more stats
1.5 miles
Distance
53 ft
Climb
-726 ft
Descent
00:24:07
Avg time
-673 ft
Altitude change
3,931 ft
Altitude min
4,604 ft
Altitude max
4,604 ft
Altitude start
3,931 ft
Altitude end
-35.493%
Grade max
21.542%
Grade min
786 ft
Distance climb
1 mile
Distance down
791 ft
Distance flat
00:24:07
Avg time

Bear Pen Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • Horse
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    Big Ivy (Coleman Boundary)
    Asheville, North Carolina
  • Difficulty Rating
    Black Diamond Rate
  • Local Popularity
    35 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 5 in Trail Running
    • 5 in Hiking
    • 5 in Horseback
  • Global Ranking
    #123845 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #348193 in Trail Running
    • #317678 in Hiking
    • #23402 in Horseback
  • State Ranking
    #811 in Mountain Biking · North Carolina [+]
    • #2,794 in Trail Running
    • #2,728 in Hiking
    • #141 in Horseback
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    AM, XC
  • Direction
    Both Directions
    Popular Direction Shown
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes

Rough trail makes a fun, rocky and muddy downhill connection between the Laurel Gap trail (grassy road) and FR 74. Not that great uphill - there's no real good downhill to connect to unless you come back down this trail. Huge jumps near bottom. A little overgrown with weeds, seldom used. Watch for stinging nettle as it hangs over the trail - if it brushes up against your legs, you'll be itchin' by the time you get to the bottom. Creek crossings. Part of the Douglas Falls and Coleman Boundary Grand Tour best rides.

Tags
Creek crossingJumps

Trail Supporters

Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 0 rides
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6 Months
  • 0 rides
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All
  • 31 rides
  • Last: Sep 19, 2018
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Bear Pen Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
May 26, 2023 @ 1:27pm
May 26, 2023
 Overgrown near top, double deadfall trees down in top 1/4.
Aug 6, 2019 @ 1:13pm
Aug 6, 2019
 pretty overgrown at the top, but the bottom rides great
May 31, 2019 @ 1:00pm
May 31, 2019
 I would let the bears have the Laurel Gap trail until hibernation time. There are a lot of berry bushes that are flowering and there is plenty...
Jul 22, 2018 @ 8:04pm
Jul 22, 2018
 Trail was pretty good condition, so was a stinging nettle.
Nov 25, 2017 @ 7:53pm
Nov 25, 2017
 Major downed trees and limbs. Not rideable especially at the top.
more »
Status:
on May 26, 2023
Dry
Avg: 3.99 (3 votes)
Your vote: 0

view (293)
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      Directions to bear-pen trailhead (35.741182, -82.347565)
      View on Discover Map 3D Tour

      Photos

      4 more »
      mtb
      319 |
      Oct 11, 2019 @ 6:58am
      Oct 11, 2019

      Videos

      1 more »
      youtuber Mountain Biking: State Line 2173 (Bear Pen),...
      mtb
      2:17 | 778 | Jan 25, 2020 , Asheville

      Trail Lists

      Routes with this trail

      more »
      18
      Coleman Boundary
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      19
      big ivy ride
      12 miles • 2,371 ft • 9 •
      big ivy with road climb and fun downhill
      4.0 ★★★★★
      3 Ratings
      5 ★
      4 ★ 100%
      3 ★
      2 ★
      1 ★

      1 Review & Comments

      Mtn-Goat-13 Mtn-Goat-13
      The whole trail is miraculously clear up to Laurel but likely will continue to have tree falls after Helene tree deaths. The lower 0.4 mile jumps were somehow undamaged in Helene and is the most fun to lap right now but needs rebuilt lips

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      Nearby Trails

      Big Ivy (Coleman Boundary)

      Frequently Asked Questions

      ▼ Where is Bear Pen located?
      Bear Pen is located in Big Ivy (Coleman Boundary), Asheville, North Carolina, United States. It is part of the Big Ivy (Coleman Boundary) trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 35.74118, -82.34757.
      ▼ How hard is Bear Pen?
      Bear Pen is rated as Black Diamond difficulty.
      ▼ What is the elevation gain for Bear Pen?
      Bear Pen has 53 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 726 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 3,931 ft to 4,604 ft.
      ▼ Is Bear Pen a point to point trail?
      Bear Pen is not a point to point trail. The direction is Both Directions. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ How long is Bear Pen?
      Bear Pen is 1.5 miles long. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ Are dogs allowed on Bear Pen?
      Yes, dogs are allowed on Bear Pen. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
      ▼ When is the best time of year to ride Bear Pen?
      Based on activity log data, the most popular months to ride Bear Pen are:
      • August (2 activities)
      • February (1 activities)
      • June (1 activities)
      Check the reports page for current trail conditions.
      ▼ How do I access Bear Pen? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
      The closest parking and trailhead locations to Bear Pen are: View all parking locations in the area.
      ▼ How long does it take to ride Bear Pen?
      Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 24 minutes to ride Bear Pen. The trail is 1.5 miles long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
      ▼ How busy is Bear Pen?
      Bear Pen is a less popular trail with lighter traffic. There have been 267 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 293 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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