Bent Creek Experimental Forest Trails Background
The Bent Creek Experimental Forest , located on the Pisgah
National Forest just outside of Asheville, NC, has become increasingly
popular for a variety of recreational uses. A proliferation of
user-created trails has in some cases caused damage to ongoing forest
research which is the principal mission of the Bent Creek Experimental
Forest.
Over the last several years, the Forest Service has worked with
representatives of mountain bike clubs and other interests to designate
an official system of mountain bike and horse trails in the Bent Creek
area to accommodate the current recreation demands in the area, while
protecting Bent Creek's research mission. The Forest
Service and bike clubs continue to work together to close out
the many unofficial "user- created" trails which have sprung
up in the area.
The Forest Service recognizes the importance of making it as easy as
possible for recreation users to know which trails are open for mountain
bike and horse use, and which ones are not. Recreationists should be
aware that bikes and horses are ONLY allowed on designated trails and
roads. Designated trails are blazed and marked by vertical signs.
Gated roads open to horses and bikes are marked by vertical signs. In
addition, major trailheads at Bent Creek have large
scale maps posted showing all designated trails. 
An online version of the Trails Map can also be viewed by clicking on
the following link:
Bent
Creek Experimental Forest Trail Map
( 11 by 17" color map) (2.97 mb pdf)**
** Viewing or printing this map requires
the free
Adobe
Acrobat Reader.
If you have trouble viewing this map online, try right clicking
on map link and downloading to your computer before viewing.
For more information click on the following links:
Bent Creek
Experimental Forest Web Site
Revised
Bent Creek Research Project Decision Notice (1/24/04)
(458 kb pdf)
Bent Creek Trails and Active Research Map
( 2.9 mb pdf) (11/9/04)** Decision
Notice: Bent Creek Recreation Use (5/22) (2.2 mb pdf)
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