Laurel Branch Road & Shut-In Trail
13.4 mi · ▲ 2,671 ft · 5 hr 48 min
Laurel Branch Road & Shut-In Trail is a 13.4-mile out-and-back near Bent Creek, NC. It climbs 2,671 ft, with sections as steep as 22% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 30/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
0 mi2,011 – 3,097 ft · steepest grade: 22%13.7 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Shut-In Trail 35.50105, -82.59406
Nearest town Bent Creek, NC
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Laurel Branch Road & Shut-In Trail
13.4 mi · ▲ 2,671 ft · 5 hr 48 min
Elevation 2,012–3,098 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: Shut-In Trail · 35.50105, -82.59406
Weather Sep 5: Overcast, high 94°F / low 70° · precip 21% · wind 2 mph · sunrise 7:06 AM · sunset 7:54 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Shut-In Trail, heading W.
- 1.4 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.2 miBear left onto Hard Times Road, heading S.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Shut-In Trail, heading S.
- 2.4 miSharp right onto Stairs (Upper), heading SW.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Stairs (Lower), heading N.
- 250 ftTurn left onto Pine Tree Loop, heading NW.
- 0.6 miTurn left onto Pine Tree Connector, heading W.
- 150 ftTurn right onto Explorer Loop, heading W.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Explorer Loop Connector, heading NW.
- 400 ftSharp left onto Bent Creek Gap Road, heading W.
- 0.3 miBear right onto Laurel Branch Road, heading SW.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Lower Sidehill Trail, heading NW.
- 350 ftContinue straight onto Laurel Branch Road, heading NW.
- 0.6 miReach Shut-In Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.6 miContinue straight onto Lower Sidehill Trail, heading SE.
- 350 ftContinue straight onto Laurel Branch Road, heading SE.
- 0.2 miBear left onto Bent Creek Gap Road, heading SE.
- 0.3 miSharp right onto Explorer Loop Connector, heading NE.
- 450 ftContinue straight onto Explorer Loop, heading NE.
- 500 ftTurn left onto Pine Tree Connector, heading N.
- 200 ftTurn right onto Pine Tree Loop, heading E.
- 0.6 miTurn right onto Stairs (Lower), heading N.
- 250 ftTurn right onto Stairs (Upper), heading NE.
- 0.3 miSharp left onto Shut-In Trail, heading E.
- 2.4 miContinue straight onto Hard Times Road, heading N.
- 0.3 miBear right, heading N.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Shut-In Trail, heading N.
- 1.4 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
74% dirt5% gravel21% unspecified
Weather
OvercastTemperature 94°F70°
Precip21%Wind2 mphUV7Humidity86%
Hourly temperatureRain chance
95°70°
Sunrise 7:06 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 7:54 PM
Sun
87°68°
66%
Mon
78°65°
49%
Tue
83°59°
Wed
88°58°
Thu
89°62°
18%
Fri
87°65°
39%
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Shut-In Trail Trailhead
- Bent Creek Trail–Natural Garden Trail, 7 sights 7.8 mi · ▲ 1,261 ft
- Lake Powhatan Beach–Deer Lake Road, 6 sights 11.3 mi · ▲ 1,419 ft
- View Chesnut Cove–Grassy Knob Trail, 5 sights 11.4 mi · ▲ 2,395 ft
- 479H–Explorer Loop, 3 sights 13.9 mi · ▲ 2,657 ft
- Goodson Rock–Lake Powhatan Beach, 11 sights 14.8 mi · ▲ 2,076 ft
- Rice Pinnacle–Goodson Rock, 9 sights 15.5 mi · ▲ 2,239 ft
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