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Bent Tree is a lovely community carved from old farm sites and mountain wilderness. To really know Bent Tree best, hike the trails along streams and Lake Tamarack enjoying spring dogwoods, mountain laurels and fall foliage. There are four trails in Bent Tree: Sallie Doss, Forever Memorial, Denny Ridge and Beaver Run. They are all relatively short but range from easy to strenuous, each offering a unique hiking experience. The Trails committee organizes Trail Clean up and maintenance workdays to maintain these community trails.

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Chestnut Cove Trail System

​Denny Ridge Trail – ¾ Mile (Moderate to Strenuous)



 This trail lets you appreciate the wild terrain that makes up a good part of Bent Tree. Though relatively short, it’s a difficult trail. Prone to leaf build-up and best in dry weather, it is not recommended for anyone who is not surefooted or has vision problems. For hardier hikers, however, it is invigorating and has many rewards. It is cool in summer, spectacular in fall and beautiful in spring when the abundant mountain laurel blooms. To reach the Denny Ridge Trail, turn off Tamarack Drive onto Denny Ridge Road and go 1.1 miles. The trail marker will be on your right, where a footbridge crosses a narrow stream. There is a small parking area. The trail is marked with white stakes and white treeblazes. Cross the bridge at the rapids and you have a good view of a long, lovely waterfall. A moderate uphill climb ends at a bench with a fine view of the falls. Some may make this their destination. Beyond, a strenuous rock-climb leads to the top of the falls. Strategically placed benches provide welcome opportunities to catch one’s breath, enjoy views of the falls and rock formations and feel you are truly alone in a wilderness. You have two options for fording the stream, a log and abundant stepping stones. Then take the lower route, marked with white stakes and tree blazes, to the top of the ridge. You’ll find a bench at the highest point. The hike down from here is moderate to easy. You come out on Denny Ridge Road, just down the hill from the parking area where the trail begins.

Beaver Run Trail – 1 Mile (Easy to Moderate)



Beaver Run is actually two trails in one. The first half is a leisurely stroll along Lake Tamarack. The second half is a wilderness trail that follows a rushing creek and culminates in a series of small waterfalls. Many consider this their favorite of all Bent Tree’s trails. It begins at the parking area in front of the beach pavilion. To your right, as you face the pavilion, you will see a small bridge and a trail sign. A broad path follows the lake shore past several homes high on the hillside. Across from the boat storage area, the trail turns away from the lake to run along a beautiful creek that rushes noisily over whitewater shoals. Soon you will come to a bench overlooking a quiet pool among the rapids. This is a fine place to enjoy a snack or lunch, or to wait for the rest of your party if you do not want to complete the trail. Beyond this point, the trail turns moderately difficult and is best enjoyed if you’re surefooted. It’s a beautiful hike, as you follow the creek past majestic stands of mountain laurel. Very soon you feel you are far from civilization. Beaver Run Trail increases in difficulty as you approach the waterfalls. It ends in a series of steps. Hikers blink in surprise when they emerge from this wilderness trail onto Tamarack Drive.

Sallie Doss Trail – ½ Mile (Easy)



This is a trail the whole family can enjoy, just a short walk to a dock for fishing and a picnic table where you can spread a lunch. To reach the Sallie Doss Trail, turn off Little Pine Mountain Road onto Tamarack Drive at the 19th Hole. Just before you pass the beach and playground, you will see a small parking area on your left. At the rear of the parking area is the marker that starts the trail. The wide path follows the shoreline of Lake Tamarack, past the fishing dock to a picnic table with a great view of the beach across the water. When you pass the pump house and Public Safety boat, look to the top of the hill to see the stone chimney which is all that remains of the cabin once occupied by Sallie Doss. Continue along the lake and watch for the white stakes and blazes that turn the trail up the hill to the house site. A marker at the site offers a brief history of Sallie Doss, who lived from 1841 to 1914. The intact chimney of her house offers a good example of upcountry stone work. A stand of daffodils graces the site in spring, and other wildflowers in other seasons. This is not a rustic trail – the chimney stands in sight of Tamarack Drive. Nonetheless, it is pleasant and accessible. And as you examine the chimney, you are tempted to imagine the life this trail’s namesake might have led in these same hills we now call home. 

Forever Memorial Trail – ¾ Mile (Easy)



The spillway area, with its rushing waterfall, quiet pools and Memorial Garden, is perhaps the most pleasant spot in Bent Tree. Short trails lead to a waterfall overlook and to the pool at the foot of the falls. A longer trail follows Pendley Creek and climbs a hill overlooking horse-dotted Pendley Meadow. Park on the lake side of the spillway, cross the footbridge and Tamarack Drive, and you will see a sign for the Forever Memorial Trail to the right of the Memorial Garden. The trail is marked with white stakes and white, circular tree blazes. After you cross a small bridge over one of Pendley Creek’s tributaries, the path along the bank rises, offering a fine view of the creek and its shoals. This is also a horse trail, so do be careful where you step. And do notice the proliferation of small, seasonal wildflowers at your feet. At one point, a separate short path Y’s off uphill to the Bent Tree stables. The woodsy Forever Memorial Trail turns pastoral when it ends in a loop that overlooks Pendley Meadow, lovely and serene with its horses. A wider path at the apex of the loop leads to Bent Tree’s back gate. Return the way you came and enjoy the beautiful long views of Bent Tree’s waterfalls. Look to your right for the white stakes and blazes that will lead you down the high bank to the footbridge across the creek tributary and back to the spillway and Memorial Garden.

Chestnut Cove Trail System



Chestnut Cove Trail System
 
This trail system is the newest developed hiking area that follows many old logging roads and crosses multiple creeks that supply the watershed basin for Bent Tree. This area consists of wild terrain with many elevation ascents and descents; therefore, all the trails range from moderate to strenuous, and hiking sticks are recommended! Parking for use of the trail system is at the Dorough Trailhead located at the top end of Chestnut Cove Trail road on the right-hand side of the cul-de-sac circle. 
 
Creek Crossing Trail - white blazes - 0.43 mile (Moderate to Strenuous)
Beginning elevation 2385’   Ending elevation 2100’
This main trail provides an in-and-out hike (0.86 total mileage) that begins at the Dorough Trailhead on a steep approach trail leading hikers through log-lined switchbacks covered with mulch onto the first logging road which passes through a lush fern dell as it descends to the creek area.  It serves the other two trails as their trailheads begin off this “white” main trail. An overlook found off to the left a short distance from the beginning of this logging road is atop a rock-face giving a long-range view of most of the creeks below as they cascade and join together.  The crossing of each of the small creeks requires rock-hopping as this trail travels down to the main creek.  The trail continues on an old logging road passing alongside and above the bubbling creek to the trail’s end point where a view of an impressive sliding rock waterfall can be admired.  A hardy return hike is required to ascend 285 feet back to the parking area. 
 
High Vista Trail - yellow blazes - 0.36 mile (Moderate to Strenuous)
Beginning elevation 2155’ Ending elevation 2475’
This trail provides an in-and-out steep hike (0.72 mileage) beginning from the “white” Creek Crossing Trail approximately 0.33 miles from the parking lot. The path follows a logging road with a continuous relatively steep climb beside a creek until reaching the only creek crossing.  After rock-hopping across the creek, the trail switches back and continues to climb much more gradually until the end of the trail is reached. This area gives a southwest woodsy view of a nearby mountain range.  The return hike, slippery at times, descends while providing a creek view below before connecting back to the “white” Creek Crossing Trail.
 
Mountainside Trail - orange blazes – 0.8 miles (Moderate to Strenuous)
Beginning elevation 2230’, Ending elevation 2230’ (High Point In Between 2605’)
This trail begins off the “white” Creek Crossing Trail 0.24 miles from the parking lot. It follows a loop layout that extends upward on trails and old logging roads parallel to and above a fast-moving whitewater creek toward the top of the Bent Tree property. From there, it traverses a steep slope on a brand-new trail through the forest alongside several large rock formations before it descends across the mountainside on long switchbacks and down a sloping ridgeline before rejoining the “white” trail near the “orange” trail’s starting point. Currently, this trail has been fully blazed and cleared of brush, but the footpath for the new section through the forest along the highest section of the Bent Tree property, approximately 0.25 miles, is still being cut in and the footing on this stretch is still somewhat difficult.