Backcountry wilderness. If you really want to get a taste, then this hike is for you. Starting at the remote Camp Daniel Boone, the northern terminus of the Art Loeb Trail enters Shining Rock Wilderness immediately. As you begin the nearly 2,000′ ascent to Deep Gap, on the southern shoulder of Cold Mountain, you will cross numerous streams as you hike through hardwood forest. Expect extremely rugged terrain with exceptional long-distance views and evergreen and heath vegetation as you cross from Deep Gap to Shining Rock Gap on a razor-edged stretch of trail appropriately called The Narrows. The loop returns as you descend Little East Fork Trail and follow this prong of the beautiful Little Pigeon River back to the scout camp. Whew! This hike occurred on Thursday, April 17, 2014 beginning at 9:10AM and ending about 5:35PM. Our plan was to take the Art Loeb Trail to its junction with Little East Fork Trail, then return on Little East Fork to the scout camp to complete the loop.

I should make note here before starting on the trail report that the map above is not complete. About the time we reached the junction of the Art Loeb Trail with the Little East Fork Trail, the battery on my smartphone died, so the recording of the GPS track was terminated. It’s a shame too, because I had a battery charger with me. I was simply enjoying the companionship and beauty of the wilderness so much that I didn’t even think about the battery.

So, to complete the map above, I have hand-drawn the approximate track of descent along the Little East Fork Trail. The map statistics combining the actual track up, and the virtual track down, total a little more than 13 miles. It was our estimate, however, that this hike is actually closer to 15 miles.

It takes awhile to get to the Daniel Boone Scout Camp. It is truly out in the rural country, but isn’t that what you’d expect for wilderness hiking? The Art Loeb Trail is near the back of the camp, and is well marked with a large sign.

The morning was great for a long hike, brisk, with just a touch of overcast. When I was here once before, on the first mile or so of the hike, I could tell it is an area near a wealth of seasonal campers. The trail then was very well maintained with lots of rock and log stairs to aid with climbing. The camp counselors no doubt enjoy having the free camper labor to take care of trail maintenance.

This time of year, though, before the boy scouts show up in droves, all the debris strewn about by the heavy winds of winter left the trail littered with twigs and sticks, and several downed trees. It’s a steep climb right off the bat, then the trail takes a series of switchbacks, jumping nearly 1,200 feet in the first 1.5 miles.

Our crew of three two-legged and one four-legged pedestrians moved at a casual pace through a thick hardwood forest on the way to Deep Gap, and in mid-April with the leaves still off the trees, we could see some of the surrounding mountains, as well as what lie ahead of us on the trail. As we rounded each succeeding ridge, Deep Gap still looked a long way up there.

We crossed Sorrell Creek twice, the first time after about a mile and a half, the 2nd another mile later. It had been a very wet winter in the Blue Ridge so there was plenty of fungus, lichens, molds and mosses growing on everything that had a surface. What totally surprised us was the acres and acres of ramps we came upon. Now don’t you go digging them up just because I told you they are there. This is designated wilderness. The forest rangers will spank you.

Though I’ve yet to hike this stretch of the Art Loeb during the green season, I’m told that there is a great deal of poison oak in this area. So take your own precautions as appropriate.

The Art Loeb Trail climbs a total of about 1,800 feet to Deep Gap in roughly four miles with the first part and the last part being the steepest. In between is a gradual grade. There are a couple stretches where the trail meanders along as it follows an old logging road. There is a spring near Deep Gap, so when you come upon it, know that you are close… about 2/10 of a mile. That last bit, though, will severely test your legs and lungs.

Deep Gap is a perfect place to take a breather. There are logs there, and a fire pit, and an open area to stretch your legs. We all took off our packs and shared some nourishment while resting for the next climb into The Narrows. Deep Gap is also the way to the summit of Cold Mountain. There is a spur trail there that takes you northward the final mile and a half to the top of that famous 6,000 footer.

We took about 20 minutes at Deep Gap, to eat and drink, and to get ourselves rested for more serious climbing. There is no directional sign, but the Art Loeb turns to the right here, now heading due south and up. It’s another thousand feet of hard climbing between Deep Gap and the highest point in The Narrows, 5,869′ Stairs Mountain. We were in complete sunshine now on a glorious day for hiking the backcountry.

As you pass through The Narrows, keep in mind that you are a long way from anywhere. There is no quick way to get to where you are. So be very careful as you traverse this extremely rugged and remote terrain. Obviously you don’t want to get injured, but think of the search and rescue folks who have to get to you from miles away in any direction. Just my public service — please be careful when hiking in The Narrows.

Perhaps a half mile, or less, above Deep Gap, The Narrows begin. The terrain suddenly has many large granite outcroppings. It becomes apparent that you are on a precarious ridge. It isn’t cliffs, but if you fell, you would roll for quite some time. The laurel and rhododendron are thick and choking. The steps up will strain your groin and hip muscles. Sometimes you have to scramble on all fours.

When you begin to see the scattered spruce and balsam, you are nearing the first overlook, and oh my, what an overlook it is. We were graced with a crystal clear day that enabled us to see all the way to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, more than 50 miles away. We could see Mt. Sterling and Mt. Leconte in the Smokies off to the west just as clear as if we were there. To the south is the massive hulk of Richland Balsam, the highest point on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Climbing to the northeast side of the overlook we were presented with the south summit of Cold Mountain, and far in the distance, the tower-topped point of Mt. Pisgah. The combination of the two is the photo you see at the top of this post. Cold Mountain on the left, Pisgah on the right. Click it for a larger image.

After this magnificent view, the trail begins roller-coastering along the razor-thin ridge line. You will drop down 100 feet, then climb up 200, then drop down, and then back up. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. It is quite tiring. We had to stop for a number of breaks to catch our breath and rest our legs. The terrain is quite demanding.

After about a mile you finally get off the narrow ridge and back to more of a forested trail. Don’t think, though, that the worst is over, because now you have to climb up Stairs Mountain. I’m not afraid to tell you that by the time we reached the summit I was huffing and puffing. It’s tough. It truly tests your stamina. Fortunately for me, on this day I passed the test.

Once you cross over Stairs Mountain the worst of the exertion is over. It’s a rolling stroll for the next couple miles to Shining Rock Gap through a thick spruce and rhododendron canopy. You’ll know you’re getting near the namesake Shining Rock as you begin to see boulders of white quartz poking up out of the ground here and there.

The gap is a major trail junction. You can go up on Shining Rock from here. The Old Butt and Shining Creek trails meet here. The Ivestor Gap and Art Loeb trails also meet here. We continued southward on the Art Loeb for just a couple hundred more yards until the junction with the Little East Fork Trail.

The upper half of Little East Fork Trail is a gentle descent through the remains of a long ago fire. The forest changes from spruce and balsam to deciduous trees as it drops further into the drainage. Much of the trail is lined with young beech saplings, the last to lose their leaves. The golden glow of the still-clinging beech leaves brightens the path and prods tired legs ever onward.

After a couple miles you’ll begin to hear the faint rush of the river below. As you continue downward it gets closer and louder. The trail steepens and the terrain becomes more of a ravine as you approach the river. You’ll know you’re close when you start seeing backcountry campsites near the trail.

When you reach the river you have to cross. On this day, the water wasn’t particularly high, but high enough to cover my boot tops if I had just waded across. Scoping out crossing points, there looked to be two promising spots. One, that was in shallower water but with rocks that were further apart, and another with rocks that looked promising for hopping, but in deeper water. I chose the latter. Ken went first across the shallow crossing and made it without a hitch.

My first step from the bank to a big rock was a long one, longer that I had sized up. So there I was, straddling the current with one foot on the bank and the other on a slippery rock. As I swung my back leg over to join my front, I lost my balance, and you can guess the result. Sploosh! My whole left side, from shoulder to toes, was immersed in the cold mountain stream and my own adrenaline. It certainly was refreshing.

Y’know, the Meanderthals motto is, “If you’re gonna be dumb, you better be tough.” Well, I toughed it out. Ken helped pull me out of the drink and I finished crossing to the other side. There didn’t appear to be any pain, just wetness, and a sheepish grin. Creeks are my nemesis. Dave made it across safely behind me with Grace, and then they all waited while I changed my socks and poured part of the river out of my boots.

Back on the trail in another 10 minutes, we were now hiking directly beside the Little East Fork of the Pigeon River, but about 50-60 feet above. There are an amazing number of waterfalls and cascades over the two and a half mile length back to the scout camp from the crossing. It is a stunning river. Too bad the trail is so high above the whitewater. Some day I will go back with a tripod and clamber down to river level just for photos of this magnificent stream.

With wet clothes and bruised ego, the last couple miles were kind of a slog for me. Thankfully I had the natural beauty of the river to take my mind off my inconvenient situation. The last quarter mile is on Little East Fork Road within the bounds of the scout camp. We passed hundreds of tent platforms along the way. This place must really be rockin’ in summer when the camp is in full swing.

In summary, this is a long, hard hike that offers rewards around every corner. If you like forest hikes, it’s got that — hardwoods below Deep Gap and along Little East Fork and evergreens above 5,000 feet. If you like vista hikes, it has that too. The views on a clear day are remarkable. Expect to be able to see at least a 50 mile radius. And if you like water feature hikes, then the last few miles along Little East Fork are filled with waterfalls and tumbling cascades. There’s really something for everyone on this special wilderness loop. If you have the stamina to go for eight hours, then I definitely recommend this hike.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

Frequently. That is how many times I have done this hike. So many, I’ve lost count. I love the western North Carolina high country, and this area along the Blue Ridge Parkway known as Black Balsam has nearly a dozen peaks over 5,800 feet elevation, with Black Balsam Knob being the highest at 6,214. This area has some of the highest hiking on the Parkway. Many of these mountains are what are called balds, because they do not have trees on their tops, not because they are above treeline. There has been a series of fires in this area, the last in the 1940s, leaving mostly scrub. Blueberry bushes and rhododendron are plentiful, but no trees, and that makes for fabulous 360 degree views of the Blue Ridge Mountains as far as the eye can see. Did I say I love it here? This report is from a hike on Thursday, April 21, 2011. We started at 10:15AM and finished near 2:00PM. I have mixed in some photos also from May 20, 2010 so you can see how much the scenery changes in one short month. There were two of us on this day and we planned to take Section 3 of the Art Loeb Trail to the summit of Black Balsam Knob and then on to the summit of Tennent Mountain. We then planned to return to the trailhead, cross the Black Balsam forest road and head across Section 2 of the Art Loeb to Chestnut Bald and back, a total of six miles.

A little more than a year ago, I got involved with the Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway Adopt an Overlook Program. It had been an extremely harsh winter along the parkway from Mt. Pisgah to Waynesville, the “high country,” and there were a lot of downed trees on both the road and the trails. I wanted to do something to give back for all the enjoyment the area had given me. I was assigned the Pounding Mill Overlook at milepost 413.2, so I stop there every time I go by in order to pick up trash and look for other problems. The overlook sits right on a hairpin curve in the road, so there is a terrific 240 degree view of the Pisgah Ridge to the east, Looking Glass Rock to the south, and Nantahala National Forest far away to the west. On this morning my friend and I were treated to an even better view than usual. The clouds were laying low over the valleys and made it look like there was smoke coming out of Looking Glass Rock. That’s the photo at the top of this post. You can click it for a larger view. What a great way to start the day!

The weather was threatening, but the radar looked like we had about a five hour window to get the hike in. Being good Meanderthals, when hiking in the high country we always come prepared with rain and wind gear. The weather can change in a hurry at 6000 feet, and we don’t want to get caught with nothing but the clothes on our back. I love the Art Loeb Trail so much, but unfortunately it is really getting carved up from over use. Particularly in this stretch over Black Balsam and Tennent, the trail is horribly trenched, and has become even worse because now water uses the trail trench for storm runoff. It seems deeper each time I do this hike. If they ever ask for volunteers to rebuild the trail, I will definitely be in line. The first 1/3 mile goes through a beautiful black balsam forest and climbs modestly, then pops out onto the bald section of the mountain where we could see Graveyard Fields to our right. There is a lone old, gnarly balsam tree that sits right on the trail. I love this tree. I stop to admire it every time I go by. You can tell it has been through some very tough winters, but it continues to hang in there. Just another feature that makes this hike so special to me.

Black Balsam Knob is not steep. It is a gradual climb of a few hundred feet to the top. There are several outcroppings along the way where I always stop to take pictures. The summit is large, not a peak. You could probably fit three football fields on top of Black Balsam Knob. It is a joy just to walk around the top. There is a plaque honoring Art Loeb himself on the southern side. There are rhododendron blooming in June, tall wheat-like grasses with wispy tops in the summer months, and blueberries enough to turn your tongue blue in August. There is a great view from the eastern side of the next destination, Tennent Mountain, with Mt. Pisgah, topped with its TV tower, behind it.

To get from Black Balsam to Tennent Mountain, the trail goes down into a sort of saddle, and then back up the other side; about 1/2 mile total. The down and up elevation change is roughly 300 feet. This northeast back-side of Black Balsam is literally covered with small rhododendron bushes. It is breathtaking during the bloom season of mid-June. Unfortunately, a lot of people know that, so this is the worst stretch of the trail. The trench is now close to four feet deep down the hill. With the bushes that surround the trail standing another three feet, I cannot see anything but the bottom of the trail. It is rocky and rugged, a twisted ankle just waiting to happen, so be careful. Also, watch for a heavy downpour. This trench will be full of water quickly. The saddle area is a clearing with great views to the north and south. This day there was a raven catching the thermals just above us. I’m no expert determining a raven from a crow, but they tell me a raven is a lot larger, and has more of a “kronk” sound than a “caw.” This guy was definitely a biggun. He landed in a tree just a hundred feet away and posed for several pictures. Kronk!

The climb up to the summit of Tennent Mountain is short and not too strenuous, but again it is through a rocky, trenched trail. Unlike Black Balsam, Tennent has a distinct peak with a rocky top. There is also a plaque there, honoring Gaillard Stoney Tennent (1872-1953) who established organized hiking in North Carolina. The views are extraordinary. To the south is the rugged pluton Looking Glass Rock. This is perhaps the highest point for viewing it. To the east is the unmistakable cone of Mt. Pisgah. In the distance to the west is the Middle Prong Wilderness. Black Balsam consumes the southwestern vantage, and the Art Loeb Trail continues north as far as you can see into the Shining Rock Wilderness. It eventually gets to Cold Mountain, and on to its end at the Daniel Boone Scout Camp.

On the way back we grabbed a nice rock in the saddle area to enjoy our lunch. A couple other young hikers stopped to chat. They were obviously going a lot further than we did because they had full packs rather than day packs, and their packs were stuffed with fire wood. There is a choice to make about the return. We chose to go back up on Black Balsam the way we came. There is another trail that connects with an old logging road that skirts around Black Balsam to avoid the climb. The logging road comes out at the end of the Black Balsam Knob Road. We encountered two more groups of hikers up top. Both groups were of the tourist variety because they had no water and no gear; one from Atlanta, the other from Florida. I hope they got off the mountain before the impending storm.

Best HikeWhen we got back to the car, I shed my vest before we resumed with the trail on the other side of the road. Again, straight into a thick old-growth black balsam forest it goes. You really have to pay close attention to the blaze markers because the trail is like a maze through the trees. I have been off-trail here before, and while it doesn’t take long to find it, it’s a bit disconcerting. More than one person I’ve been with has commented about J.R.R. Tolkien and the Mirkwood Forest. I won’t go into great detail about this section of the Art Loeb Trail because I’ve mentioned it in another trail report, but this trail is forest all the way. It crosses Silvermine Bald (a forested bald, go figure) and hugs the ridge above the Blue Ridge Parkway for 1.5 miles to Chestnut Bald. The view from Chestnut Bald is 180 degrees and is one of the best I have seen anywhere along the Parkway. This three mile stretch of the Art Loeb Trail from Chestnut Bald, across Black Balsam, and on to Tennent Mountain may be my favorite hike in all of western North Carolina. If you happen to be by this way, you really should try to allocate a couple hours to check out Black Balsam Knob and Tennent Mountain. You won’t be disappointed.

Updated July 11, 2014: I made a summer time visit to the Black Balsam area so you could compare the scenery. Here is another photo gallery that shows how tall and lush the foliage is.

Updated May 12, 2015: My brother Dave and I took another trip into the high country along the Blue Ridge Parkway, starting at Black Balsam. Unfortunately, about 20 minutes into our climb up to the summit, a squall moved in with gale force wind and piercing rain. We hustled to get our bad weather gear on, then made a bee-line for the Black Balsam Forest to get out of the elements.

We headed west on the Art Loeb Trail through the forest, and by the time we met the Mountains to Sea Trail, the weather had cleared. There was still a dark overcast when we reached Chestnut Bald, but as we enjoyed lunch the clouds began to dissipate, and the sun enlightened Looking Glass Rock and the surrounding woodlands of Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests.

Turned out to be a delighful day for photos. See what you think.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

Cold Mountain gained national attention following the publishing of Charles Frazier’s Civil War era novel in 1997. Western NC hiking enthusiasts have known of its appeal for much longer. Cold Mountain is a real mountain that stretches 6030′ and is located in the Shining Rock Wilderness and Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina. You can reach the spur trail to the summit on the Art Loeb Trail; section 3 from the south, or section 4 from the west. The trail was named for a member of the Carolina Mountain Club who devoted much of his senior years to caring for the area. It is one of the most popular hiking trails in western NC, and deservedly so. This hike occurred on November 11, 2010 beginning at 8:00AM and ending about 3:00PM. The plan was to take section 4 of the Art Loeb Trail from the Daniel Boone Scout Camp to the summit spur trail at Deep Gap, then on to the top. The descent would be back the way we came.

View Art Loeb Trail to Cold Mountain in a larger map

It takes awhile to get to the Daniel Boone Scout Camp. It is truly out in the rural country, but isn’t that what you’d expect for wilderness hiking? The Art Loeb Trail is near the back of the camp, and is well marked with a large sign. The morning was beautiful, brisk and sunny. On the first mile or so of the hike, I could tell it was an area near a wealth of seasonal campers. The trail was very well maintained with lots of rock and log stairs to aid with climbing. The camp counselors no doubt enjoy having the free camper labor to take care of trail maintenance. This time of year, though, the trail was completely covered with fallen leaves. The hike uses two trails: the Art Loeb for the first 3.8 miles to Deep Gap, then the Cold Mountain summit spur for another 1.5 miles.

It’s a steep climb right off the bat, then the trail takes a series of switch backs, jumping nearly 1200 feet in the first 1.5 miles. Our crew was the usual three, and of course we whined as always about all the up hill. We wouldn’t be Meanderthals if we didn’t. It’s a thick hardwood forest on the way to Deep Gap, and in November with the leaves off the trees, we could see some of the surrounding mountains, as well as what lie ahead of us on the trail. We crossed Sorrell Creek twice, the first time after about a mile and a half, the 2nd another mile later. The 3.8 miles on the Art Loeb climb a total of 1800 feet with the first part and the last part being the steepest. In between was a gradual grade. There are a couple stretches where the trail follows an old logging road. We had heard about a spring near Deep Gap, so when we came upon it, we knew we were close… about 2/10 of a mile. That last bit will test your legs and lungs.

At Deep Gap we encountered a group of bear hunters and stopped to chat for awhile. Their dogs were beautiful, and anxious to find a scent. The dogs were all wearing GPS collars, and the hunters had receivers for the signals. I’ve never been hunting, but this seemed an interesting application of technology. It took us a little more than two hours to get to Deep Gap, so the breather was nice, especially considering we still had to climb another 1000 feet on the Cold Mountain spur trail.

From Deep Gap to the summit, the forest and terrain decidedly changed. The wind and weather ravaged trees are gnarled and lichen covered. The rhododendron thickets we passed on the way up to Deep Gap now changed to the heartier laurels. There are outcroppings near the trail that foretold what was to come at the top. There are a number of camp sites along the trail, as Cold Mountain is a popular destination for over-nighters. After about 45 minutes of strenuous climbing, we reached the base of the summit where there are dozens of primitive camp sites. They are fairly exposed, so if I were planning on camping there, I would certainly hope it wasn’t a windy night.

The summit of Cold Mountain is a long, narrow ridge that is mostly exposed granite with laurel bushes and other ground cover clinging to the rock for dear life. There is a 180 degree panorama looking south toward the Black Balsam area. You can clearly see Mt. Pisgah, Black Balsam Knob, Sam Knob, Shining Rock, and The Narrows in the distance, and Deep Gap below from any number of rocky outcrops that dot the summit. To the east is the Pisgah Ridge (seen in the photo at the top of this post), and looking west reveals the Great Balsam Mountains and the Middle Prong Wilderness. We found a flat outcrop with a great view of the total area before us and enjoyed our lunch, along with the awe-inspiring scenery. We stayed for about an hour before making ourselves get ready for the descent. It was hard to leave this picturesque setting.

The problem with fallen leaves on a steep descent is slippage. We were fine going back down to Deep Gap, but boy was the Art Loeb Trail treacherous on the way back down. I managed to avoid falling, but I certainly slipped a lot. It’s impossible to tell what is under the leaves… roots, loose rock, wet trail… and the leaves were thick. One of my partners had three separate falls on the way down. I feel confident that section 4 of the Art Loeb is as well maintained as the other three sections are. Art Loeb is generally a beautiful, however well-used trail. But you can’t do much about leaves. That’s what happens in the Fall. The leaves fall, then hikers fall, it’s Fall. For the last three miles of our descent we were delighted to be joined by one of the bear dogs we saw at Deep Gap. She followed us all the way down to the trailhead. Hopefully those GPS locators helped the hunters retrieve their dog. Near the entrance of the scout camp, we stopped for a bit to take in a beautiful scene of a pond reflecting the sky, forest, and an old barn.

On the drive back home, we took a little side trip along Hwy. 215 to take a glance at Lake Logan. It’s a small, recreational lake with lots of picnic tables and cozy pullouts. As usual, I couldn’t resist a few photographs. As we crossed back over Wagon Road Gap on Hwy. 276, we popped on the Blue Ridge Parkway for one last view from the Cold Mountain Overlook. It is a majestic sight. The mountain dominates the surrounding area. One of these days I will approach Cold Mountain from section 3 of the Art Loeb Trail. The ascent isn’t as steep, but the distance is a lot longer. So much hiking, so little time.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.