Buck Spring Trail #104

6.2 mi - Medium - Most hike this trail from the Pisgah Inn down to US 276, which requires a car switch. With the exception of the first ½ mile, which is moderately steep, the trail is a gradual, sloping grade. The trail has 13 easy stream crossings while winding around 10 ridges. Many of these stream crossings have pretty cascades that are worth admiring. In the spring and early summer this trail is alive with the sound of songbirds, which include a variety of warblers and vireos. Wildflowers are also abundant from April though October. This trail is truly a nature lover’s dream. The Mountains-to-Sea Trail (white-dot blazes) overlaps Buck Spring for most of its length, but if hiking down from the Pisgah Inn, it will separate from Buck Spring approximately 1 mile before reaching US 276, at a point where Buck Spring turns left and Mountains-to-Sea continues uphill. From this point, Buck Spring Trail continues on an easy sideslope to the west.

Approximate Elevation Change: 1,100 feet
Blaze: White

At a Glance

Open Season:	Year-round
Usage:	Heavy
Restrictions:	Hiking Trail: foot traffic only.
Water:	yes
Restroom:	none
Operated By:	US Forest Service

General Information

Directions: Leaving the Pisgah District Ranger Station/Visitor Center, turn right (north) onto US 276. Proceed north 14 miles and go north on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Proceed past mile marker 409 to the Pisgah Inn and park in the Inn parking lot. The trail begins behind the dining room and goes southwest. Other access is from US 276 approximately 3 miles south of the Blue Ridge Parkway, where there is parking for approximately four vehicles.