Lower Sidehill / Bent Creek

Trail Description:
Start at Hardtimes Trailhead and ride 2.8 miles up the Bent Creek Gap Road. Lower Sidehill will be on your right, prepare for a steep uphill followed by about 3 miles of fun downhill. Great trail!

How to get there:
From Asheville, take I-240 west to I-26 east and get off on exit 2, NC 191. Turn left, pass the Biltmore Square Mall, and head south on NC 191 for 2 miles. Turn right at the stoplight onto Bent Creek Ranch Road, following the brown signs to the Lake Powhatan Recreation Area (bear left at fork after 0.2 mi on this road). The paved, signed Hardtimes trailhead parking area is just over 2 miles down this road on the left. Other popular starting points are beyond Hardtimes further into the valley.

Additional Notes:
30 miles worth of good trails at Bent Creek, nice camping area.

Posted by: nfox on 9/11/2008
this is a great place to ride...id say its better than tsali in the nattahala nat. forest...everyone in western nc must ride it at least once...just dont go out of shape...the uphill s4cks...but the downhill totally redeems the whole ride...