Pilot Rock Trail

Dogs Unknown

From the top of the Laurel Mountain Connector, Pilot Rock Trail starts descending immediately. For the first half-mile, the trail follows the ridge and drops through more Laurel thickets and straight-lines through much of it, dropping 200 feet in the process. Soon after that, the trail begins to get rockier and rockier and very tight switchbacks start appearing. This is what Pilot Rock Trail is known for.

This trail comes with consequences. The rocks in the middle of the trail are often thick, the grade is a bit steep (especially at the switchbacks), and in places the trail is near the edge of steep dropoffs. There are amazing views along this stretch!

There is a beast of a rocky section that appears after you get below Pilot Rock itself. Beyond that, the trail starts to straighten out and eases up a little. Near the bottom there is one creek crossing before FS 1206.