Mills River/Coffeepot Loop
Details
Mills River Coffee Pot Loop
We will meet at Ingles 301 Long Shoals Rd Arden at 10 AM. A second meet-up spot to accommodate anyone from the Brevard/Hendersonville area and all points south, will be at the Mills River Ingles. Let's plan on leaving Mills River Ingles for the trailhead at 10:30, no later.
Please e-mail me with any questions about the hike or the parking location. I'd rather deal with questions before the hike rather than deal problems after the hike starts.
Length: The hike is approximately 8.1 miles in length
Difficulty: Moderate
Hike the Mills River Loop- AKA the Coffee Pot Loop- which begins in the Mills River area off of Forest Road 5000. Hike up the Trace Ridge Trail (3.1 miles-Difficulty: Moderate) to the Parkway. Down the Spenser Brook Trail (a little steep and can be difficult on the knees for a while- 2.3 miles) to the Hendersonville Reservoir, Henderson Reservoir Rd between the reservoir, and finish The hike will include part of the Fletcher Creek trail to avoid the stream (creek) on the Spencer Brook trail. I enjoy this hike because we can get there in about 30 min. from Asheville, and the hike only takes 4 hours to complete depending on how fast the pace is and how much break time is taken. There are opportunities to snack at an overlook on the Parkway and a really nice spot near the reservoir. This hike will not be of the high speed workout hikes on my Wednesday nights, but it’s not an easy stroll in the woods either. There is a steady uphill hike of about 3 miles. We will take time to enjoy the day. The total distance of the hike is listed as 8.1 miles and 1000 ft. elevation gain. It’s also listed as a 4 hr. hike. If you're one of my power hikers, you're going to have to wait for us. I'm not in great shape after my month on the beach vacation. We'll move fast enough for us to keep warm.
Be sure to bring plenty of Water, Food, $$$ to help pay for carpooling.
http://www.hikewnc.info/trailheads/pisgah-national-forest/pisgah-ranger-district/mills-river/maps/