Pressley Cove
Black Mountain Trail

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Pressley Cove trail is a steep trail, gaining almost 900 feet in elevation over the course of just over one mile.  It winds through a beautiful cove of laurel, hemlock, and beech trees.

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This trail's southern end is accessible from Forest Service Road 477, a gravel road that turns off US276, a short distance north of the Ranger Station north of Brevard, NC. 

Despite Pressley Cove Trail's beginning being clearly labeled with a trail sign, I drove past it twice before I found it.  It is immediately after the 3rd bridge on FS477. There is a pull off on the left side of the road for a couple vehicles; Pressley Cove trail begins on the right side of the road.

The trail initially parallels the road, giving the hiker a false sense of an upcoming easy, level hike!  Within a hundred feet or so however, the trail makes a sharp turn to the right and begins an almost steady climb to its northern terminus onto an old logging road.   In its 1.1 mile length, this trail gains just over 900 feet in elevation.

Along the entire route, one is treated to gorgeous views of the cove, and as you get higher, ridges off to the west.

Initially, the trail climbs through thick patches of laurel trees:

From here, the landscape opens up into wide open areas with hemlock and beech trees.  The stream which the trail follows the entire way is at times almost even with the trail, and at other times, down steeply from the trail.

The trail's northern terminus is onto an old logging road that can be accessed from FS477 a short distance (half a mile or so) up the road from where Pressley Cove trail begins.  This logging road also goes north to Buckhorn Gap.

On the day I did this hike, my goal was to find the place on Black Mountain Trail where the Turkey Pen Gap Trail intersects (Turkey Pen Gap is a 5.5 mile trail follows a ridgeline that extends east from Black Mountain Trail to the Turkey Pen trail head).

So at the top of Pressley Cove Trail, I turned right onto the logging road, and in a very short distance came to Pressley Gap, where one picks up Black Mountain Trail.

Black Mountain Trail is labeled with a white blaze, but no trail sign.  A few steps begin what will be a steady uphill climb from Pressley Gap.

The trail surface is very rocky and uneven, and can make for difficult walking.   This trail is also open to mountain bikers and must be a particular challenge for them!

After 3/4 mile or so, one can see the ridge line to the east that Turkey Pen Gap Trail follows:

The images below are what a lot of the trail between Pressley Gap and the turn-off for Turkey Pen Gap Trail looks like (this hike was done in early November):

I thought this mass of root growth was fascinating!  Click on the image to see it full size!!

I arrived at the point that I believe is Turkey Pen Gap trail, but there was no trail sign, no blazing (it is supposed to be a blue blazed trail).  But the landmarks were right, in terms of topography.  It certainly is not a trail that is overrun with hikers!  At some point, I plan to take an all day hike and begin at the Turkey Pen Trailhead and finish at the Ranger Station on 276.  I used this hike today to get a feel for this section of the trail, in terms of finding Black Mountain Trail, Pressley Cove Trail, etc.

Elevation-wise, one has climbed another 960 feet in elevation from the top of Pressley Cove trail, and 1875 feet elevation gain from FS477.

The photo (below) is looking east down what I believe to be Turkey Pen Gap trail.  The other indicator that made me think this is the right intersection was a very weathered triangle on the tree right at the intersection ('course, this triangle could mean anything, but you know....!!)

If anyone has any input on this trail/intersection, please let me know! 

For this hiking day (given the short amount of daylight that one has in November), I turned around, and went back the way I came.   Going downhill on Black Mountain Trail was quite tenuous, given all the loose, rolling rocks that were hiding under all the fallen leaves.  However, given how steep Pressley Gap trail was, I was expecting that to be even more difficult walking, but it was a breeze to descend, and I was back at the car in no time.

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