Horseshoe Bend Trail

Horseshoe Bend Trail does not begin in the lush, cathedral-like cove forest many associate with the Jacks River. This side of the wilderness feels drier, younger, and more exposed — a landscape still bearing the quiet evidence of past logging. The upper slopes are defined by second-growth forest where white pine (Pinus strobus) and loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) stand among mixed hardwoods. Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) appears in the canopy, and the understory often carries patches of blueberry (Vaccinium spp.), especially along sun-touched edges. Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) and rosebay rhododendron (Rhododendron maximum) thicken in pockets where moisture gathers, but overall the forest here has a lighter, more open character than the deep hollers elsewhere in the Cohuttas. As the trail descends, the tread narrows and the vegetation subtly shifts.

 

White pine remains common, but shrubs close in. The forest floor is leaf-soft, with filtered light and occasional rock outcrops. This is also country where copperheads (Agkistrodon contortrix) are frequently reported in warm months. They favor rocky margins, sunny bends in the trail, and leaf litter near the edges of thickets. A steady, attentive pace is part of the experience here. The final approach steepens as the trail drops toward the Jacks River. After rain, this section can be slick with damp leaves and exposed roots. At the bottom, the trail ends at an unbridged ford of the Jacks River — the true threshold into the larger river corridor. Cross safely and you join the Jacks River Trail, entering a broader landscape of gravel bars, clear current, and deep mountain water.