You Are Here: Pisgah State Park

Finally a planned Pisgah State Park hike went the way I had hoped! We had a big snowstorm yesterday dumping upwards of a foot + of snow in some areas. I chose Pisgah State Park as I have done in the past, based on it being part of a major snowmobile network with groomed trails. I headed out early and hoped that the trailhead on Chesterfield Rd would be plowed. I had a couple alternate options in my mind in case it wasn't, but was pleasantly surprised to arrive and it find it clear. I parked and geared up in snowshoes. Starting on Old Chesterfield Road, this was groomed, but I also know this is the access point for an active logging operation (having been at this trailhead a few weeks ago) and mentally prepared for the groomed section to only be as far as the trucks needed to drive. I arrived at the Doolittle Trail in about 2/10 of a mile and found it unbroken. I had expected this, as I knew this one wasn't on the grooming network, thus the reason for wearing snowshoes. I had a lollipop loop planned and started on Doolittle knowing it would primarily be downhill in this direction. If I was breaking trail, I'd prefer downhill over uphill! Doolittle Trail connects Old Chesterfield Rd and Broad Brook Rd and meanders around past a pond and through some pretty forest for 1.1 miles. It started snowing while I was on this trail which just added a touch of magic to the morning! Although I broke trail the entire length, it was only 3-4 inches deep thankfully and although not super soft and fluffy, it wasn't hard and crusty either.. it was doable! I did start to get tired towards the end and thought if I arrived at Broad Broad Rd and it wasn't broken, I wasn't sure I could keep breaking trail for more than another mile. If that was the case, I'd double back as I have another hike planned in the future that will involve the entire length of Broad Broad Rd (today I was only doing a 1 mile section). As I was stopped on a bridge over a pond, I heard a snowmobile go past and got excited as I knew that meant Broad Brook Rd would at least be broken out in some capacity. I arrived at the intersection and found it not only broken, but groomed! I kept my snowshoes on, even though spikes would have also sufficed on these groomed sections and was able to move much quicker. The trail/road climbed gently up and past a picnic area to the intersection with Old Chesterfield Road. I was even more pleasantly surprised to find this was also groomed, in fact the entire length of the road was groomed as opposed to Broad Brook which was just the length of a snowmobile itself. I passed the only people I actually saw while out on trail, 4 snowmobiles that had come down Jon Hill Trail onto Old Chesterfield Road. I was also surprised to hear the logging operation working today. I followed this all the way back to my car. Here I was met with 2 more groups of hikers, and an actual logging truck who had stopped to put chains on his wheels before heading into the logging area. A quick, but super pretty wander through the woods!

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