Nestled in the mountainous southwestern corner of North Carolina, the village of Flat Rock is surrounded by some of the state's most rugged and scenic hiking trails, including a section of the 962-mile Mountains to Sea trail. The Flat Rock area also offers outstanding opportunities for mountain biking and horseback riding, and most trails are open year-round, free of charge.
Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site
- The home of Pulitzer Prize-winning author and poet Carl Sandburg was opened as a national historic site in 1974. Located on Little River Road in Flat Rock, the 240-acre farm surrounding the house-turned-museum includes about 5 miles of hiking trails. These trails connect various buildings and attractions throughout the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site, and with the exception of a brief section of trail that leads up the slope of Glassy Mountain, all are fairly flat and easy. Sandburg wrote that "It is necessary now and then for a man to go away by himself and experience loneliness; to sit on a rock in the forest and to ask of himself, 'Who am I, and where have I been, and where am I going?' " and his historic farm has become the perfect place to do just that.
DuPont State Forest
- DuPont State Forest, located less than 15 miles from Flat Rock, is a prime destination for hiking, rock climbing, fishing and outdoor pursuits of all kinds. This 10,000-acre tract of land is home to more than 80 miles of trails and back roads that are shared by hikers, cyclists and horseback riders. The Sky Valley Road Entrance -- one of several, and the closest to Flat Rock -- leads to a parking area from which you can access the 0.6-mile Farmhouse Trail, the 0.2-mile Flatwoods Trail and the 1.2-mile Shoal Creek Trail, among others. Most individual trails are fairly short, but their interconnected nature allows visitors to choose among a wide variety of longer routes. The trail map provided on the North Carolina Forest Service website is a useful tool to help you get your bearings amid the forest's labyrinth of winding trails.
Pisgah National Forest
- Sprawling across more than 500,000 acres, Pisgah National Forest offers enough trails to keep even the most devoted hiker busy for a lifetime. The section of the forest known as the Pisgah Ranger District is less than 45 minutes from Flat Rock, and this area alone has more than 70 individual hiking trails, many of them also open to mountain biking and equestrian use. For hikers, the 30-mile Art Loeb National Recreation Trail is a good starting point. This trail explores some of Pisgah's most rugged and beautiful terrain, leading hikers to several of the highest and lowest points in the district, and numerous access points make it easy to choose a smaller section. Mountain bikers can experience a challenging 9.8-mile ride on the Black Mountain Trail, and horseback riders can spend a pleasant afternoon on the relatively easy 2.4-mile Fletcher Creek Trail, which offers connections to several other equestrian trails.
Hiking Considerations
- As always, safety is a major concern when you head out on any Flat Rock area trail, so always tell someone where you're going and when you plan to return, and consider traveling with a companion if you're unfamiliar with the area. Always dress for the season, wear durable shoes and carry lots of water. Water from springs and streams must always be filtered or treated before drinking. Summers can be hot in the Flat Rock area, making spring and fall more comfortable times to hike, but the weather can change quickly at any time of year, and dressing in layers is a good way to prepare for changing conditions. National and state forest land in North Carolina is inhabited by a variety of wildlife, including black bears, but interactions with humans are rare as long as you keep a respectful distance and don't antagonize the animals.
