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.

When the Blue Ridge Parkway reopens each year in early spring, it is great to get back into the high country at milepost 420. That means the Black Balsam area and Shining Rock Wilderness. An oft overlooked trail on the west side of the wilderness is Little East Fork, a twisty path that follows the Little East Fork of the Pigeon River from Shining Rock Gap to the Daniel Boone Boy Scout Camp. Not a particularly difficult hike, it is however quite long. This hike occurred on Tuesday, April 8, 2014 beginning at 8:00AM and ending about 1:30PM. Our plan was to take the Ivestor Gap Trail to Little East Fork Trail and search for an elusive meadow along the ridge between Shining Rock and Birdstand Mountain.

It was a wonderful pleasure and privilege to get out on the trail with new hiking companions. Unfortunately, the weather was not very cooperative on this day. Usually in this space I will detail the full trail report, but there isn’t a whole lot to tell this time. It was very, very foggy — and cold, and wet from overnight rain — so we didn’t accomplish what we set out to do. We never found the high mountain meadow we were seeking. We only hiked perhaps a mile, mile and a half of the Little East Fork Trail because of the conditions, and decided to just turn around. Still, it is always a joy to simply be in Shining Rock Wilderness, especially with new friends.

The first part of the hike from the Black Balsam parking to Shining Rock Gap on the Ivestor Gap Trail has already be reported, so no reason to repeat. Instead, this time I will share a small photo gallery to give you a feel for what Shining Rock Wilderness is like as the seasons begin to change from winter to spring. Click any of the photos for larger images.

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.

Perhaps it seems I’ve been spending quite a bit of time hiking in the eastern section of Shining Rock Wilderness in recent months. I can’t help myself. The terrain is wild, the forests ever-changing, the views exhilarating, and the exercise invigorating. The elevation changes dramatically — more than two thousand feet. The air is cool and refreshing even during the summer. It’s enjoyable to follow the wildflower progression from bluets and trillium to catawba rhododendron, to mountain laurel and flame azalea, then white rhododendron, and on to the daisies, bee balm, and lady slippers. The landmarks have names like Old Butt and Dog Loser. These mountains have been here a lot longer than we have, but they keep calling me to explore them. This hike occurred on Thursday, July 7, 2011 beginning at 9:15AM and ending about 3:45PM. Our plan was to start at the Big East Fork parking area, enter Shining Rock Wilderness, and catch the Old Butt Knob Trail up the mountain to Shining Rock Gap. There we would meet the Shining Creek Trail for the return down the mountain to complete the loop.

View Old Butt Knob and Shining Creek Trails Loop, Shining Rock Wilderness in a larger map

This is a beautiful hike! This is also a very strenuous hike, so you better check your conditioning. The combination of the two made for a day of great fun and enjoyment. The first half mile from Big East Fork is along the East Fork of the Pigeon River. As the trail begins to climb it is important to look for the Old Butt Knob Trail on the right. It is easy to miss. There is a small cairn there to mark the turn, but it is quite easy to walk right on by. Straight ahead takes you on the Shining Creek Trail, the return trail when doing the loop counterclockwise like my friend and I did. Once on the Old Butt Knob Trail, it begins climbing immediately up Chestnut Ridge. It goes up 1500 feet in the next half mile. Pause to ponder that for a moment.

The farther I climbed up Chestnut Ridge, the more amazed I was at how well the Old Butt Knob Trail is maintained. This is a very hard trail. I can’t imagine it gets a whole lot of traffic to keep the pathway clear. So the volunteers who take care of this trail are to be commended. It is not only beautiful, but it is a joy to hike. The lower section is mostly hardwood forest. After about 700 feet of climbing the black balsams begin to appear. If you’ve never been in a black balsam forest, these fir trees are stunning. Almost always full and hearty, they also smell wonderful. It definitely helped take my mind off the burning in my legs and lungs.

Be sure to watch for the occasional small trail off to the left that goes out to a rocky overlook along the ridge. The first is perhaps 1/2 mile up and offers a view of Bearpen Ridge across the way. The trail is a little less steep the rest of the climb, only 700 feet in a mile. We found another side trail that took us to yet another rocky outcropping. There was a great place to have a seat and enjoy our lunch. From here we could see the summit of Old Butt Knob northwesterly to our right, then see the dip into Spanish Oak Gap, and then another steep climb up Dog Loser Knob. I loved the way we could see the upcoming terrain so we would know what to expect. Down below us to the south was the drainage of Daniels Cove, and directly in front of us to the southwest was Bearpen Ridge. It is quite identifiable because of the abrupt cliff that ends the ridge.

Lunch gave us enough energy to get through the next stretch of climbing to the top of Old Butt Knob. Once again the forest changed. The ground was grassy and we were treated to summer thistle alongside the trail. At 5600 feet we reached the summit of Old Butt Knob and began to see campsites and other small clearings. The fir and pine filled the visual and olfactory senses. It seemed as if the forest changed around every corner. We commented to each other several times how beautiful this trail was, and it just kept getting better and better. Despite being really sweaty and breathing very hard from all the climbing, I was thinking more about the abundant beauty that surrounded me that I was about fatigue.

About the only way to know you’ve reached Old Butt Knob summit is because the trail stops climbing and gets flat for awhile. There really isn’t a viewing area on top, but there are a few terrific wilderness campsites. The trail volunteers have done a great job of removing fire rings, so even the campsites look as natural as can be. There are nice level sites where you can pitch your tent right under a rhododendron or laurel thicket to get shelter from the wind and rain.

The trail actually dips for the next 1/4 mile or so as it drops into Spanish Oak Gap. And yes, the forest changes again to a brotherly mix of oak and pine. They grow side by side and wage friendly battle for the wealth of sunshine that bathes the ridge. It’s not long, though, before the climbing resumes and you have to recover the elevation lost in the gap. The trail enters an immense laurel thicket that helps one understand where this area got its name, Dog Loser Knob. If your dog wandered off into the laurels, you would probably never see it again. Just a word of advice. Do not go off trail in this area.

There is a great reward for the climb. At the summit of Dog Loser Knob there is another of those side trails to the left that opened up the entire expanse of the southerly Shining Rock Wilderness before us. To the southeast we could see the twin peaks of Sam Knob, with Black Balsam Knob just to its left. Straight ahead to the south is Grassy Cove Ridge, talked about in a hike a few weeks ago. Back to the east, on our left, we could see the fire tower on Fryingpan Mountain and Mt. Pisgah beyond. This is simply another fabulous vantage point on this splendid hike.

The rest of the Old Butt Knob Trail to Shining Rock Gap is flat and smooth sailing. We could tell we were getting close to Shining Rock when we began seeing small quartz stones along the side of the trail. Then suddenly the stones became boulders, and there we were. We climbed the Shining Rock Pinnacle again just to see how the foliage had changed since our last visit just a month before. The rhododendron was no longer in bloom and the greens were a darker shade, but it was nice to see The Narrows again and Cold Mountain. I love this area.

After scrambling back down off Shining Rock we had to find the Shining Creek Trail for our return hike to Big East Fork. Shining Rock Gap is a major trail junction. The Art Loeb comes here. The Ivestor Gap comes here. And the Old Butt Knob and Shining Creek Trails come here. They all meet in a small clearing with a sort of wagon wheel effect. It’s good to have a compass. Remember there are no trail signs or blaze markings in the wilderness.The Shining Creek Trail goes east. We encountered a lone camper as we started out Shining Creek. He seemed quite wary of us and didn’t have anything to say except to nod at our existence. A couple hundred yards up the trail, it takes a sharp left turn down some small log steps and begins a steep descent. This is another place where it would be easy to get lost. The natural inclination is to go straight, but the Shining Creek Trail drops down to the left.

As good as the Old Butt Knob Trail was, Shining Creek was a rude awakening. Suddenly the trail was very rocky and rooty, and wet. Runoff tends to use the trail, so there were lots of puddles and lots of mud. The trail is considerably narrower as well as curvier. There are a number of switchbacks. I slipped twice and even went down on my butt on one occasion. You could say I had an old butt knob… ok, maybe not. Like the Old Butt Knob Trail, Shining Creek is also a very hard trail, but for an entirely different reason. The good news was we were treated to an eyeful of wildflowers. We saw red, purple and white bee balm. We passed daisies, black-eyed susans and lady slippers.

After the first half mile of very steep descent, the trail picks up Shining Creek and follows it all the way to Big East Fork. The creek takes quite the journey down more than 2000 feet to the Pigeon River. There are a number of small waterfalls along the way. We happened to catch peak white rhododendron bloom time along the creek. There was literally a wall of white flowers that followed the creek the whole way down, quite a remarkable scene. As the creek, and the trail, finally reached flat ground there were a couple of relatively easy creek crossings. Once again, I had to prove I am a Meanderthal. There was a grapevine hanging right over the trail. I tested it for strength, seemed securely fastened up top, and said what the heck. I climbed the hill and swung out over the creek and screamed, “Weeeeee!!!” Yes, I am 58, not 5.

The last mile and a half of the Shining Creek Trail is flat, and as it would turn out, wet. We suddenly got dumped on. We rushed for the nearest rhododendron thicket to get out our rain gear and quickly covered up. The last 20 minutes of our hike was done in a downpour. We met three other hikers in this stretch who were just beginning their climb up into the wilderness for some overnight camping. I’m afraid they were in for a long, wet night. There is one last downhill section just before the trailhead that we had to take quite gingerly to avoid sliding to the car.

Best HikeYou will notice up top that this hike took 6.5 hours to complete despite being less than 8 miles in length. Sure we stopped for lunch, and pictures, but we also stopped for a number of breathers. Simply put, this is a very strenuous hike whether you take the loop counterclockwise as we did, or go the other way. It is going to be hard no matter what. But, it is extremely rewarding. The sense of accomplishment is paramount. The natural beauty of the wilderness is breathtaking. Even though the Shining Creek Trail was a little rough, the Old Butt Knob Trail was in such good shape that it was a total delight to experience. I will definitely do this hike again during a different season. I rate this as a best hike, and highly recommend it to anyone who has the stamina.

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.

This a continuation beyond the hike described in the Black Balsam Knob and Tennent Mountain trail report. The Art Loeb Trail continues down the north side of Tennent Mountain to Grassy Cove. There it meets the Ivestor Gap Trail for a lengthy hike into Shining Rock Wilderness. The area was named by the Cherokee for the large deposits of quartz found along what has become known as the Shining Rock Ledge. The Ivestor Gap Trail avoids having to cross up and over Grassy Cove Top, Flower Gap, and Flower Knob. Ivestor Gap reattaches with Art Loeb at Shining Rock Gap and goes through The Narrows and on to Cold Mountain and eventually the Daniel Boone Scout Camp. This hike occurred on Thursday, June 2, 2011. We started at 10:05AM and finished a few minutes before 5:00PM. The plan was to start at the Black Balsam Road parking area and take the Ivestor Gap Trail 3.7 miles to where it meets the Art Loeb Trail at Shining Rock Gap. From there we would cross as much of The Narrows as our stamina would allow, knowing we had to return the equal distance. The entire round trip was 13 miles.

View Ivestor Gap and Art Loeb Trails to The Narrows, Shining Rock Wilderness in a larger map

Even last year I wouldn’t have tried this hike. I simply didn’t have the strength yet to do these half marathon day hikes. I think what really encouraged me was continuing a regular hiking regimen even through the winter months. And you know what? I found that I really enjoyed winter hiking. Well, because I kept my fitness up, I felt ready to give this one a go and talked the other Meanderthals into it. One of our trio had already done this hike twice before, so we knew what we were getting ourselves into. It is long… as long as you want to make it… and we weren’t even going all the way to Cold Mountain. The good news is that 2/3 of the hike is flat. The bad news is the part that isn’t flat is very strenuous rocky ridge terrain.

The Ivestor Gap Trailhead shares the parking area with the Sam Knob Trailhead. The first 50-55 minutes of the trail follows an old logging road that winds around Black Balsam Knob on the right, and offers a great view of the twin peaks of Sam Knob on the left, as well as the Middle Prong Wilderness further into the distance. Right away we got a charge — we hit the rhododendron in full bloom. Yay timing! The photo at the top of this post is an example. Click on it for a larger view.

We sure knew when we reached Grassy Cove. This is a trail junction for four different trails. The Art Loeb and Ivestor Gap head north, the Greasy Ridge Trail heads east, and the Graveyard Ridge Trail goes south to Graveyard Fields. Other times I have been to Grassy Cove there were tents setup in the cove, but there weren’t any on this day.

As mentioned above, the Ivestor Gap Trail is a great alternative for avoiding a lot of unnecessary climbing. Some people like to hike the Art Loeb Trail just to say they’ve done it. However, over the next two miles the Art Loeb climbs over 5800′ Grassy Cove Top, then drops down into Flower Gap, then goes back up again to Flower Knob, then back down and back up to Shining Rock. Sure, there are some nice views of the eastern portion of the Shining Rock Wilderness from up top, but the simple fact is the Ivestor Gap Trail is totally flat until it gets to Shining Rock Gap. Yes, I felt I was in good enough shape to hike 13 miles, but why do unnecessary climbing when you don’t have to. Besides, the Ivestor Gap Trail turned out to be quite lovely too. Much of the trail was in a canopy — either thick rhododendron groves that were in full bloom, or a hardwood and balsam mix that filled the air with delightful aromas. Occasionally, we would get a peek through the trees to the west and down the Little East Fork of the Pigeon River drainage.

The Ivestor Gap Trail rejoins the Art Loeb at Shining Rock. It is a short, but steep 1/4 mile climb to the pinnacle of Shining Rock on a spur trail, a must see. Don’t miss this. The quartz is paper white, and slick, very slick because it is so smooth. It is absolutely appropriate to have hiking shoes with a good grip. There is a beautiful 180° westerly view of the black balsam forest that surrounds the rock. For the first time, our destination came into view. We could see the seemingly endless ridge of the Shining Rock Ledge and The Narrows sprawling across the horizon. It looked to be a series of ups and downs, but none more than 150 feet or so elevation change. Little did we know how steep those ups and downs would be. We enjoyed our lunch will sitting on this fabulous pristine wilderness pinnacle.

The easy part was over. As we continued northward on the Art Loeb now, the terrain became more rugged and less flat. We continued to see the white stones and boulders jutting out from the earth that gave this wilderness its name. After about 3/4 mile we reached Stairs Mountain on our right and the Shining Rock Ledge. The trail was a lot more narrow, and curvy, and we began to see that we were on a narrow ridge as the ground dropped down on both sides. Another nice surprise greeted us on this ridge as we were treated to lots of flaming azalea in full bloom. This native azalea tree has a blaze-like bright orange color to its blossoms. Beautiful! The trail kept getting rockier and rockier, and then the serious ups and downs started. This was hands and feet climbing, and sliding down on our backside. The trail itself became less obvious — except that it had to be on the ridge — everything else was down, down, down. I don’t mind telling you it was very fatiguing. We reached a point with a small overlook and stopped to suck some air. We all came to a consensus that we had probably gone far enough. After all, we still had to go the same distance back.

We took off our packs and sat down to rest. Our partner who had been here before thought he remembered another overlook that was not too much farther up the ridge. After a breather, he and I decided to push on. Our third stayed behind to keep an eye on the packs. In about 200 yards we were rewarded with a hazy westerly view. We could see the Daniel Boone Scout Camp in the East Fork Pigeon River valley below and Cold Mountain to our right. Straight ahead was ridge after ridge of the Blue Ridge Mountains. We pulled out our topo map to survey the terrain, and picked out some trails for future Meanderthals meandering. We didn’t stay long, then headed back to pick up our gear and begin the tortuous return back up, down, and over The Narrows.

When I got back to my pack, I changed into a dry shirt. I sure was thinking ahead when I packed that the night before. It was pretty hot and humid and even the moisture wicking material was saturated. The dry shirt gave me 10 more horsepower. It took us about an hour to get back through all the rough and tumble up and down terrain of The Narrows and The Ledge. About 2/3 of the way back up there was a strategically placed log that became home for a very welcome breather. Finally as we once again approached Shining Rock, the trail flattened out, and even though there were still four miles to go, we knew the worst was over.

Or so we thought. The farther we went, the more threatening the skies became. We began to hear thunder rumbling in the distance. Fortunately we were no longer on the ledge, but it’s never a good idea to be in the forest in a thunderstorm. We began to pick up our pace, and took turns leading. We could hear the thunder getting louder and closer from the east, and the wind began to pick up some. We reached Grassy Cove and knew we were now less than an hour away. There was another hiker laying on the grass looking at his trail guide book and his eyes sure lit up when he heard our voices. He was lost. He wanted to go to Cold Mountain to camp. His map was junk, so we pulled out our map and showed him how to get there. He was very grateful, but I just knew he was going to get nailed by this incoming storm later on.

Well, we almost made it. We were about 1/2 mile from the car when it began to rain. It was signaled by a thunder clap on top of Black Balsam Knob that made us all jump. We quickly pulled out the rain gear and then the hail started. As we were scurrying down the trail, we kept one eye peeled for any kind of shelter in case the hail stones got any bigger. Fortunately we made it back to the car without getting pummeled.

I’m happy I have now done this hike. Occasionally we like to test our limits, and this was probably just about right for mine in the physical condition I am at this stage of my life. Shining Rock is definitely a place worth seeing. It is beautiful. And The Narrows, if nothing else, is certainly exciting. Maybe some day I will really push myself and go all the way to Cold Mountain, but I’ve been there via the other end of the Art Loeb Trail. For now, I am content with what I accomplished.

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.