West Bowl Loop Trail

A moderate 2.5 mile hike
Click here for map

CLOSED TO TO DEVELOPMENT.
In June the Town was told to close this trail by the developer. The Town asked that an easement be given, but none was granted.

An elevation change of 1028 feet.

One of Beech Mountain's favorite trails recently rerouted to become a loop, the West Bowl Trail starts by following a 100-year old logging road. Beginning at the Beech Mountain Parkway Trailhead, which is also the terminating point of this loop trail, you will head northwest going through a beautiful wood area, as natural as any found on Beech.

After about one mile through the woods, the trail enters an area known as the West Bowl. This was a site where Carolina Caribbean Corp., the developer of Beech Mountain, started construction on an eighteen hole golf course in the mid 1970's. Crossing through an area of extreme erosion where construction was halted and never resumed, pay close attention to the trail marking to avoid losing your direction. Shortly you will head back through a wooded area following a roadway to an intersection point with Beech Mountain Parkway; turning right follow this rocky unfinished road back to your starting point. To complete, do not turn onto Smoketree Trail.