Coontree Recreation Area
Brevard, North Carolina
| Address: | US-276, Brevard, NC 28712, USA |
| GPS: |
35°17'21.8"N 82°45'55.4"W Maps | Directions |
| State: | North Carolina |
Picnic Tables Fishing
Hike, Mountain Bike, and Swim
Coontree Recreation Area is a beautiful area with many amenities and activities on the Davidson River. This recreation area is best known for its picnic area with a beautiful view of the river. The picnic area is equip with 10 picnic tables and restrooms with flushing toilets. From Coontree Picnic Area visitors have direct access to the river. Here the river is perfect for swimming and fishing. The water here is calm and deep, making this the perfect place for families to enjoy Davidson River.
Coontree is also a great area for hiking. Coontree Loop Trail goes through the Pisgah National Forrest for 3.7 miles. This trail is moderately difficult and provides beautiful views of the river and forest. Along the trial hikers can explore small waterfalls and swimming holes, in addition to the swimming hole available at the picnic area. The east side of the trail is open seasonally for mountain biking, from October 15 through April 15th.
More Information
Summer starts with more Pisgah National Forest openings including Looking Glass Falls
The Pisgah National Forest has opened more campgrounds and recreation areas since closing them for COVID-19 precautions, including Looking Glass Falls.
https://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/local/2020/06/19/pisgah-national-forest-opens-more-recreation-areas-looking-glass-pink-beds/3221020001/swimmingholes.org North Carolina Swimming Holes and Hot Springs rivers creek springs falls hiking ca
THE web site for beautiful, natural places for a cool dip or hot soak.
https://www.swimmingholes.org/nc.htmlThe Adventure Collective | Explore Outdoor Adventures
Discover breathtaking destinations and plan your next outdoor adventure with The Adventure Collective.
https://advguides.com/destinations/brevard-adventure-guide/coontree-picnic-area-brevard/Never modify trail features. Ride trails when they're dry enough that you won't leave ruts. Speak up when you see others on the trail and always yield to hikers, horses, and others coming uphill. Always ride on the established trail.
Read MoreBe courteous, informed, and prepared. Read trailhead guidelines, stay on the trail, and don't feed the wildlife.
Read More
- Plan Ahead and Prepare
- Travel & camp on durable surfaces
- Dispose of waste properly
- Leave what you find
- Minimize campfire impacts
- Respect wildlife
- Be considerate of other visitors
Directions
From Brevard, North Carolina
- Head northeast on US-64 E/
S Broad St toward E Main St Continue to follow US-64 E(2.9 mi) - At the traffic circle, continue straight onto US-276 N/
US-64 E Pass by Waffle House (on the right in 0.3 mi)(0.5 mi) - Turn left onto US-276 NDestination will be on the left(5.0 mi)
Other Mountain Bike Trails, Swimming Holes, and Hiking Trails Nearby
Looking Glass Falls
Brevard, North Carolina
0.5 miles NWOne of North Carolina's most popular and accessible waterfalls — the 60-foot Looking Glass Falls drops roadside along the Forest Heritage Scenic Byway in Pisgah National Forest, with easy viewing from the parking area or a short walk.
Swim
Looking Glass Falls
Brevard, North Carolina
0.5 miles NWA cascading 60-foot waterfall over mossy stone with a wading pool below — just a short, beautiful walk from Pisgah Highway in Brevard, stunning in any season.
Hike, Swim
Butter Gap / Trail #123
Brevard, North Carolina
1.5 miles WButter Gap Trail in Pisgah Forest climbs about 1,000 feet and connects to FS 471D — the western fork is open to mountain bikes, with seasonal bike access on part of the route.
Hike, Mountain Bike 13.5 mi
Horse Cove Gap Loop / FS 475C
Brevard, North Carolina
1.6 miles WA 12-mile round-trip mountain bike ride near Brevard on forest road and singletrack through Horse Cove Gap, with views of Looking Glass Rock, Pilot Rock, and the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Mountain Bike 0.8 mi
Daniel Ridge Falls
Brevard, North Carolina
1.6 miles WAn easy half-mile hike in Pisgah National Forest near Brevard to a 150-foot waterfall known by three names — most impressive after rain, modest in dry spells, with an optional 4-mile loop to the top.
Hike, Mountain Bike, Swim
FS 5058
Pisgah Forest, North Carolina
1.7 miles NEA gated gravel road climb in Pisgah Forest that many riders use as a steady ascent to access serious singletrack descents — park near the horse barns off FS 477.
Mountain Bike
Fs 477
Pisgah Forest, North Carolina
1.8 miles NEA partially gated forest road in Pisgah that serves as a great access route and loop connector for multiple trails — with dispersed camping all along the way.
Mountain Bike
Avery Creek / 327
Brevard, North Carolina
2.3 miles EClassic Pisgah-style singletrack: 3.2 miles of rutted, technical descent from a four-way junction with stream crossings, muck, and hidden flowy sections under a massive tree canopy.
Hike, Mountain Bike
Thrift Cove
Brevard, North Carolina
2.4 miles EAbout 750 feet of elevation, red-blazed trail through Thrift Cove, and five back-to-back jump whoops that are among the best you'll find anywhere — worth lapping repeatedly.
Hike, Mountain Bike
North Slope
Pisgah Forest, North Carolina
2.5 miles EA seasonal mountain bike trail near Pisgah Forest open only October 15 to April 15, with impossible climbs, river sections, great mountain views, and tricky roots and bridges on the descent.
Hike, Mountain Bike
Davidson River Campground
Pisgah Forest, North Carolina
2.5 miles EA year-round campground in Pisgah National Forest just four miles from Brevard and less than an hour from Asheville, with shaded loops, hiking trails, waterfalls, and fishing spots nearby.
Camp, Hike, Swim
Brevard Bike Path
Brevard, North Carolina
2.5 miles EA paved bike path in Brevard connecting downtown to the Pisgah National Forest — a scenic, practical ride that also links to Oskar Blues Brewery and Davidson River Campground.
Mountain Bike
Coontree
Brevard, North Carolina
2.8 miles SWA gnarly 3.7-mile one-way trail near Brevard — a steep hike-a-bike one direction and a steep, technical descent the other; prepare to get your legs worked.
Mountain Bike
Cove Creek Tubs
Brevard, North Carolina
2.9 miles WThree perfectly rounded pot holes — the Pisgah Forest's finest — stack up to 12 feet deep in sun-drenched pools that are best described as nature's own jacuzzi collection.
Swim
Whaleback Swimming Hole
Asheville, North Carolina
2.9 miles WA horseshoe of massive bedrock around a deep, green swimming hole where Cove Creek meets the Davidson River — locals' quiet answer to crowded Sliding Rock.
Swim 2.3 mi
Cove Creek
Canton, North Carolina
3.2 miles WA fast, fun descent on Cove Creek Trail near Canton after a gravel forest road climb — cool rock sections at the top and rustic log bridges midway down.
Mountain Bike
Brushy Creek
Brevard, North Carolina
3.4 miles SWell-built singletrack deep in a mountain cove forest near Pisgah, looping off Bracken Mountain with fun flow in any direction.
Mountain Bike 2.6 mi
Bracken Preserve
Brevard, North Carolina
3.4 miles STight switchbacks and 1,000 ft of elevation gain lead to a high ridge in Pisgah National Forest, followed by about 4 miles of flowing downhill singletrack.
Mountain Bike 3.1-4.3 mi
Farlow Gap
Canton, North Carolina
3.6 miles WOne of Pisgah's most technical downhills — a minefield of boulders dropping 2,000 feet in 3 miles, best ridden as part of the Fish Hatchery loop.
Hike, Mountain Bike
Bennett Gap / 138
Pisgah Forest, North Carolina
3.6 miles EA 3-mile gnarly Pisgah trail with incredible Looking Glass Mountain views, a meadow section thick with thorns, and Satan's Staircase hike-a-bike — legally open to bikes in fall and winter only.
Hike, Mountain BikeNearby Campsites
Davidson River Campground
Pisgah Forest, North Carolina
2.5 miles EA year-round campground in Pisgah National Forest just four miles from Brevard and less than an hour from Asheville, with shaded loops, hiking trails, waterfalls, and fishing spots nearby.
Camp, Hike, Swim
Mt. LeConte Lodge
Sylva, North Carolina
28.8 miles WThe highest guest lodge in the eastern United States at 6,400 feet, with spectacular Smokies views from an open glade just below the Mt. LeConte summit in Great Smoky Mountains NP.
Camp, Hike, Horseback, Rock Climb
Rocky Bluff
Hot Springs, North Carolina
39.9 miles NRocky Bluff is a tranquil mountain getaway in the Pisgah National Forest near Hot Springs, North Carolina, where a wooded campground sits beside the lovely Spring Creek just a few miles south of...
Camp, Hike, Swim
Cosby Campground
Cosby, Tennessee
40.8 miles NWCamp and Swim near Cosby, Tennessee
Camp, Swim
War Woman Dell Wildlife Management Area
Clayton, Georgia
43.5 miles SWA short 0.8-mile out-and-back hike near Clayton, Georgia through a nature trail to a waterfall — good for all skill levels and accessible year-round.
Camp, Hike, Horseback
Mount Mitchell Area
Trinity, North Carolina
47.5 miles NEA family swimming area on the South Toe River near Mount Mitchell in the Pisgah National Forest campgrounds — note that the site is closed seasonally and fees apply.
Camp, Swim
