South Mills River
South Mills River Trail is a 14.2-mile trail in National Forests in North Carolina. The Forest Service rates it trail class 3, developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The National Forests in North Carolina official page carries current alerts and closure orders.
Map
One end Other endLine simplified to about 100 metres. Basemap from the USGS National Map.
| One end | 35.3426° N, 82.6593° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 35.3666° N, 82.7388° W · Directions ↗ |
The ends are the two ends of the longest connected chain of segments. The record does not say which is the usual start.
The trail
| Length | 14.2 miles |
| Trail class | 3, developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical grade | 12-20 percent |
| Typical tread width | 18-24 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Closed to all motorized use year-round |
| Accessibility | Not evaluated |
| Trail numbers | TR133 |
| Forest | National Forests in North Carolina (unit 0811) |
| States | North Carolina |
| Detail published | management level, with uses |
Values are the set across all segments. Class 1 is minimally developed and class 5 is fully developed. Grade and width are the forest's typical values, not measured extremes.
Weather by month
Allowed uses
| Hiking | Allowed year-round |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed year-round |
| Mountain biking | Allowed year-round |
A use is listed when the Forest Service records it as managed, accepted or discouraged on any segment. Discouraged still means legal. Uses marked restricted are left out. Where the forest publishes a Motor Vehicle Use Map, that map governs motorized use.
Trailheads
Turkey Pen Gap Trailhead Open Year-round | under 0.1 mi |
Distance is from the point to the nearest part of the trail line. Season text is what the forest wrote and is often a season name rather than a date.
Trails nearby
Camping nearby
Campsite Atlas cards carry site counts and booking links from Recreation.gov. Forest Service cards come from the recreation layer and link the agency page.
Explore
Park units nearby
Historic places nearby
Guidebooks for North Carolina
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
- Great Day Hikes on North Carolina's Mountains-To-Sea TrailFriends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail and Jim Grode, 2020Find at Bookshop.org
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the South Mills River Trail?
The Forest Service records 14.2 miles under this name in National Forests in North Carolina, the sum of 1 segment.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the South Mills River Trail?
Hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking are allowed. The trail is closed to motor vehicles year-round.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the South Mills River Trail start?
The line begins at 35.3426° N, 82.6593° W and ends at 35.3666° N, 82.7388° W. The nearest recorded trailhead is Turkey Pen Gap Trailhead, under 0.1 miles from the line. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the South Mills River Trail in a wilderness area?
No. The trail line does not cross any polygon in the National Wilderness Preservation System layer.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Where can I camp near the South Mills River Trail?
Wolf Ford Horse Camp (1 mi), Mount Pisgah Campground (2.7 mi) and White Pine South Group Camp (3.3 mi) are within five miles of the trail. The camping section lists all 5 with site counts and booking links.
Source: Campsite Atlas
How developed is the South Mills River Trail?
Trail class 3, which the Forest Service describes as developed. Class 1 is a minimal, unimproved route and class 5 is fully developed, often paved.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
How steep and how wide is the South Mills River Trail?
The typical grade is 12-20 percent. The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the South Mills River Trail?
National Forests in North Carolina, Forest Service unit 0811. The trail is in North Carolina.
Source
This page is built from 1 segment named South Mills River in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0811. Wilderness overlap is tested against the National Wilderness Preservation System layer from Wilderness Connect. Trailheads and Forest Service campgrounds come from the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer. Data refreshed November 1, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.