Wilson River Wagon Road Trail

Dogs Leashed

This trail starts at the end of the Nels Rogers Trail, after crossing Beaver Dam Road. What most people think of as the Wilson River Wagon Road Trail is a lengthy segment of the Browns Camp Loop, providing a somewhat technical climb and then rolling singletrack to the University Falls Trailhead. However, technically the trail continues further west. This shorter, western segment doesn't see as much traffic but can be combined with the Side Step Trail to add a smaller loop onto the larger Browns Camp Loop hike.

After the mellow ending of Nels Rogers Trail, expect a steady climb for almost two miles. Some parts of this climb are going to have more rooty and rocky sections. There are a few substantial step-downs/ups off tree roots. After the climb the trail mellows out again as it rolls along to the University Falls Trailhead. Following the Gravelle Brothers Trail across the road leads to the finish of the Browns Camp Loop.

However, turning left and following University Falls Road for about a half mile will yield the western sections of the Wilson River Wagon Road Trail. The singletrack snakes off to the left into the forest, quickly climbing up onto a bluff sidelining the gravel road. This rougher segment continues for only about another half mile. Because it is on the edge of the forest, expect a lot of overgrowth in the warmer months of the year.

The trail crosses the road again and dumps back into the forest and returns to a truer image of its former self, providing deeper forest singletrack briefly. The short, super steep and oddly one-off Horseshoe Trail can be accessed here.

Crossing the road yet again starts a long straight downhill to the Stagecoach Horse Camp trailhead, which is a staging area for equestrians.