I always enjoy hikes along the South Mills River in the Pisgah Ranger District. This loop follows the north side of the riverbank for several miles along an old logging road. But to get there, first you cross Sharpy Mountain from Turkeypen Gap. The trail travels through beautiful hardwood and heath forest as it roller-coasters across four gaps to its meeting with Wagon Road Gap Trail. It’s then a steep downhill to South Mills River and a lovely stroll next to the scenic mountain waterway. We took this hike on Thursday, July 17, 2014 beginning at 10:15AM and ending about 2:00PM. Our plan was to take the Turkeypen Gap Trail across Sharpy Mountain to Wagon Road Gap, then take that connector off the mountain to the South Mills River Trail for the completion of the loop.

It’s always a good idea to stretch before hiking, as it is before any exercise or physical exertion. But the way this trail starts, it really is important, especially your groin and hip flexor muscles. When you arrive at the Turkeypen parking area, the trailhead for this blue-blazed pathway is on the left and you will see it immediately disappears upwards to the south into the woods. There are quite a few high steps through a narrow mountain laurel tunnel that will stretch those muscles for you if you haven’t already.

At a quarter mile you will reach the crest of the ridge and the first of many hickory trees along the route. On this day in mid-July we found dozens of green hickory nuts strewn about the trail. We were about a week late for the peak rosebay rhododendron bloom, as most of the petals were now on the ground along with the hickories.

Gradually climbing along the ridge, the trail reaches Simpson Gap in a little less than a mile. Another quarter mile later the hard part begins. For the next half mile, the ascent is very steep and strenuous. It’s a good idea to pause every hundred yards or so for a breather. I know I did. Despite the cool air in the morning, it was quite humid and I began to perspire significantly as I hoped for the top of Sharpy Mountain around each turn.

Also with the moist air and damp ground, the pathway was a haven for various and sundry fungus. We saw many mushrooms, toadstools and a large bright orange variety that grows on the trunks of the trees. I’ve learned over the years to pay more attention to the little micro gardens that are usually found in the soft light at the base of tall trees, and along the moss and lichen covered surfaces of the long-fallen logs.

There are occasional small openings in the forest that offer viewing of the surrounding mountains of Pisgah National Forest. In winter, no doubt this section of trail would be quite rewarding as it surveys the Blue Ridge. At the top of Sharpy we took five for some granola and to re-catch our breath.

What do trails tend to do once you reach the top of a ridge? Go down, right? The next mile offers a roller coaster ride as it descends to Sandy Gap, then back up on the crest of the ridge, and finally back down again to Wagon Road Gap. This isn’t the same Wagon Road Gap found at milepost 412 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, just another place with the same name. Upon reaching the gap, you are now 2.7 miles from the original trailhead, and to the junction of the Wagon Road Gap connector trail.

Wagon Road Gap Trail is a right turn, following orange blaze now northward, and down… steeply down. Over the next half mile you will descend about 600 feet and make several rock hops across small streams leading you to the river valley. The forest along this trail is simply stunning. One particular cove is surrounded by a fern ground cover on three sides that must be at least 10 acres in size. The trees are mature and afford a soothing shade from the midday summer sun. There are three places where you will have to scramble over large downed trunks that have fallen across the trail.

Upon reaching the flat of the valley you begin to pass through and by various campsites. The forest thins somewhat and you will notice the tell-tale rock piles of the fire rings. At the 3.5 mile mark you’ll enter a large campsite that makes it difficult to follow the trail. If you listen for the sounds of the river and head in that direction, you’ll find the junction with the white-blazed South Mills River Trail as it makes a hard right turn to the east at the river.

It’s a mere one tenth mile further to the wooden suspension bridge that crosses South Mills River. At the crossing, the river is surrounded by massive rosebay rhododendron bushes and a picturesque rocky flow that rivals the beauty found along the rivers in the Smokies. Be careful when crossing the bridge. There are a couple boards that have rotted and cracked. It’s fun to walk across and feel the bounce, bounce, bounce as the suspension cables echo your footsteps.

On the north side of the bridge is another campground, one we used to enjoy our lunch and pull out the map. From here it’s a straight shot along the South Mills River Trail for the next 2.6 miles.

Once renourished we resumed our trek eastward along the north river bank. The trail here is an old logging road so it is wide, flat, and smooth. Unlike the narrow Turkeypen Gap and Wagon Road Gap trails, two people can meander side-by-side on the South Mills River Trail. The first mile after the river crossing is so straight, you can see the trail ahead of you for at least a quarter mile.

The river is simply magnificent, rivaling anything in the Southern Appalachians for sheer beauty. The loggers constructed a berm or levee along the river bank to prevent flooding of the roadway during high water season. It reminds me of a small-scale version of the levees along the mighty Mississippi, a fond remembrance of my youth.

After about a mile the river begins to twist and turn, and so the trail along with it. Small streams tumble down from the left to meet the river, including Poundingmill Branch, one that shares its name with a marvelous Fall foliage trail.

You will notice fins of granite bursting from the earth and riverbed, making for nice places to dip your toes in the cool mountain water and snap a photo or two. You will also notice the trail is wetter and muddier through this area, the result of the seeps and other drainages above to the north.

In an area where the river passes through a narrow gorge, the trail climbs 50 feet above river level and remains there for awhile before descending to the next trail junction. To finish off this loop, you want to take a right turn to another suspension bridge across the river. However, for your future reference, you can continue straight ahead along the South Mills River Trail for further exploration.

We were lucky on the 2nd footbridge to see some equestrian adventurers upstream at the horse crossing. Horses are common in the South Mills River area. The trails are very popular and fun for the horses as well as their riders. Once back on the south side of the river, make a right turn for the final half mile push back to the parking area at Turkeypen Gap.

I always hate this final half mile. It’s all uphill. It isn’t real steep, but just enough you get you all sweaty again after you’ve dried from the river walk. It’s always so much easier to finish a hike in a downward fashion. It is heavily eroded because it’s a connector to other trails and receives quite a bit of horse, bike, and hiker usage. I know. I’m whining again. Anyway, it only lasts about 15-20 minutes.

So let’s summarize. This 7-mile loop is a nice moderate hike with a little bit of everything. It you want exercise, there is a strenuous half-mile stretch on the Turkeypen Gap Trail. For forest beauty, it’s hard to beat the lower elevations in Pisgah National Forest for the summer green of the hardwoods and heath, not to mention the acres of ferns on the Wagon Road Gap Trail. Finally, South Mills River is one of the most scenic rivers in the South. Totally unspoiled, it is lined by rocks, crags, and forest; offers many swimming holes to cool off on a hot summer day; and is very easy to access.

I think you will enjoy this loop hike. I know I will be back to try the different seasons.

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.