Mills River Area - Pisgah National Forest

General Information

The Mills River area is the largest in Pisgah. There are several popular starting points for trails along both the North and South Mills Rivers. These rivers drains the south side of the Pisgah Ridge, and the modest ridges between the Bent Creek and Davidson River areas. It is separated from Bent Creek by the Pisgah Ridge itself, and separated from the Davidson River drainage by Rich Mountain and Black Mountain. Funneltop Mountain, a landmark easily visible from the Blue Ridge Parkway, sits right in the middle of the area.

The North Mills River Recreation Area is a popular day use area at the edge of the National Forest boundary. It is opposite Bent Creek across the Pisgah Ridge, and a gravel road connects the two areas. Shortly up the road from the North Mills into the forest toward Bent Creek, a short spur road leads to the east. Two nice trails can be accessed from this intersection. At the end of the spur road is the Trace Ridge trailhead, an official Forest Service trailhead popular with hikers, mountain bikers, and fishermen. From here the Trace Ridge, Fletcher Creek, and North Mills River trails are easily accessible, which connect to the longer Big Creek and Middle Fork trails leading up to the Parkway.

To the south lies (not surprisingly) the South Mills River. This river is rugged and wild, with many excellent trails criss-crossing the gorge and mountains through which it runs. Several of these trails can be accessed from the Turkeypen trailhead. There are also connections with trails in the Davidson River area, making for excellent epic loops and backpacking trips. Several more popular trails are located in the Bradley Creek drainage below the parkway - a large tributary of the Mills River. These include Pilot Rock, Pilot Cove-Slate Rock Loop, and Laurel Mountain.

Places to Stay

In addition to the information shown below, the towns of Mills River, Fletcher (near the Asheville Airport), Asheville, Hendersonville, and Brevard present numerous camping and lodging options near the Mills River area, all within about 30 minutes' drive.

Backcountry Camping

Camping is allowed anywhere on National Forest property, except within 500' of a road or in a designated closed area. Good campsites can be found along many trails in the area, especially those in the South Mills River section, for possible backpacking loops.

Developed Camping

The North Mills River Campground is located five miles west of NC 280 on North Mills River Road - at the entrance to the National Forest. Now open year-round (with limited services from November 1 - March 31), this campground offers 32 level, shady sites with flush toilets. Smaller RV's will fit into some sites and are welcome, but no water or electricity hookups are provided. Rates are $11-$14/night. The campground is across the road from the river and a picnic area and large grassy meadow are nearby. The campground is within a short distance of trails that start at Trace Ridge trailhead, and within a few minutes' drive of all trails in the area. Additional information and reservations are available at Reserve USA.

There are designated roadside campsites along FR 5000 and FR 1206 as well. These sites have recently been re-graded, with the parking areas enlarged, steps added, gravel tent pads and lantern posts as well as some other fixtures such as fire rings installed. This makes these sites much more desirable for those looking to save a buck on campsites, but they are first-come, first-served and are usually completely full on summer weekends.

Lodging

Apple Blossom Cottage
Mountain biking, road riding and hiking galore are only minutes from Apple Blossom Cottage. We're 5 miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway (milepost # 405.5), 10 minutes from Pisgah National forest, 20 minutes from Bent Creek trails and 20 minutes from downtown Asheville! Come back to the cottage after a fun filled day...wash and then store your bikes in the basement, enjoy a cool one on either the front or back porch, then head to the hot tub where you can sit and relax while gazing overhead at the stars and moon while enjoying the luminance of the fireflies! And don't forget...we're PET FRIENDLY!
http://www.ashevillecabinscottagesandmore.com/

Grandmamma's House and Grandpapa's Getaway
Grandmama's House and Grandpapa's Getaway are centrally located in Pisgah Forest, NC at the intersection of Ecusta Rd. and Old Hendersonville Hwy. You'll be just minutes from the trails in Pisgah National Forest including Davidson River and Mills River, and Dupont State Forest, and within a short drive of the Blue Ridge Parkway, Asheville, and other attractions in Western North Carolina. Relax on our front porch rocking chairs, or kick back and watch a movie after your day's activities. Mountain bikers will appreciate having a secure garage to store their bikes, and a dry place to work on them during rainy weather. Our historic 2- and 3- bedroom houses have all modern amenities, such as a full kitchen with utensils, microwave, fridge, coffee maker, grill, and washer/dryer.
http://www.brevardnc.com/grandmamas/index.htm