My wife and I did this hike almost at peak color in the Asheville area (10/24/2020) and it is a truly stunning experience! The difficulty is mild to moderate with a very gradual incline of about 550 feet for the first 2.5 miles, with the rest of the 6.3 mile loop downhill or flat. Highly recommended for both casual hikers and fall color watching!

Walked a section of the hard times trail down to Lake Powhatan. Short amount of paved road. Some gravel road. Some shared bike and walking trails and a good section of hiking/running only. Beautiful Walk

Great gravel bike ride! After this trail we rode a few more miles along the creek into the arboretum - 12miles in total. Even on a rainy day we really enjoyed the fun and challenging ride!

Great clay trail. Very well maintained.

Beautiful trail, we started up at the trailhead just off Wesley Branch road. The trail is primarily a gravel path. The weather and views were perfect. We took the trail the the arboretum where we got lost for about 45 minutes before finding our way to bent creek trail, through a pedestrian gate, and back to hard times trail. Appropriate name. We still had a great time.

Terrible... I definitely wouldnt come here if visiting the area. Lots of inhospitable locals. If youre not careful, you might have a blast in our beautiful not so well kept secret.

It was 84F but due to shade of the trees it didn’t feel hot. We had our 11 month baby on the back seat on my hybrid bike and the trail along the creek was very comfortable, pleasant and was very well marked. Loved it.

Great for hiking and biking. Im in town for work- and I brought my bike with me. Im so glad that someone recommend Bent Creek.

This is the best spot to access lower Bent Creek and the back of the Arboretum. Its where I usually begin a family day in the forest. Even on a busy day it doesnt feel crowded once you leave the parking area. Enjoy the best of nature, without going too far away. See deer from a few feet away. Marvel at the variety of box turtle colors you find. Do you enjoy spotting skinks and salamanders? Great!

Lots of beautiful hiking and biking options, but poorly marked trails, so bring a map, or just make it an adventure!

Wonderful trail. Shared use (bikes, walkers, leashed dogs). Beautiful creek side and lake side walk that is easy to easy plus difficulty. Much of it is flat but there are break off paths like we took with one step stair section as an option. Early path from parking lot is wide and well cleared so almost everyone could probably make it the .25 mile to the creek, but some sections have lots of roots and rocks to go over which is enjoyable if you are able bodied.

Great place to ride in Asheville. This is the local go to and has a lot to offer for all skill levels. From climbing to jump lines its all here. Always open.

Beautiful area, lots of easy trails, pond, creeks, river, etc. Nature lovers heaven.

Great place for riding and running. Go during the week to avoid the crowds. Variety of trails from easy to moderate, short or long loops.

This is part of a huge trail system in the area. Its not a single track sampler type of trail, but its got a lot of climbing and some short descents. The skill levels rating here are bit overzealous. Other than the climbs, there really isnt a whole lot here too challenging. The elevation helps keep it cool here, so there is that. Also there is several other places close by you can park at if this lot is full.

Nice place to start your hike or biking.

The trails are well maintained and marked.

Lots of canopy shade. Very well sign posted and easy walking.

Great place to rip some trails

Went mountain biking here during fall. It was a cool overcast day and the leaves were blowing about. I even saved a lost dog. For beginner riders to the seasoned vets, this trail system is well worth the stop.

Easy access with restrooms. Short run to the NC Arboretum without paying entrance fees!!!

Great place to walk the kids. Or the dog. Or the kids dog. Whatever.

Easy, beautiful hike through an enchanted-feeling forest. Wide trail, great for biking. Easy for kids. Turn right before the bridge to get to a lovely lake with pretty view... the whisper spot.

I usually finish my mountain biking off at hard times trail and around Lake Powhattan. Though I mostly stick to more difficult trails I am giving hard times trails 5 stars because it is great for runners and families and beginner hikers and there is still plenty of beautiful things to see especially the Lake . There is a section around the Lake where you get to walk through a tunnel of rhododendrons which is really cool especially in the Winter when you are missing the green.

This is one of the most fun beginner mountain biking trails I have ever been on! So dont come here if you want to barrel down a hardcore trail out of control crashing into everything and everyone.

Amazing time. Beautiful hike.

Good trails and fun mountain biking

Beautiful! We did have a bit of a hard time following the trails as the map at the beginning wasnt super straight forward. But we want to go back!

Great trail system, but expect crowded parking& active multi use trails. If youre looking for unpopulated solitude in the woods, this isnt it, but its a great place to recreate, get in a family stroll, or really crank a run or ride. Be mindful of other users, dont park like youre the only one there, & keep your dog on a leash and youll enjoy.

Awesome trails!!

Beautiful and accessible. Great place for an after-work, mid-week ride! However, lots of folks share this notion. It can be pretty packed with folks here most any afternoon from 4:00 p.m. until the sun sets.

Great trails close to town.

Excellent for hiking and mountain biking. Interestingly, this side of Bent Creek trail names are ironic. I.E. Hard times is not at all. Its flowy with gradual declines and inclines.

Great place to mountain bike! Plenty of trails to ride.

This is a great parking area for biking or hiking in Bent Creek State Park. There are many different trails and gravel roads that connect to this trailhead. Bent Creek is easy to navigate and normally has a lot of people biking and hiking. The parking lot at the Hard Times Trailhead has a bathroom that does not smell good but is a concrete building/room. The parking is small and can be very crowded. There are a lot of trails that connect back to the Trailhead that lead back to this parking lot so it is a good starting point in Bent Creek

Busy on the weekends, suitable for beginners or advanced hikers / mountain bikes. Lovely walk to Lake Powhatan. Free parking can be a bit tricky though if you drive down to Lake Powhatan you can pay a small fee and park in their lot.

I just love Bent Creek Experimental Forest, and this trailhead is the one we visit the most. Its an easier trail, so our young children enjoy it. You can also access either Lake Powhatan or the NC Arboretum from here which we especially enjoy in the summer.

Nice easy trail that travels thru several ecosystems.

Nice trail, but the signs are a mess. Everyone we met on the trail was confused and we all had to help each other with directions.

Fun single track trail.

Great hiking and mountain biking, but lets not forget the fishing. The creek is hatchery supported and stocked with trout.

Nice easy access to a very large network of trails and service roads. Parking can be an issue when the weather is nice.

Good place to start if you’ve never been to Bent Creek

Great spot for an easy hike or some solid trail running

We love to hike in the Asheville area. We are able to select varying degrees of difficulty.

We only had few hrs to ride the trails. its beautiful and differently will go back again soon.

Good place to hike

Beautiful area to walk get paths

A wonderful trail for hikers, bikers, and runners. Pet and child friendly with occasional wildlife sightings. A short drive from downtown, accessible to the Parkway, and NC Aboretum.

Nice place for a family hike. Smooth, wide trails. We hiked with little kids and grandparents. :)

Dont let the name fool you. As far as trailheads go, this one is pretty great. A bunch of parking available, and a place to pee exists in the little wooden building. I would hope to not have to go #2 there, however.

Hands down one of my favorite trails to run!

Gentle grades on a 6 mile loop. Mostly a gravel road thru the woods. Nice stream. Lots of people, Even on a weekday.

A very nice walk. Easy for first time hikers. Crews were doing some trail improvements. Trail is approx 1.5 miles and very nice views of natural plants and trees. Nice areas to stop and take pictures.

This gets two starts for hiking. Nothing much to see and a lot of traffic. Mountain biking I would give it 4 stars. My suggestion is pick another more scenic hike, there are plenty around

Good place to start in bent creek for any run or bike ride!

Good climb and cool downhill

Trails were in great condition today!

Protect our public lands

Great place to start a hike with easy connection to multiple trails from near center of the forest. A map next to the parking area shows all the trails of the forest. Many miles of trails with varying difficulty.

Lots of bikers. PLEASE KEEP DOGS ON A LEASH!!! Easy stroll through the woods, stop over to the Arboretum!!! Always be prepared for rain!!!

Good hiking and biking in the area.

My dog and I boften start our Bent Creek hikes here. Best to avoid this area at popular times and park at another trail head. Also be sure to leash your dog when youre near the lake or the campground staff will hassle you.

Convenient spot to get away for a couple hours

Great place to ride ...stay low in the Arboretum for kid friendly rides and climb up for rides that will be challenging for more experienced riders.

Great scenery awesome riding in running spots get ready for your legs to burn

Pretty easy trail. I take my kids and they dont have hard times doing it :P

This is a good spot to start a mountain bike or hike to Lake Powhatan about 3/4 mile, the Blue Ridge Parkway 3-1/4 miles, or free parking (I just saved you $12 if you dont mind the walking) into the NC Arboretum 1-1/2 miles. You better take note as to the trails you want to be on because they are not marked well. Most trails are service roads so they are wide. This is good if you come across some mountain bikes. Parking is hard to find at busy time but there is a overflow lot along the road. The out house (gag me) needs to be demolished and rebuilt.

Pit toilet is rough, but the location of this trailhead in relation to the various trails is good. Parking can be hit-or-miss, but theres usually some availability.

Great hike along easy, winding trails

Beautiful, nice trail. Better if these people with dogs would keep them on a leash!!!

Peaceful and serene.

Great place to run.

One of my favorite hikes!

Great trail that connects to many other trials. Ran it twice this weekend and loved it both times!

Great place for hiking, lots of trails in the area.

Great place to hike, but know where youre going so you dont get turned around (many trails overlap in the area). My only complaint is the inexperienced mountain bikers. Im fine with sharing the road, but be vigilant about a bike creeping up behind you and getting a bit close for comfort. If you are going down a hill, be even more cautious of this. Otherwise my favorite trail in the area. Just challenging enough!

Just did a short hike.

Most awesome trail system

Love this trail! My 2nd time!!

Local close mtn biking

Great place to hike or mountain bike. Trail is easy to ride and you can split off onto other trails.

Beautiful

Great parking lot for hiking/enjoying Bent Creek. Has a trail map and restrooms

Well marked. Steep climb to start, and then some decent streams and traverses.

Love it gotta explore the bike trails

Great place to get to the lake, arboretum, or just long wide trails. Parking gets cluttered though.

Close to Asheville, plenty of trails, and free.

Good starting point for many trails, the loop around lake powhatan is my favorite.

1 of my favorite hiking spots

Great place to run!

Great place to walk. Very serene

Multiple trails at different skill levels. Bent Creek is beautiful.

Had an amazing time

One of many easy parking lots at bent Creek

Needs to have signs

Great place to ride, run or hike.

Good day for hiking.

Great hiking trail and beautiful views

The place to be