Trail routeThis past week I visited Pilot Mountain State Park in the hopes of making a longer, more secluded hike.  I decided to try out an improvised 4-trail loop at a distance of 7 miles or more.  I started at the visitor’s center near the entrance and headed off down the Grassy Ridge Trail (1.5 miles, moderate).  This trail was basically an SUV road and provided enough level ground and width for riding a horse.  I found this trail lazy and slow.  I then connected to the bottom side of the Mountain Trail (2.5 miles, strenuous) at the parking lot on S.R. 2061.  I would not call this trail strenuous, but it is a long walk on a much narrower trail.  This trail terminated at the Ledge Spring Trail (2.0 miles, strenuous).  About 1/10th of a mile down this trail the Grindstone Trail (2.0 miles, moderate) splits off toward the camping area.  I liked this trail once the gravel walkway ended.  It was an easy walk to the middle of the campgrounds.  From there I road-walked back to the visitors center (maybe a mile or less) on a mostly downhill grade.  The entire loop took just over 2 hours to complete at a moderate pace.  A storm had just soaked the forest on the previous day, so hiking up much of the trail felt like splashing up a stream.  There are few, if any, water runoff formations on the trail, so the water flows straight down 50% of the trail.  Consider that before you go after a rainstorm.  (I must be spoiled from the Appalachian Trail)  I am going to write the park and suggest that they make a small connector trail from the campground terminus of the Grindstone Trail to the visitor center.  I think a lot of people would use this trail in the same loop I made if they constructed it.  I am pleased that I now have a pleasant 7-mile loop so close to home.  I would recommend trying this hike out some time.