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Pisgah Passage picked as name for 20-mile loop in Brevard

By Lightning Reports, Published: November 22, 2025

Pisgah Passage has been selected as the official name for the 20-mile loop route connecting Pisgah National Forest, Bracken Preserve and the city of Brevard, the Pisgah Conservancy announced.

The naming effort drew remarkable public engagement, with nearly 300 submissions received from residents across 11 states. A review committee composed of representatives from the U.S. Forest Service, the city of Brevard, the Transylvania County Tourism and Development Authority and the Pisgah Conservancy evaluated all entries before selecting Pisgah Passage. 
“What a great name for folks to experience their own trip and passage through the area,” said Mary Smith, Dispersed Recreation, Wilderness, and Trails Program Manager with the U.S. Forest Service. “The name is relevant to the unique place we call home and allows people to explore the county’s natural public lands, as well as the town of Brevard. The Pisgah Passage, it’s our path ‘through the woods’ in Transylvania County.”
The name idea was submitted by Brevard resident Maria Whitehead. 
“When I sat on my porch swing reflecting on what a fun name might be, I thought of ‘passage.’ It's both-the physical corridor or pathway, and the act of moving through it — the trail and the adventure," she said. "My family absolutely loves getting to be in this trailhead town and move on our feet or on our bikes from the built spaces to the wild places. We enjoy some part of the trail almost every day.”
Pisgah Passage brings together Stony Knob Trail, Joel Branch Road, Horse Cove Road, the Estatoe Trail, the Brevard Greenway and the Bracken Mountain Trail, forming a continuous route that gives cyclists and hikers easy access to key trails in the Pisgah Ranger District and Bracken Preserve, and to Brevard’s dining and shopping. The name Pisgah Passage will appear on wayfinding signs throughout the route, helping guide visitors as they explore the unique connection between city and forest.