more stats
4,167 ft
Distance
135 ft
Climb
-160 ft
Descent
00:09:28
Avg time
-25 ft
Altitude change
2,415 ft
Altitude min
2,576 ft
Altitude max
2,440 ft
Altitude start
2,415 ft
Altitude end
-0.6%
Grade
-28.4%
Grade max
20.3%
Grade min
1,545 ft
Distance climb
2,392 ft
Distance down
230 ft
Distance flat
00:09:28
Avg time

Explorer Loop Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    Bent Creek Experimental Forest
    Bent Creek, North Carolina
  • Ref Number
    #337
  • Difficulty Rating
    Blue Rate
  • Local Popularity
    45 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 35 in Trail Running
    • 45 in Hiking
  • Global Ranking
    #106199 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #124595 in Trail Running
    • #113536 in Hiking
  • Hiking SAC Scale
    T2 Mountain Hiking
  • Trail Type
    Mixed
  • Bike Type
    AM, XC
  • Direction
    Downhill Primary
    Popular Direction Shown
  • Climb Difficulty
    Blue
  • Physical Rating
    Moderate
  • Trail Visibility
    Always easy to follow
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
    No
  • Land Owner
    U.S. Forest Service

No community description for Explorer Loop trail has been added yet!

AI Generated Description

Explorer Loop is a highly rated 4,167 ft moderately popular blue difficulty mixed trail located near Bent Creek North Carolina. This multi-use trail can be used downhill primary and has a moderate overall physical rating with a 135 ft blue climb. Trail visibility is always easy to follow. On average it takes 9 minutes to complete this trail.

Local Trail Association
Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 2 rides
  • 11 miles average
6 Months
  • 80 rides
  • 12 miles avg distance
All
  • 610 rides
  • Last: Aug 13, 2026
c1c2c3c4
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Explorer Loop Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
Dec 20, 2025 @ 9:22pm (America/New_York)
Dec 20, 2025
 Two trees down after the second switchback. It’s possible to walk around them but the trail is blocked.
Apr 13, 2025 @ 12:11pm
Apr 13, 2025
Mar 16, 2024 @ 7:39am
Mar 16, 2024
Feb 27, 2024 @ 5:16am
Feb 27, 2024
Oct 24, 2023 @ 9:24am
Oct 24, 2023
more »
Status:
on Dec 20, 2025
Ideal
Avg: 3.99 (7 votes)
Your vote: 0

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Trail Conditions
  • Unknown
  • Snow Groomed
  • Snow Packed
  • Snow Covered
  • Snow Cover Partial
  • Freeze/thaw Cycle
  • Icy
  • Prevalent Mud
  • Wet
  • Variable
  • Ideal
  • Dry
  • Very Dry
Trail Flow (Ridden Direction)
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The colour categories are based on what percentage of users are riding a trail in its intended direction.
  • > 96%
  • > 90%
  • > 80%
  • > 70%
  • > 50%
  • < 50%
  • bi-directional trail
  • no data
Trail Last Ridden
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  • < 2 days
  • < 1 week
  • < 2 weeks
  • < 1 month
  • < 6 months
  • > 6 months
Trail Ridden Direction
The intended direction a trail should be ridden.
  • Downhill Only
  • Downhill Primary
  • Both Directions
  • Uphill Primary
  • Uphill Only
  • One Direction
Contribute Details
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  • Description
  • Photos
  • Description & Photos
  • Videos
Trail Popularity ?
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BC Backroad Status

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Slope Aspect
Direction the slope faces
Flat N NE E SE S SW W NW
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        Directions to explorer-loop-28478 trailhead (35.465800, -82.643940)

        Photos

        4 more »
        mtb
        80 |
        May 18, 2019 @ 12:07pm
        May 18, 2019
        mtb
        146 |
        Jul 27, 2018 @ 11:52am
        Jul 27, 2018
        report
        mtb
        37 |
        Jul 27, 2022 @ 8:40pm
        Jul 27, 2022
        report
        mtb
        43 |
        Dec 8, 2019 @ 8:30am
        Dec 8, 2019

        Videos

        1 more »
        Mountain Biking Bent Creek // Pisgah //...
        mtb
        8:13 | 382 | Jun 14, 2019 , Bent Creek

        Trail Lists

        Routes with this trail

        21
        Super Chill
        ★ 5.0 • 8 miles • 837 ft • 11 •
        twenty five characters...
        49
        Greens Lick / Explorer Loop
        11 miles • 1,586 ft • 7 • Loop •
        Starting from Parking / parking. You will be heading up to the highest point in Bent Creek Greens Lick....
        132
        North Mills 48 miles - 7k
        48 miles • 7,432 ft • 22 • Loop •
        North Mills route attempting to hit the north east black trails avoiding roads and back tracking.

        4 Reviews & Comments


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        Nearby Trails

        Bent Creek Experimental Forest

        • By blowmyfuseTF Pro & contributors
        • #28478 - 2,035 views

        Frequently Asked Questions About Explorer Loop Lower

        ▼ Where is Explorer Loop Lower located?
        Explorer Loop Lower is located in Bent Creek Experimental Forest, Bent Creek, North Carolina, United States. It is part of the Bent Creek Experimental Forest trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 35.46581, -82.64394.
        ▼ How hard is Explorer Loop Lower?
        Explorer Loop Lower is rated as Blue difficulty. The physical rating is Moderate. The average grade is 0.6%. The climb difficulty is rated Blue.
        ▼ What is the elevation gain for Explorer Loop Lower?
        Explorer Loop Lower has 136 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 159 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 2,415 ft to 2,576 ft.
        ▼ Is Explorer Loop Lower a point to point trail?
        Explorer Loop Lower is not a point to point trail. The direction is Downhill Primary. The trail type is mixed.
        ▼ How long is Explorer Loop Lower?
        Explorer Loop Lower is 4,170 ft long. The trail type is mixed.
        ▼ Are dogs allowed on Explorer Loop Lower?
        Yes, dogs are allowed on Explorer Loop Lower. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
        ▼ When is the best time of year to ride Explorer Loop Lower?
        Based on activity log data, the most popular months to ride Explorer Loop Lower are:
        • July (63 activities)
        • August (39 activities)
        • September (39 activities)
        Check the reports page for current trail conditions.
        ▼ How do I access Explorer Loop Lower? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
        The closest parking and trailhead locations to Explorer Loop Lower are: View all parking locations in the area.
        ▼ How long does it take to ride Explorer Loop Lower?
        Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 10 minutes to ride Explorer Loop Lower. The trail is 4,170 ft long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
        ▼ How busy is Explorer Loop Lower?
        Explorer Loop Lower is a moderately popular trail. There have been 2,611 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 2,556 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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