more stats
2.2 miles
Distance
68 ft
Climb
-1,603 ft
Descent
00:30:12
Avg time
-1,535 ft
Altitude change
3,318 ft
Altitude min
4,853 ft
Altitude max
4,853 ft
Altitude start
3,318 ft
Altitude end
-13.109%
Grade
-42.97%
Grade max
26.689%
Grade min
860 ft
Distance climb
2 miles
Distance down
333 ft
Distance flat
00:30:12
Avg time

Pilot Rock Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Difficulty Rating
    Black Diamond Rate
  • Voted Difficulty
    Black Diamond (1 vote)
  • Local Popularity
    75 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 55 in Trail Running
    • 50 in Hiking
  • Global Ranking
    #48311 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #71937 in Trail Running
    • #111433 in Hiking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    DH, AM, XC
  • Direction
    Downhill Primary
    Popular Direction Shown
  • Climb Difficulty
    Double Black Diamond
  • Physical Rating
    Extreme
  • Season
    Year Round
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
    No
  • TTFs on Trail
    Rock Face, Rock Garden
  • Ride in Rain
    Yes
  • Land Owner
    USFS

Descends from the peak via rough technical singletrack before coming to a nice overlook of the surrounding areas. From there the dirt disappears into a descent over a massive technical rock garden following tight switchbacks down the rock face before returning to faster rough singletrack towards the bottom.

Primarily downhill, it's difficulty rating is well earned and not for the timid. A very fun route and well worth the time.

Trail Supporters

  • USFS
    Land Manager
Local Trail Association
Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 2 rides
  • 18 miles average
6 Months
  • 42 rides
  • 23 miles avg distance
All
  • 282 rides
  • Last: Sep 12, 2026
c1c2c3c4
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Status:
on Aug 23, 2026
Ideal
Avg: 4.45 (23 votes)
Your vote: 0

view (2,388)
close
      Directions to pilot-rock trailhead (35.402820, -82.736830)
      View on Discover Map

      Photos

      63 more »
      mtb
      140 |
      Oct 28, 2022 @ 10:28am
      Oct 28, 2022
      mtb
      162 |
      Oct 28, 2022 @ 10:28am
      Oct 28, 2022
      mtb
      116 |
      Oct 28, 2022 @ 10:27am
      Oct 28, 2022
      mtb
      379 |
      Mar 2, 2022 @ 8:05am
      Mar 2, 2022

      Videos

      13 more »
      youtuber Is that sleet!? | Hanging on and hoping for...
      mtb
      11:11 | 957 | Mar 28, 2019 , Brevard
      youtuber A rainy, foggy, eerie descent of Pilot Rock in...
      mtb
      11:06 | 1315 | Mar 1, 2018 , Brevard
      Pilot Rock in Pisgah after rain
      mtb
      12:47 | 233 | Apr 4, 2024 , Brevard
      Pilot Rock Shredding - Pisgah National Forest...
      mtb
      20:56 | 293 | Jul 29, 2023 , Brevard

      Trail Lists

      Routes with this trail

      63
      Laurel/Pilot
      ★ 5.0 • 16 miles • 2,286 ft • 2 •
      The classic Pilot loop
      108
      Freehub Magazine: Laurel Pilot Rock
      ★ 5.0 • 13 miles • 1,921 ft • 2 • Loop •
      This is one of our favorite routes for Laurel Mountain and Pilot Rock that are featured in Freehub...
      308
      Pisgah 111k
      ★ 5.0 • 71 miles • 10,018 ft • 16 •
      Pisgah 111k MTB race Route
      4.6 ★★★★★
      23 Ratings
      5 ★ 74%
      4 ★ 17%
      3 ★ 4%
      2 ★
      1 ★ 4%

      10 Reviews & Comments

      boomshakkalagga
      If you love technical riding this is YOUR place! A bit out there and hard to get to, but well worth it.

      More natural and narrower than Bennett, with less visibility at times. Keep that in mind as there are still plenty of hikers out here, given how far out this trail is.

      Tons of switchback that are blocky and every single one wants its own treatment. LOVE IT!!

      May not be your cup of tea if you like riding on pristine golf course trails.
      Benp00Cbn
      Classic Pisgah tech trail, so if you don’t like it you don’t like Pisgah. It will be too hard for some riders, a real single black trail but nothing too big or dangerous. Has one of the most challenging rock gardens in the whole area
      localsonly420 localsonly420
      This trail is terrible please don't waste your time

      We hope you've been enjoying Trailforks!

      Create a FREE account to view all trail reviews and much more.

      Create a Free Account

      Nearby Trails

      • By blowmyfuseTF Pro & contributors
      • #35522 - 10,819 views

      Frequently Asked Questions

      ▼ Where is Pilot Rock located?
      Pilot Rock is located in Brevard, North Carolina, United States. The trailhead is located at coordinates 35.40282, -82.73683.
      ▼ How hard is Pilot Rock?
      Pilot Rock is rated as Black Diamond difficulty. The physical rating is Extreme. The average grade is 13.109%. The climb difficulty is rated Double Black Diamond.
      ▼ What is the elevation gain for Pilot Rock?
      Pilot Rock has 68 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 1,603 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 3,318 ft to 4,853 ft.
      ▼ Is Pilot Rock a point to point trail?
      Pilot Rock is not a point to point trail. The direction is Downhill Primary. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ How long is Pilot Rock?
      Pilot Rock is 2.2 miles long. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ Are dogs allowed on Pilot Rock?
      Yes, dogs are allowed on Pilot Rock. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
      ▼ When is the best time of year to ride Pilot Rock?
      Pilot Rock is best visited during: Year Round.
      ▼ How do I access Pilot Rock? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
      The closest parking and trailhead locations to Pilot Rock are:
      ▼ How long does it take to ride Pilot Rock?
      Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 31 minutes to ride Pilot Rock. The trail is 2.2 miles long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
      ▼ How busy is Pilot Rock?
      Pilot Rock is a very popular trail. There have been 2,471 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 2,388 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

      Hit the Trail

      Open in App

      Get this trail on your phone instantly.
      open trail in app

      Download Trail

      Save to wishlist, Garmin & download.
      save the trail

      Find Related Routes

      Find routes and users activities that include this trail.
      find routes for this trail

      You must enter a description before submitting.