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Brushy Face Trail, Highlands Cashiers Land Trust
Written By: Joy-Lynn Rhoton | Issue: 2018/04 - April
Got cabin fever? Now is the perfect time to explore Highlands’ newest trail − the Brushy Face Trail − owned, built and conserved by Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust. This moderate 1.4-mile trail crosses through a wide range of habitats and over Clear Creek.
Enjoy beautiful views during the winter months as hikers can see the rock face of HCLT’s first conserved property, Satulah, from a distance. Old growth trees in the forest stand out with no leaves to hide their magnificence. The slope and ease of the trail welcomes both new and old hikers alike with all physical abilities.
The first phase of the proposed trail system, located just south of Highlands off U.S. 28, is complete; however, the second phase, which expands the original trail to include a roundtrip loop, is only partially done. With the completion of the loop, hikers will get to explore another section of this beautiful greenspace.
Constructing an effective, sustainable trail is something of an art form and takes time and effort to build. The progress made on the Brushy Face Trail has been astonishing, since all the trail work has been done by community volunteers and done entirely by hand! While many modern trails are built with miniature excavators, like the Yanmar tool used by the Highlands Plateau Greenway, the topography in Brushy Face prevents the Land Trust from using motorized equipment.
We would like to finish the loop trail for summer enjoyment; however, we need your help. Phase II of the Brushy Face trail system is going slowly as we continue through the off-season of the year. We have trail volunteer days every other Tuesday and on the first Saturday of the month. HCLT provides gloves, tools, water, and light refreshments each time. If you’re interested in volunteering, please email [email protected] or call (828) 526-1111. We would love to have you.
To learn how HCLT protects the quality of the air you breathe, the water you drink and healthy habitat for all who live here visit hicashlt.org.
