Calling it a “trail” is generous. The Triboar Trail is a rough, unpaved track that branches east off the High Road and winds through the foothills of the Sword Mountains toward the interior. It connects the High Road to the town of Phandalin and, further east, to Triboar on the Long Road — forming a vital if unglamorous link between the coast and the inland settlements of the Dessarin Valley.
The trail sees modest traffic: mining supply wagons heading to Phandalin, trappers bringing furs out of the hills, the occasional merchant willing to risk the shortcut rather than take the longer route through Waterdeep. It’s narrow enough in places that two carts can barely pass, and sections wash out badly in the spring rains. There are no inns along the way — travelers camp rough or hope for the hospitality of a farmstead.
The real problem is safety. The trail passes through sparsely settled country with limited patrols, and in recent months the goblin raids have been getting worse. Ambushes along wooded stretches are common enough that smart travelers go armed and keep their eyes on the tree line. Merchant outfits increasingly hire guards for the run to Phandalin, and even so, the Lionshield Coster has lost more than one shipment along this road.
It’s about a three-day journey from the High Road to Phandalin on foot, two if you’re mounted and pushing hard. The scenery is pleasant enough — rolling hills, scattered copses of oak and pine, the Sword Mountains rising to the south — but most people on the Triboar Trail aren’t admiring the view. They’re watching the road ahead and listening for trouble.