more stats
7.4 miles
Distance
978 ft
Climb
-1,327 ft
Descent
01:25:06
Avg time
-349 ft
Altitude change
2,574 ft
Altitude min
3,515 ft
Altitude max
2,923 ft
Altitude start
2,575 ft
Altitude end
-0.9%
Grade
-33.2%
Grade max
39.4%
Grade min
3 miles
Distance climb
4 miles
Distance down
1,768 ft
Distance flat
01:25:06
Avg time

Squirrel Gap Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    South Mills River/Turkey Pen
    Mills River, North Carolina
  • Ref Number
    #147
  • Difficulty Rating
    Black Diamond Rate
  • Voted Difficulty
    Black Diamond (2 votes)
  • Local Popularity
    40 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 5 in Trail Running
    • 45 in Hiking
  • Global Ranking
    #109578 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #129188 in Trail Running
    • #102457 in Hiking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    AM, XC
  • Direction
    Both Directions
    Popular Direction Shown
  • Climb Difficulty
    Blue
  • Physical Rating
    Hard
  • Trail Visibility
    Sometimes hard to follow
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
    No
  • TTFs on Trail
    Rock Garden
  • Land Owner
    USFS

This is a great Brevard, NC all-day ride and is featured in Freehub Magazine's Pisgah Photo Book: Issue 6.3.

Trail Supporters

  • USFS
    Land Manager
  • Pisgah Mountain Builders
    since 2019
    Maintainer
  • David Knupp
    since 2019
    Maintainer
Local Trail Association
Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 0 rides
  •  
6 Months
  • 5 rides
  • 28 miles avg distance
All
  • 35 rides
  • Last: Jul 9, 2026
c1c2c3c4
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Squirrel Gap Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
Jul 3, 2026 @ 7:34am (America/Kentucky/Monticello)
Jul 3, 2026
 Large tree branch down across trail just west of the Laurel Creek intersection. Hand saw should be enough to clear it. Dry and a little loose in...
Jun 8, 2026 @ 7:19pm (America/New_York)
Jun 8, 2026
 Once again, trees down Cantrell in multiple locations, but evenly spaced so riding up or down isn't too interrupted. The largest is about 18"...
Jun 8, 2026 @ 7:07pm (America/New_York)
Jun 8, 2026
 9" tree down on trail .25mi north of the intersection with Mulinax. 2 large trees down on the section between Cantrell and Horse Cove. The...
Apr 30, 2026 @ 11:48pm (America/New_York)
Apr 30, 2026
 Ripping. Clear from Cantrell down to Bradley. Not sure about above that.
Mar 31, 2026 @ 9:51am (America/New_York)
Mar 31, 2026
 tree down
more »
Status:
on Jul 3, 2026
Dry
Avg: 3.91 (16 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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  • > 96%
  • > 90%
  • > 80%
  • > 70%
  • > 50%
  • < 50%
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  • 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
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  • Description & Photos
  • Videos
Trail Popularity ?
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Jump Magnitude Heatmap
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BC Backroad Status

Service Road Atlas is a free to use, community-driven service for viewing and creating reports on the numerous back-country service roads around B.C. and Alberta.

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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 squirrel-gap trailhead (35.342880, -82.729660)

        Photos

        27 more »
        295 |
        Apr 29, 2020 @ 11:03am
        Apr 29, 2020
        249 |
        Nov 12, 2019 @ 4:03pm
        Nov 12, 2019
        213 |
        Nov 12, 2019 @ 4:03pm
        Nov 12, 2019
        264 |
        Jun 30, 2017 @ 6:25am
        Jun 30, 2017

        Videos

        2 more »
        2017.10.06 Squirrel Gap downhill
        0:53 | 564 | Mar 19, 2021 , Mills River
        Squirrel Gap
        6:36 | 1103 | Jan 9, 2012 , Mills River

        Trail Lists

        Routes with this trail

        329
        PMBAR 2022
        62 miles • 9,111 ft • 16 • Loop •
        Route from Pisgah MTB Adventure Race 2022
        223
        Pinkbeds to Black
        ★ 4.0 • 26 miles • 2,770 ft • 10 • Shuttled •
        Start at the Pinkbeds parking lot; Take southmills river to Turkeypen; Turkeypen to middle black. Good...
        50
        Turkey Pen Cantrell to Squirrel
        13 miles • 2,275 ft • 3 • Loop •
        A great route to link up the best part of Squirrel Gap. The climb up Cantrell is relatively mellow (for...

        6 Reviews & Comments


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        Nearby Trails

        South Mills River/Turkey Pen

        Frequently Asked Questions About Squirrel Gap

        ▼ Where is Squirrel Gap located?
        Squirrel Gap is located in South Mills River/Turkey Pen, Mills River, North Carolina, United States. It is part of the South Mills River/Turkey Pen trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 35.34288, -82.72966.
        ▼ How hard is Squirrel Gap?
        Squirrel Gap is rated as Black Diamond difficulty. The physical rating is Hard. The average grade is 0.9%. The climb difficulty is rated Blue.
        ▼ What is the elevation gain for Squirrel Gap?
        Squirrel Gap has 978 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 1,327 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 2,574 ft to 3,515 ft.
        ▼ Is Squirrel Gap a point to point trail?
        Squirrel Gap is not a point to point trail. The direction is Both Directions. The trail type is singletrack.
        ▼ How long is Squirrel Gap?
        Squirrel Gap is 7.4 miles long. The trail type is singletrack.
        ▼ Are dogs allowed on Squirrel Gap?
        Yes, dogs are allowed on Squirrel Gap. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
        ▼ When is the best time of year to ride Squirrel Gap?
        Based on activity log data, the most popular months to ride Squirrel Gap are:
        • April (9 activities)
        • May (5 activities)
        • July (4 activities)
        Check the reports page for current trail conditions.
        ▼ How do I access Squirrel Gap? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
        The closest parking and trailhead locations to Squirrel Gap are: View all parking locations in the area.
        ▼ How long does it take to ride Squirrel Gap?
        Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 1 hour 14 minutes to ride Squirrel Gap. The trail is 7.4 miles long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
        ▼ How busy is Squirrel Gap?
        Squirrel Gap is a moderately popular trail. There have been 243 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 233 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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