Art Loeb Trail to Pilot Mountain, Pisgah National Forest

[dropcap style="font-size: 60px; color: #9b9b9b;"] P [/dropcap]ilot Mountain stands 5084 feet above the western edge of Pisgah National Forest, near the Blue Ridge Parkway and Looking Glass Rock. There are three ways to get to its summit, but the one I enjoy most is the section of the Art Loeb Trail from Gloucester Gap along Forest Road 475. It isn’t particularly long, but it is quite strenuous. You will get your exercise climbing Pilot Mountain. The views are stunningly panoramic, making it totally worth the exertion. On an especially clear day you can see all the way to Tennessee and South Carolina. We were also treated to a potpourri of early season wildflowers on this first day after the summer solstice. The hike occurred on Thursday, June 21, 2012 from 8:35am to 12:05pm. Our plan was to take the Art Loeb Trail from Gloucester Gap to the summit of Pilot Mountain, then continue northward on the Art Loeb until it met Forest Road 229 for the return.

[box type="info"]

Hike Length: 5.6 miles Hike Duration: 3.5 hours

Hike Rating: Difficult; strenuous Blaze: White Hike Configuration: Loop

Elevation Change: 1823 feet Trail Condition: Excellent

Starting Points: Gloucester Gap on Forest Road 475.

Trail Traffic: We encountered two other hikers on the trail.

How to Get There: From Brevard, NC get on Scenic Hwy 276 west into Pisgah National Forest. Go 5.2 miles, then turn left onto Forest Road 475. Continue 6.4 miles to Gloucester Gap, a four-way intersection. The road turns to gravel after the turnoff to the Cove Creek Group Camp. The trailhead is on the right, parking on the left.[/box]

This makes four weeks in a row we’ve hiked from Forest Road 475 in Pisgah National Forest. It’s easy to do. There are so many great trails you could spend an entire season enjoying everything there is to see. This time we went all the way to Gloucester Gap, deep into the forest, about five miles beyond the Fish Hatchery. Last week we hiked from the Cove Creek Group Camp. Well, you want to go beyond that, where the forest road changes from pavement to gravel. There are no signs at Gloucester Gap. It is simply a four-way crossing where FR475 meets FR229. There is limited parking on the left. You will see the Art Loeb Trail coming down from the left, crossing the road, then resuming up to the right. Go up the steps on the right.

Blaze color for the Art Loeb Trail is white. The trail begins climbing steeply immediately. You might as well get used to it because this one is up all the way. It’s about 90 minutes and 2.2 miles to the summit of Pilot Mountain, so the trail climbs about 850 feet per mile. We were treated right away to blooming rosebay rhododendron on both sides of the trail. They say this is a “super bloom” year in the Blue Ridge and Smokies. I believe it. The rosebay has certainly put on a show. That wouldn’t be all the wildflowers we would see.

After about 20 minutes of climbing you will reach two crossings of Forest Road 229. Remember these crossings on your way back because you can save some time by cutting back down the trail rather than continuing to follow the road. The trail matches the ridge line for the remainder of the ascent. There are some switchbacks to ease the effort, but be prepared for high stepping. The trail is good, not particularly rooted or rocky helping make it less prone to error like slips and stumbles.

The forest is ready for summer. Everything is a verdant symphony. The oak and maple and chestnuts are very healthy. Look for black locusts, cucumber trees, beech and poplar. And then there’s the laurels. As you get higher and higher, the laurel gets thicker and thicker. Most of the blooms on this delightful evergreen occurred last month, but we still found a few pockets that were flourishing. Also the higher you get, the more galax lines the trail. We’ve enjoyed these pointed blossoms for more than a month now.

The natural presentation didn’t stop there though. Mixed in with the galax at ground level were dainty bluets and white violets. Standing above were sundrops, honeysuckle and flame azalea, playing overtures of color. My companions probably get irritated when I want to stop and photograph each new floral attraction. We all have our reasons for wanting to be in the forest, right?

Page 1 of 4 | Next page