Slate Rock Creek/Pilot Cove Trail

Today's ride was another page from the Off the Beaten Track book, page 74 to be exact! We drove up past Mills River Campground 6.8 or so miles and thought we had passed the Slate Rock trail about a mile back, so when we came to the next trail marked "Slate Rock" we stopped thinking we were at trail intersection number 2, come to find out later on our ride we weren't. We parked, unloaded and began up the trail we noticed that the creek was on our left he whole way up, which gave us our first clue that we were on a different trail. Nice trail, several "hike-a-bike" sections, as you can see. There were a few creek crossings and some points along the trail that if you fell to your left, you were just a goner. At the "top" of the climb, which is about 3 miles in, the trail forks. The Slate Rock trail is a blue blaze. The right fork of this trail was blazed blue with 2 blazes, and the left fork had one blue blaze, we chose to stay to the left. The left fork took us up to the Pilot Cove Loop Trail which was were we wanted to go, so a sigh of relief we made it. The fork in the blue blaze trail is not noted in the book.

We went on along the Pilot Cove Trail out to Slate Rock, all I can say is WOW, what a view and so worth all the "hike-a-bike" on the way up there. I mean can you believe that view! On the way out to the overlook the Slate Rock outcropping, the Mountain Laurel were in near full bloom and arching over the trail, ah, it was just heaven. This trail seems to be a pretty well used, and we rode it on a Monday and didn't see a soul. I definately know where I plan to bring my friends the next time they visit, I could have spent hours just sitting taking in the view. The trip down from Slate Rock on the Pilot Cove Trail was steep, the author warns you of this in the Off the Beaten Track book. I was expecting some really steep stuff, and it was in places. I got off and pushed a few times (never be ashamed to push!). We came back out on FS 1206 and turned left and headed back down the gravel road to our car. That trip was a little over a mile, but it was all downhill on gravel. If I had to do it over, I would go the same direction we went today. The trail was tough pushing in sections, but I would rather push uphill than downhill. The view is so worth it so if you get a chance and you are in the area try this ride out. Our ride time was 1 hour and 38 minutes and that was the time the bike was moving, we stopped several times. Our mileage was 7.4 miles.