Green Top–Lake Powhatan, 8 sights

11.6 mi · ▲ 1,930 ft · 4 hr 50 min

Green Top–Lake Powhatan, 8 sights is an 11.6-mile out-and-back near Bent Creek, NC. The route passes Lake Powhatan Beach and Lake Powhatan before reaching Green Top at the turnaround, 5.8 miles in. It climbs 1,930 ft, with sections as steep as 34% grade. It scores 57/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi2,057 – 3,760 ft · steepest grade: 34%12.3 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 35.49747, -82.60864
Nearest town Bent Creek, NC

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Green Top–Lake Powhatan, 8 sights

11.6 mi · ▲ 1,930 ft · 4 hr 50 min

Elevation 2,057–3,759 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: 35.49747, -82.60864

Weather Sep 5: sunrise 7:06 AM · sunset 7:55 PM

Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading E.
  2. 0.1 miTurn right, heading E.
  3. 0.1 miSharp right onto Natural Garden Trail, heading SW.
  4. 0.4 miTurn left, heading N.
  5. 50 ftTurn left onto Running Cedar Road, heading NW.
  6. 0.1 miTurn right onto Bent Creek Trail, heading S.
  7. 1.2 miPass Lake Powhatan Beach.
  8. 150 ftBear right onto Hardtimes Road, heading SW.
  9. 350 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  10. 450 ftPass Lake Powhatan.
  11. 150 ftSharp right, heading W.
  12. 0.3 miTurn right onto Wesley Branch Road, heading SW.
  13. 0.7 miBear right onto Pine Tree Connector, heading SW.
  14. 200 ftTurn right onto Explorer Loop, heading S.
  15. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Explorer Loop Connector, heading SW.
  16. 400 ftSharp left onto Bent Creek Gap Road, heading S.
  17. 1.6 miSharp right onto Lower Sidehill Trail, heading SW.
  18. 0.2 miTurn left onto .5, heading NW.
  19. 0.8 miReach Green Top, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  20. 0.8 miTurn right onto Lower Sidehill Trail, heading NE.
  21. 0.2 miSharp left onto Bent Creek Gap Road, heading SE.
  22. 1.6 miSharp right onto Explorer Loop Connector, heading NE.
  23. 400 ftContinue straight onto Explorer Loop, heading NE.
  24. 0.1 miTurn left onto Pine Tree Connector, heading NE.
  25. 150 ftBear left onto Pine Tree Loop, heading NE.
  26. 0.7 miTurn left onto Homestead Trail, heading N.
  27. 0.3 miSharp left, heading NE.
  28. 0.1 miTurn right onto Hardtimes Road, heading NE.
  29. 300 ftBear left onto Bent Creek Trail, heading SE.
  30. 1.2 miTurn left onto Running Cedar Road, heading E.
  31. 0.1 miTurn right, heading NE.
  32. 50 ftTurn right onto Natural Garden Trail, heading NE.
  33. 0.4 miSharp left onto Wesley Branch Trail, heading NE.
  34. 0.1 miTurn left, heading E.
  35. 350 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

29% dirt22% gravel49% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 7:06 AMSunset 7:55 PM

Good to know

  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

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