AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Ingles Fields Gap–Boyd Branch Trail, 6 sights

8.8 mi · ▲ 1,675 ft · 3 hr 46 min

Ingles Fields Gap–Boyd Branch Trail, 6 sights is an 8.8-mile out-and-back near Avery Creek, NC. The route reaches Ingles Fields Gap. It climbs 1,675 ft, with sections as steep as 23% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 66/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi2,192 – 3,032 ft · steepest grade: 23%9.1 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Shut-In Trail 35.46595, -82.62912
Nearest town Avery Creek, NC
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Ingles Fields Gap–Boyd Branch Trail, 6 sights

8.8 mi · ▲ 1,675 ft · 3 hr 46 min

Elevation 2,191–3,031 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: Shut-In Trail · 35.46595, -82.62912

Weather Sep 5: sunrise 7:07 AM · sunset 7:54 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Shut-In Trail, heading N.
  2. 0.5 miTurn left onto Grassy Knob Trail, heading NW.
  3. 150 ftContinue straight onto Stairs (Upper), heading N.
  4. 0.4 miTurn left onto Stairs (Lower), heading NW.
  5. 250 ftTurn left onto Pine Tree Loop, heading NW.
  6. 0.6 miTurn left onto Pine Tree Connector, heading W.
  7. 200 ftTurn right onto Explorer Loop, heading SW.
  8. 500 ftContinue straight onto Explorer Loop Connector, heading NW.
  9. 450 ftTurn right onto Bent Creek Gap Road, heading NW.
  10. 0.5 miContinue straight onto Boyd Branch Trail, heading NW.
  11. 0.6 miTurn left onto Boyd Logging Trail, heading W.
  12. 0.5 miBear right onto Little Hickory Top, heading NW.
  13. 0.6 miPass Ingles Fields Gap.
  14. 50 ftTurn right onto Ingles Field Gap, heading E.
  15. 150 ftBear left onto North Boundary Road, heading E.
  16. 0.4 miReach Ingles Fields Gap, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  17. 0.4 miBear right onto Ingles Field Gap, heading W.
  18. 150 ftTurn left onto Little Hickory Top, heading W.
  19. 0.6 miBear left onto Boyd Logging Trail, heading W.
  20. 0.5 miTurn right onto Boyd Branch Trail, heading E.
  21. 0.6 miContinue straight onto Bent Creek Gap Road, heading SE.
  22. 0.5 miTurn left onto Explorer Loop Connector, heading SW.
  23. 450 ftContinue straight onto Explorer Loop, heading S.
  24. 500 ftTurn left onto Pine Tree Connector, heading S.
  25. 200 ftTurn right onto Pine Tree Loop, heading SE.
  26. 0.6 miTurn right onto Stairs (Lower), heading S.
  27. 250 ftTurn right onto Stairs (Upper), heading N.
  28. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Grassy Knob Trail, heading SE.
  29. 150 ftTurn right onto Shut-In Trail, heading NE.
  30. 0.5 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/grassy-knob-ingles-fields-gap-out-back-8-sights

Trail surface

80% dirt14% gravel6% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 7:07 AMSunset 7:54 PM

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from Shut-In Trail Trailhead

Hikes near Avery Creek, North Carolina