in. It climbs 1,630 ft, with sections as steep as 19% grade. It scores 60/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi2,638 – 3,396 ft · steepest grade: 19%11.7 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Lanning Ridge Road 35.28484, -82.82867
Nearest town Balsam Grove, NC
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Discovery Falls–Bear Pen Branch, 6 sights

11 mi · ▲ 1,630 ft · 4 hr 29 min

Elevation 2,638–3,395 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: Lanning Ridge Road · 35.28484, -82.82867

Weather Sep 5: Overcast, high 89°F / low 69° · precip 16% · wind 2 mph · sunrise 7:08 AM · sunset 7:54 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Lanning Ridge Road, heading NW.
  2. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Daniel Ridge Loop, heading NE.
  3. 150 ftContinue straight onto Lanning Ridge Road, heading N.
  4. 0.4 miTurn left onto Cove Creek - Daniel Connector, heading E.
  5. 0.3 miTurn left onto Cove Creek Trail, heading SE.
  6. 0.3 miTurn right onto Caney Bottom Trail, heading NW.
  7. 0.2 miBear left, heading NE.
  8. 1 miSharp right onto Cove Creek Trail, heading N.
  9. 0.3 miTurn right onto Upper Cove Creek - B, heading N.
  10. 350 ftContinue straight onto Cove Creek Connector, heading N.
  11. 0.2 miTurn left onto Upper Cove Creek - A, heading SE.
  12. 50 ftTurn right onto Cove Creek Road, heading SE.
  13. 0.5 miSharp left onto Headwater Road, heading NE.
  14. 0.8 miBear left, heading SE.
  15. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Bear Pen Branch, heading NW.
  16. 100 ftBear left onto Headwater Road, heading NW.
  17. 0.3 miSharp right onto Log Hollow Road, heading N.
  18. 0.2 miTurn right, heading N.
  19. 0.2 miReach Discovery Falls, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  20. 0.4 miSharp left onto Headwater Road, heading SE.
  21. 0.3 miBear right onto Bear Pen Branch, heading S.
  22. 50 ftContinue straight onto Headwater Road, heading S.
  23. 1 miSharp right onto Cove Creek Road, heading SE.
  24. 0.5 miTurn left onto Upper Cove Creek - A, heading SW.
  25. 50 ftTurn right onto Cove Creek Connector, heading SW.
  26. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Upper Cove Creek - B, heading SW.
  27. 350 ftTurn left onto Cove Creek Trail, heading W.
  28. 0.4 miSharp left onto Caney Bottom Trail, heading W.
  29. 1.3 miTurn left onto Cove Creek Trail, heading SE.
  30. 0.3 miTurn right onto Cove Creek - Daniel Connector, heading W.
  31. 0.3 miTurn right onto Lanning Ridge Road, heading SE.
  32. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Daniel Ridge Loop, heading N.
  33. 150 ftContinue straight onto Lanning Ridge Road, heading N.
  34. 0.2 miArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/discovery-falls-bear-pen-branch-out-back-6-sights

Trail surface

53% dirt46% gravel1% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 89°F69°
Precip16%Wind2 mphUV7Humidity69%
Rained 0.2″ 5 days ago
Hourly temperatureRain chance
90°65° 1 AM: 1% rain2 AM: 1% rain5 AM: 1% rain9 AM: 1% rain10 AM: 1% rain11 AM: 1% rain12 PM: 1% rain1 PM: 3% rain2 PM: 6% rain3 PM: 12% rain4 PM: 11% rain5 PM: 15% rain6 PM: 16% rain7 PM: 10% rain8 PM: 10% rain9 PM: 7% rain10 PM: 9% rain11 PM: 8% rain
Sunrise 7:08 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 7:54 PM
Sun 88°69° 67%
Mon 72°65° 58%
Tue 77°59° 17%
Wed 85°60°
Thu 85°65° 23%
Fri 82°65° 42%

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from Lanning Ridge Road Trailhead

Hikes near Balsam Grove, North Carolina