Goodson Rock–Lake Powhatan, 8 sights is a 7.5-mile out-and-back near Bent Creek, NC. The route passes Lake Powhatan, Lake Powhatan Beach and Moors Gap before reaching Goodson Rock at the turnaround, 3.8 miles in. It climbs 1,087 ft, with sections as steep as 20% grade. It scores 66/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
0 mi2,116 – 2,861 ft · steepest grade: 20%8.0 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Wesley Branch Road 35.48198, -82.62865
Nearest town Bent Creek, NC
Directions
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Goodson Rock–Lake Powhatan, 8 sights
7.5 mi · ▲ 1,087 ft · 3 hr 3 min
Elevation 2,117–2,861 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: Wesley Branch Road · 35.48198, -82.62865
Weather Sep 5: sunrise 7:07 AM · sunset 7:54 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Wesley Branch Road, heading N.
- 50 ftPass Lake Powhatan.
- 50 ftPass Lake Powhatan Beach.
- 450 ftBear left onto Homestead Trail, heading NW.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Wesley Branch Road, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Homestead Trail, heading NE.
- 0.3 miSharp left, heading SE.
- 0.1 miBear left onto Hardtimes Road, heading N.
- 350 ftTurn right onto Hardtimes Connector, heading N.
- 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 N.
- 350 ftBear left, heading NW.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading W.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Rice Pinnacle Road, heading NE.
- 0.5 miContinue straight onto North Boundary Road, heading N.
- 50 ftBear left, heading N.
- 0.6 miTurn right onto Northern Boundary Trail, heading NW.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading N.
- 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 W.
- 0.7 miContinue straight onto Rice Pinnacle Road, heading NW.
- 0.5 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading SW.
- 350 ftTurn right onto Deer Lake Road, heading S.
- 0.1 miBear left onto Deer Lake Lodge Trail, heading E.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Hardtimes Connector, heading S.
- 0.8 miTurn left onto Hardtimes Road, heading SW.
- 350 ftBear right, heading SW.
- 0.1 miSharp right, heading SW.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Wesley Branch Road, heading S.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Homestead Trail, heading S.
- 50 ftBear right onto Wesley Branch Road, heading S.
- 300 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
49% dirt29% gravel22% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 7:07 AMSunset 7:54 PM
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Wesley Branch Road Trailhead
- Grassy Knob–Lake Powhatan, 6 sights 2.5 mi · ▲ 1,111 ft
- Lake Powhatan–Lake Powhatan Beach, 4 sights 4.5 mi · ▲ 205 ft
- Lake Powhatan–Lake Powhatan Beach, 7 sights 6.8 mi · ▲ 1,156 ft
- Double Head–Cold Knob, 12 sights 12.9 mi · ▲ 3,677 ft
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