I love having Bracken Preserve practically in my backyard, just west of downtown Brevard, NC. I’ve done Bracken Mountain Trail several times now and it never disappoints. The first time I hiked it, I liked it so much I went back and did it again the following day. And that was even in February, when most signs of life were dormant. Somehow, as you can see in the pics below, it was still breathtaking.

I just went back out to Bracken again earlier this week and everywhere you look, it’s green, green, green. The trail has a lot of switchbacks, some interesting flora, and a tiny waterfall. Plus, it’s just generally a nice little workout, conveniently located about five minutes from my house.

Suggestion: start on Bracken Mountain Trail and cut across using Brushy Creek and Mackey Ridge instead of taking Bracken Mountain Trail point-to-point. Doing that creates a nice loop that’s just shy of 5.5 miles. I always go with the loop so I end up back where I started instead of 7+ miles out, someplace where my car isn’t. 😉 Also always be sure to check the map at the trailhead before you set out for important updates, trail conditions, etc. The signage along this particular trail is frequent and informative, but I always take a pic of the map at the trailhead with my phone just in case I want to refer back to it when I’m mid-hike.