Wilburn Branch Trail

Dogs Unknown

Features Birding · Fall Colors

It's better to start this trail from the main camping area in Grayson Highlands State Park. The trail starts behind the camp store.

You'll drop 500 ft in no time on a narrow singletrack through heavy forest down to Wilson Branch Creek. The trail then merges with Old Upchurch Road (a doubletrack) for about a mile. This segment is relatively tame.

After that, you'll take a sharp right to continue following Wilburn Branch Trail. You'll pay for the earlier downhill by climbing to the Homestead historical area within the park. The climb up to the homestead doesn't seem that well used, so the trail may be overgrown.

Once you get to the homestead area, you can (i) hike the trail in the reverse direction (but remember the steep descent will become a steep climb), (ii) backtrack until Old Upchurch Road branches off to the right just before the climb and take Old Upchurch Road back to the main camping area, or (iii) take the park roads back to the main camping area.