Piney Knob Trail System

Beautiful trails. The road going to the trails could be marked a little better, and more signage at the parking lot to let you know you're actually there. Rode all of them, but Roto trail would be my favorite. No restroom 🥺

We hiked the grape Smugglers path very well taken care of, we’ll marked with very beautiful spots to stop and take pictures. There were enough up-and-down to keep it Interesting without being too difficult. We really enjoyed it. It’s an excellent park to go for a nice stroll. We’re going back today to do another section of it. We really enjoyed it that much.

Great little hiking spot, about 8 miles total, but up and down. Rough road to get there, if you drive a low clearance car, you won't really make it

So far the road in is perfectly fine. A two vehicle will be fine. Yes it’s black top and gravel. Only problem is when you meet a vehicle coming the other way. You may have back up or look for a spot to pull over. Depending on weather conditions maybe then a AWD or 4x4 would be useful. Scouting it out for upcoming hike. Thank you Gary

Good news! There is better signage leading to the trailhead parking. Space is limited, though, so park kindly. Trails are marked at 1/4 mile intervals. After a rainy day, water will be flowing with gusto. Lots of nice trail options a so you can experience just the hike you want.

great place, trails can be challenging on bikes at times so just walk for those parts, very well maintained.

Not real sure why so many people talk about the road. It's honestly not bad at all. The steeps sections are paved and it's very well maintained. I will say though if you have a sedan you will not have the clearance to get over some of the dips and will bottom out.

Most of the trails are not necessarily hiking trails but more MTB (mountain biking) trails. With that said, the trails are well maintained with new bridges. Took my 5 year old here to hike she enjoyed it even though there was of course much complaining about a mile in haha. Most of the time you are hiking just below the ridgeline so don't expect any mountain top vistas or anything but it's a wonderful walk through the woods. Did not see a single person outside of our group on a Sunday morning around 11am.

PS for whoever marked this as requiring at least AWD...you're doing it wrong if you need that. Did not spin a tire even once. Watch some youtube videos on driving uphill on gravel.

I enjoy the kind of place that's tucked out of sight at the end of a long, rugged, mostly dirt road. Highlights included the diversity of spring wildflowers in bloom, the lack of people, and the quality and openness of the trails. Just remember that water flows downhill, so you are likely to walk through stretches of mud in these high slope areas.

P.S. I would suggest, however, that the issue of erosion and slope stabilization be addressed in the near future in order to protect plants/wildlife and maintain the integrity of the trails.

Grape smuggler

The gravel road was a little more than a mile! It’s rained a lot lately, there were some washout spots. I got through fine. A low riding car would have trouble! I did the 2 mile trail because they were calling for rain. I will definitely go back and do the 5 mile trail when the weather is better. The path was super clean and definitely on the easy side of moderate. There were maps often so you knew where you were. And there were signs in the trees telling you how much further you had to hike to the end! You hear water as soon as you get out of your car! There was not much to take pictures of. But it was so secluded, relaxing, and almost zen like! I didn’t see a person the whole time!

If you know how to drive the road is not bad. The trails are amazing for bikes and hikers! New trails are currently being built and are said to be open to the public soon, will be awesome for bike riders! Plus during the right time of the year you can find plenty of grapes and blackberries growing throughout the trails. A few waterfalls can be found along the way and there is very good signage which will soon be updated to match the new trails being added.

The trails are awesome, but read disclaimer on access. First, there are no paved trails, lots of rugged ups and downs (I personally like this much better). Trails are very very well marked once you get there! Very impressed. Lots of canopy so it can get muggy and there's the occasional bug so I do suggest some repellent. Hardest part is getting there. Once off the main road there's a fairly steep dirt path to get to the "parking" area. It's one way in and one way out. I have a large SUV, not AWD and I made it fine. Just keep it in a low gear. If it was wet I would have been more worried. But if I were in a sedan, really not sure it would have made it just given the ruggedness and potholes and such. It was quite an adventure to get there but totally worth it!

Accessing the trail from the main road is a little tricky given the erosion and a few gullies in the path, but it's definitely worthwhile. We were surprised to see other cars parked near the gate, but once we were on the trail, we only saw other people once or twice. It was nice to take a secluded hike and enjoy the trails. The hike up is a little strenuous, but walking most of the way along the ridge is pleasant and serene. Next time I'm in the area, I will definitely be back!

These trails are awesome! A true undiscovered gem with nice climbs and fun downhill segments. The new trail is fantastic! I have a really great solution to the rough road leading to the trailhead: Park out by the main road and ride your bike in. After all, you are there to ride your mountain bike. The initial climb will get you warmed up and ready for when you get to the actual trail. I love Piney Knob!

Awesome trails! Easily accessible now with my Nissan Sentra as some sections of the road have been paved. Pot holes may form eventually from erosion but was very easy to drive in a sedan in December.

Fun 5-7 miler. <1k ascent in 1st 2 miles. Really fun 3ish miles downhill. A few 180 switchbacks that aren't clearly marked cause some fun moments. Be aware of snakes, bears, ticks. Spotted bear tracks several times. Poisonous snakes directly on the trail more than once on several rides. The road to get to the trailhead is bumpy. Be prepared. Also lots of bees so if allergic come prepared for that too. Overall a really fun ride.

We've hiked the trails but hadn't biked until today. Here's the story: the Gobbler clockwise (yellow) is FUN. after a medium grade steady climb of about a mile, we followed the curve of the mountain through tall deciduous trees and delicious wild grapes (in season late September). The flow is superb from here on out and just a fun (fast) ride back down to the purple center loop. In total we clocked about 6 miles. Be sure to stop and appreciate the creek and rhododendron forest!

Went and hiked the Gobbler. It was an easy trail as far as walking terrain goes, but it is every bit of 5.9 miles from your parking spot and back around. Also, do not, I repeat, DO NOT, attempt to get to this trail in anything less than a n AWD/4WD vehicle. Bring water, be prepared to hike and bike.

My brother and I were in Murphy, NC and stopped by The Piney Knob Trail to Mountain Bike. It was awesome. When we got to the trail, we did not know what to expect. The KEY IS TAKE THE TRAIL TO THE LEFT if you are Mountain Biking. It is a 2 mile climb which kicked my butt, but 3 miles down the back side of the mountain was awesome so we went around twice. Based on what you are in to, the trail was not technical, and I was able to maintain a great speed to the bottom. I am not an expert rider, but try to go a few times a month and have for a few years.

Went MTN Biking. The first half of the trail is almost a constant steady incline....the way back down is totally worth it though, tons of fun! Took the Gobbler trail. It was well maintained and clearly marked.

Trailhead is accessible with high clearance vehicle and only 1 mile from Regal Rd (just outside Murphy city limits). It's a well maintained, well marked trail system for hikers and mountain bikes.