Bracken Preserve

The Bracken Mountain Preserve is located just outside the town of Brevard, NC in Transylvania County and within walking distance of the Brevard Music Center. It is a collection of trails (with the addition of the Pinnacle Trail in 2019) totaling about 9 miles. This area is open to hiking and mountain biking. The Preserve borders Pisgah National Forest and hikers can actually connect from Brevard to the Art Loeb Trail and other adventures within Pisgah National Forest.

Bracken Preserve is maintained by the Friends of Brevard Area Trails, which is a collaboration of the Town of Brevard, Transylvania County and Conserving Carolina. They actively advocate for many trails and greenways in the area.

A feature that is well done on these trails are the information kiosks. There are several of these placed throughout the trail and they provide very useful and unique facts about the environment, ecology and surrounding areas. They are well made, easy to read, but do not take away from the ambiance of the trail. At the trailhead, the kiosk that overviews the families that settled in this area really caught my attention. It is worth reading about Laughing Water and Tom who settled on the mountain in the 1860’s.

For my hike, I did a 7.2 mile counter-clockwise loop that included the Bracken Mtn Trail (Blue blaze); Brushy Creek Trail (Red); Pinnacle Trail (Pink); Mackey Ridge Trail (Yellow) and returned on the Bracken Mtn. Trail the total ascent being about 1200 feet. It is a steep climb immediately from the trailhead, but within 0.5 mile the trail begins to be more gradual as it intersects with the Brushy Creek Trail.

The trail crosses over several small creeks with some waterfalls and cascades. The single track path is well maintained with very little rocks to traverse. At just under 2.0 miles from the trailhead, the Pinnacle Trail continues up to the right. At this point, the hike does become steeper as it makes it’s way to the summit. This hike was in early December, after all the leaves were down, so as I reached the top, the views began to open up.

It is worth mentioning that there are several switchbacks which assist with the climb. In many cases you can see the switched back trail to your side, just a few feet away. Please do not shortcut through the woods. For some, it can be tempting, but it really does effect the sustainability of the trail, causing erosion, excessive runoff and overall impact of the trail. The remains of an older roadbed are visible just off the trail in some areas, but the blazed trail does not follow this, so trying to shortcut through switchbacks may result in choosing the wrong path.

I highly recommend Bracken Preserve, especially if you are looking for a quiet hike through unspoiled wilderness and within a few minutes of downtown Brevard.

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