DuPont State Recreational Forest

Highlights

A signature western North Carolina ride where waterfalls, forest roads, and polished trail mileage create a true destination day.

Riding

The riding experience is broad, varied, and deeply scenic. DuPont combines long gravel road connectors with multiuse trails that let you build a ride around comfort, stamina, and the kind of views you want to prioritize. Riders come for the sense of flow as much as the forest beauty: one section can feel open and social, then quickly settle into a quieter stretch where the footing, woods, and rolling terrain invite a more relaxed rhythm. Because the forest is so popular, good horsemanship and trail courtesy shape the day. Call out around blind corners, expect bikes and hikers, and plan your route so the most congested waterfall corridors are handled thoughtfully.

Rideable terrain

40+ miles

Trailer parking

Horse trailers are encouraged at Guion Farm Access Area on Sky Valley Road and Lake Imaging Access Area on Staton Road; avoid High Falls and Hooker Falls with large rigs.

Horse regulations

Equestrians are welcome on nearly all DuPont multiuse roads and trails, but Hooker Falls Trail, Triple Falls Trail, Grassy Creek Falls Trail, and the pedestrian bridge at Hooker Falls are off-limits to horses. Proof of a negative Coggins test must be available for each horse. Horses must stay on designated multiuse trails, use designated watering spots, and riders must clean up manure from designated parking areas.

Getting here

Use the visitor center address as your base planning reference, but haul in with the trailer-specific access points in mind. Guion Farm and Lake Imaging are the best staging choices for horse trailers, and that detail matters here because DuPont’s waterfall parking areas attract heavy general visitation. Arriving early changes the entire experience. You will have more room to unload, more time to settle your horse, and a much smoother start onto the trail network before the busiest visitor traffic builds around the falls.

Planning your visit

Plan this ride like a high-traffic premium destination. Check current trail and parking advisories before you leave, because DuPont actively manages closures and maintenance. Bring your Coggins paperwork, choose a trailer-friendly access point, and map your route before cell service or crowd pressure turns a simple choice into guesswork. Riders who arrive early, avoid the busiest waterfall choke points, and treat the forest like a shared-use system usually come away with the best version of DuPont.

Where to stay

This is primarily a ride-in, ride-out forest destination rather than a horse-camping base. There is no standard horse camping program to rely on for casual overnight stays, so most riders pair DuPont with nearby lodging, cabins, inns, or campground options off-forest. That arrangement actually suits the destination well. You get the premium trail experience by day, then reset comfortably offsite with restaurants, showers, and a quieter evening routine than a crowded trailhead can offer.