STEELS CREEK WILD AREA
updated 10/25/07
Steels Creek is part of the Linville Cluster of Wild Areas.
It did not qualify as a Forest Service Inventoried Roadless
Area.
Orange line shows "NC Mtn Treasures" Wild Area boundary
recommended for protection.
Green is "SPNM", National Forest land.
Brown is private land, tan is National Forest land.
Major trails are shown as dashed lines.
Location: Burke County SW of Harper Creek, E of N portion of Linville Gorge, and S of the Sugar Knob wild area.Access: Take NC 181 (Jonas Ridge Road) S off of Blue Ridge Parkway, bushwhack S on S-running spur of Ripshin Ridge at Brown Mtn. Overlook, or drive several miles farther S and take seasonally-open FS road 228 SW to road/trail NW up Little Fork. Alternatively, continue farther SW on FS road 228 to Steels Creek, then follow FS Trail 237 NW up Creek into the Steels Creek wild area.
USGS Topographic Quadrangles: Chestnut Mtn. USFS Wilson Creek Area Trail Map is best source of info on trails and access.
Features/Description/Potential:
Steels Creek is a "C" shaped area, with the headwaters drainage of Steels Creek flowing out the open end of the "C" to the SE. Ginger Cake Creek in NW portion flows into Steels Creek. Other tributaries include Buck Creek from the SW and Little Fork on the E of Steels Creek. Seasonally open roads define the boundary of the wild area on all sides except the NE, which is bounded by NC 181 along Ripshin Ridge. FS trail 237 (also the Mtns-to-Sea Trail, (See Alan de Hart's book, "Hiking NC's Mountains-to-Sea Trail", published in 2000)) runs up Steels Creek from the end of FS Road 228 to FS Road 496 (Barkhouse Picnic Area road). There are fine campsites along the creek. From the junction of FS 237 with FS Road 496 the Mtns-to-Sea Trail runs SW across the W arm of the roadless area to the junction of FS Roads 210 and 496. The area is characterized by tracts of large trees, trout streams, scenic waterfalls and lots of solitude. It is surrounded by improved roads. Logging has occurred recently.