Goodson Rock–Lake Powhatan Beach, 9 sights is a 10.2-mile out-and-back near Bent Creek, NC. The route passes Lake Powhatan Beach and Moors Gap before reaching Goodson Rock at the turnaround, 5.1 miles in. It climbs 1,182 ft, with sections as steep as 16% grade. It scores 62/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
0 mi2,057 – 2,861 ft · steepest grade: 16%10.8 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Wesley Branch Trail 35.49837, -82.60725
Nearest town Bent Creek, NC
Directions
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Goodson Rock–Lake Powhatan Beach, 9 sights
10.2 mi · ▲ 1,182 ft · 3 hr 59 min
Elevation 2,057–2,861 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: Wesley Branch Trail · 35.49837, -82.60725
Weather Sep 5: sunrise 7:06 AM · sunset 7:55 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Wesley Branch Trail, heading E.
- 350 ftSharp right onto Natural Garden Trail, heading W.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Running Cedar Road, heading S.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Bent Creek Trail, heading SW.
- 1.2 miPass Lake Powhatan Beach.
- 50 ftBear right onto Hardtimes Road, heading SW.
- 300 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 350 ftTurn right onto Hardtimes Connector, heading W.
- 0.8 miContinue straight onto Deer Lake Lodge Trail, heading N.
- 0.2 miBear right onto Deer Lake Road, heading W.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 350 ftBear left, heading NW.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Rice Pinnacle Road, heading W.
- 0.5 miContinue straight onto North Boundary Road, heading NW.
- 50 ftBear left, heading NW.
- 0.6 miTurn right onto Northern Boundary Trail, heading NW.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading W.
- 50 ftPass Moors Gap.
- 0.4 miReach Goodson Rock, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.6 miTurn left onto North Boundary Road, heading SW.
- 0.7 miContinue straight onto Rice Pinnacle Road, heading SW.
- 0.5 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading S.
- 350 ftTurn right onto Deer Lake Road, heading SW.
- 0.1 miBear left onto Deer Lake Lodge Trail, heading S.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Hardtimes Connector, heading SE.
- 0.8 miTurn left onto Hardtimes Road, heading SW.
- 350 ftBear right, heading SW.
- 350 ftBear left onto Bent Creek Trail, heading SW.
- 1.2 miTurn left onto Running Cedar Road, heading E.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Natural Garden Trail, heading N.
- 0.4 miSharp left onto Wesley Branch Trail, heading N.
- 250 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
47% dirt43% gravel10% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 7:06 AMSunset 7:55 PM
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Wesley Branch Trail Trailhead
- Bent Creek Trail–Natural Garden Trail, 3 sights 2 mi · ▲ 143 ft
- Lake Powhatan–Lake Powhatan Beach, 5 sights 4.4 mi · ▲ 200 ft
- Natural Garden Trail–Owl Ridge Trail Loop, 5 sights 4.7 mi · ▲ 588 ft
- Natural Garden Trail–Owl Ridge Trail Loop, 5 sights 5 mi · ▲ 628 ft
- Owl Ridge Trail–Shut-In Trail, 3 sights 6.8 mi · ▲ 1,190 ft
- Lake Powhatan–Lake Powhatan Beach, 7 sights 9.6 mi · ▲ 1,033 ft
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