AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Bracken Preserve

Sandy Gap–Grogan Creek Road, 4 saddles

14.3 mi · ▲ 3,269 ft · 6 hr 24 min

Sandy Gap–Grogan Creek Road, 4 saddles is a 14.3-mile out-and-back in Bracken Preserve near Laurel Falls, NC. The route passes Sandy Gap and Low Gap. It climbs 3,269 ft, with sections as steep as 20% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 87/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi2,753 – 3,885 ft · steepest grade: 20%14.6 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 35.24215, -82.77167
Nearest town Laurel Falls, NC
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Sandy Gap–Grogan Creek Road, 4 saddles

14.3 mi · ▲ 3,269 ft · 6 hr 24 min

Elevation 2,753–3,886 ft

Out & Back · Bracken Preserve

Trailhead: 35.24215, -82.77167

Weather Sep 5: sunrise 7:07 AM · sunset 7:56 PM

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading N.
  2. 1 miSharp left, heading NW.
  3. 1.2 miTurn left onto Art Loeb Trail, heading SW.
  4. 0.2 miPass Sandy Gap.
  5. 2.1 miContinue straight onto Searcy Connector, heading W.
  6. 50 ftBear right onto Art Loeb Trail, heading W.
  7. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Searcy Connector, heading NW.
  8. 100 ftContinue straight onto Art Loeb Trail, heading N.
  9. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Searcy Connector, heading NW.
  10. 50 ftPass Low Gap.
  11. 0.6 miTurn left onto Searcy Creek Road, heading NW.
  12. 1 miTurn right onto Grogan Creek Road, heading S.
  13. 0.9 miReach Sandy Gap, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  14. 0.9 miTurn left onto Searcy Creek Road, heading SW.
  15. 1 miTurn right onto Searcy Connector, heading SE.
  16. 0.6 miContinue straight onto Art Loeb Trail, heading S.
  17. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Searcy Connector, heading S.
  18. 100 ftContinue straight onto Art Loeb Trail, heading SE.
  19. 0.2 miBear left onto Searcy Connector, heading SW.
  20. 50 ftContinue straight onto Art Loeb Trail, heading SW.
  21. 2.2 miTurn right, heading E.
  22. 1.2 miSharp right, heading E.
  23. 1 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/sandy-gap-grogan-creek-road-out-back-4-saddles

Trail surface

74% dirt26% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 7:07 AMSunset 7:56 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.6 mi in (~72 min). Leave by 6:23 PM for the 7:56 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:48 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

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