more stats
1.2 miles
Distance
4 ft
Climb
-554 ft
Descent
00:13:19
Avg time
-550 ft
Altitude change
2,767 ft
Altitude min
3,318 ft
Altitude max
3,318 ft
Altitude start
2,769 ft
Altitude end
-8.8%
Grade
-26.4%
Grade max
4.9%
Grade min
213 ft
Distance climb
1 mile
Distance down
364 ft
Distance flat
00:13:19
Avg time

Spencer Branch (Upper) Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • Horse
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    North Mills River
    Mills River, North Carolina
  • Ref Number
    #140
  • AKA
    Spencer Branch
  • Difficulty Rating
    Blue Rate
  • Voted Difficulty
    Blue (1 vote)
  • Local Popularity
    95 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 90 in Trail Running
    • 95 in Hiking
    • 5 in Horseback
  • Global Ranking
    #34130 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #15375 in Trail Running
    • #2381 in Hiking
    • #420 in Horseback
  • Hiking SAC Scale
    T2 Mountain Hiking
  • Trail Type
    Machine Groomed
  • Bike Type
    AM, XC
  • Direction
    Both Directions
    Popular Direction Shown
  • Climb Difficulty
    Blue
  • Physical Rating
    Moderate
  • Trail Visibility
    Always easy to follow
  • Season
    Year Round
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
    No
  • TTFs on Trail
    Bridge, Drop, Jump, Rock Garden
  • Year Opened
    2015
  • Land Owner
    U.S. Forest Service

A Great downhill trail with multiple drops and rock armored sections.

Trail Supporters

  • USFS
    Land Manager
Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 8 rides
  • 14 miles average
6 Months
  • 140 rides
  • 21 miles avg distance
All
  • 1,217 rides
  • Last: Jun 27, 2026
c1c2c3c4
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Status:
on Jun 20, 2026
Ideal
Avg: 4.12 (27 votes)
Your vote: 0

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Trail Conditions
  • Unknown
  • Snow Groomed
  • Snow Packed
  • Snow Covered
  • Snow Cover Partial
  • Freeze/thaw Cycle
  • Icy
  • Prevalent Mud
  • Wet
  • Variable
  • Ideal
  • Dry
  • Very Dry
Trail Flow (Ridden Direction)
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  • > 90%
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  • > 70%
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Trail Ridden Direction
The intended direction a trail should be ridden.
  • Downhill Only
  • Downhill Primary
  • Both Directions
  • Uphill Primary
  • Uphill Only
  • One Direction
Contribute Details
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  • Description & Photos
  • Videos
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Max Vehicle Width
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BC Backroad Status

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Slope Aspect
Direction the slope faces
Flat N NE E SE S SW W NW
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        Directions to spencer-branch-upper-40575 trailhead (35.449440, -82.678940)

        Photos

        9 more »
        125 |
        Dec 26, 2019 @ 12:40pm
        Dec 26, 2019
        105 |
        Dec 25, 2019 @ 9:09am
        Dec 25, 2019
        133 |
        Dec 25, 2019 @ 9:08am
        Dec 25, 2019
        271 |
        Sep 4, 2018 @ 3:19pm
        Sep 4, 2018

        Videos

        3 more »
        youtuber We Ride Spencer Branch Upper & Middle •...
        10:28 | 812 | Apr 7, 2019 , Mills River
        Pisgah National Forest: Spencer Branch
        6:08 | 697 | Nov 16, 2021 , Mills River
        1st ride new Spencer Branch trail
        868 | Nov 3, 2015 , Mills River

        Trail Lists

        Routes with this trail

        93
        Mills River - Spencer Upper & Fletcher extra
        ★ 4.7 • 10 miles • 1,329 ft • 11 • Loop •
        This route takes you through the Spencer Upper, Fletcher Upper & Fletcher Lower downhill sections....
        52
        Spencer Trio Lower Fletcher & Trace
        ★ 5.0 • 12 miles • 1,530 ft • 6 • Loop •
        Typical North River Mills Blue loop. - Spencer Gap (Upper) - Spencer Branch (Upper) - Spencer Gap (Lower)...
        85
        Spencer Gap - Fletcher Creek
        ★ 4.0 • 11 miles • 1,364 ft • 16 •
        Pisgah Lite. Climb up wash creek from Horse camp until Spencer Gap. Tough climbing on Spencer gap and...

        8 Reviews & Comments


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        Nearby Trails

        North Mills River

        • By blowmyfuseTF Pro & contributors
        • #40575 - 6,094 views

        Frequently Asked Questions About Spencer Branch (Upper)

        ▼ Where is Spencer Branch (Upper) located?
        Spencer Branch (Upper) is located in North Mills River, Mills River, North Carolina, United States. It is part of the North Mills River trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 35.44944, -82.67894.
        ▼ How hard is Spencer Branch (Upper)?
        Spencer Branch (Upper) is rated as Blue difficulty. The physical rating is Moderate. The average grade is 8.8%. The climb difficulty is rated Blue.
        ▼ What is the elevation gain for Spencer Branch (Upper)?
        Spencer Branch (Upper) has 4 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 554 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 2,767 ft to 3,318 ft.
        ▼ Is Spencer Branch (Upper) a point to point trail?
        Spencer Branch (Upper) is not a point to point trail. The direction is Both Directions. The trail type is machine groomed.

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