Laurel Branch Road & Lower Sidehill Trail
2.8 mi · ▲ 404 ft · 1 hr 8 min
Laurel Branch Road & Lower Sidehill Trail is a 2.8-mile out-and-back near Bent Creek, NC. It climbs 404 ft, with sections as steep as 16% grade. It scores 77/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
0 mi2,195 – 2,543 ft · steepest grade: 16%2.8 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Bent Creek Gap Road 35.48172, -82.63526
Nearest town Bent Creek, NC
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Laurel Branch Road & Lower Sidehill Trail
2.8 mi · ▲ 404 ft · 1 hr 8 min
Elevation 2,194–2,542 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: Bent Creek Gap Road · 35.48172, -82.63526
Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 90°F / low 68° · precip 14% · wind 4 mph · sunrise 7:06 AM · sunset 7:55 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Boyd Branch Road, heading NW.
- 350 ftTurn left onto Lower Sidehill Trail, heading SW.
- 0.7 miContinue straight onto Laurel Branch Road, heading NW.
- 0.6 miReach Lower Sidehill Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.6 miContinue straight onto Lower Sidehill Trail, heading SE.
- 0.7 miTurn right onto Boyd Branch Road, heading SE.
- 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% dirt51% unspecified
Weather
OvercastTemperature 90°F68°
Feels like83°Precip14%Wind4 mphUV7Humidity69%
Hourly temperature
90°65°
Sunrise 7:06 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 7:55 PM
Sat
94°73°
Sun
92°68°
59%
Mon
76°66°
32%
Tue
82°61°
Wed
88°60°
Thu
90°63°
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Bent Creek Gap Road Trailhead
- Bent Creek Gap Road 2 mi · ▲ 190 ft
- Lower Sidehill Connector & Lower Sidehill Trail Loop via Bent Creek Gap Road 2.2 mi · ▲ 171 ft
- 479H & Explorer Loop via Bent Creek Gap Road 2.2 mi · ▲ 113 ft
- Bent Creek Gap Road 2.3 mi · ▲ 190 ft
- Lake Powhatan–Lake Powhatan Beach, 4 sights 2.6 mi · ▲ 181 ft
- Boyd Branch Trail & Boyd Logging Trail via Little Hickory Top 2.8 mi · ▲ 633 ft
Get outside more
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Hikes near Bent Creek, North Carolina