"North entrance is on Coal Road; South entrance is from the Blue Ridge Parkway. Can be run either direction, but keep an eye out for hikers and mountain bikers. Makes a good afternoon run; figure on 2 hours to complete it with stops or if in a group.

The trail is typically narrow with sporadic places to pass other traffic, and climbs substantially if being run North-to-South. Lots of hairpin switchbacks (many mildly off-camber) and water runoff using the trail as a creek bed for short stretches; there is a risk of flash flooding in inclement weather. Large unavoidable mud puddles with soft beds after rain. Lots of embedded rock (including slickrock) in the trail surface but may be doable by a stock 4WD XJ with careful driving; lockers not necessary for main trail. Quite a few more-technical offshoots which typically rejoin the main trail.