Pisgah National Forest
Pisgah National Forest is a National Forest in the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina. It is administered by the United States Forest Service, part of the United States Department of Agriculture. The Pisgah National Forest is complet ...
in
Western North Carolina
Western North Carolina (often abbreviated as WNC) is the region of North Carolina which includes the Appalachian Mountains; it is often known geographically as the state's Mountain Region. It contains the highest mountains in the Eastern United ...
. The northern terminus is at the Daniel Boone Boy Scout Camp in Haywood County, while the trail's southern terminus is located near the Davidson River Campground, near Brevard, in
Transylvania County
Transylvania County is a county in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census the population is 32,986. Its county seat is Brevard.
Transylvania County comprises the Brevard Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included i ...
. Along the way, the trail traverses several significant peaks, including
Black Balsam Knob
Black Balsam Knob, also known as Black Balsam Bald, is in the Pisgah National Forest southwest of Asheville, North Carolina, near milepost 420 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is the second highest mountain in the Great Balsam Mountains. The Great Ba ...
(6,214 ft), Tennent Mountain (6040 ft) and Pilot Mountain (5095 ft). The trail also passes the base of Cold Mountain, made famous by the novel and film.
''
National Geographic Adventure
Nat Geo People was an international pay television channel owned by National Geographic Partners, a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company (73%) and the National Geographic Society (27%). Targeted at female audiences, with programming fo ...
'' listed the trail as one of the thirty best North American hikes. They praised the views offered on the high
Appalachian Balds
In the Appalachian Mountains of the eastern United States, balds are mountain summits or crests covered primarily by thick vegetation of native grasses or shrubs occurring in areas where heavy forest growth would be expected.
Balds are found prim ...
, the challenging climbs, and the trail's diverse landscape.
History
Originally part of the Cherokee Nation, the area was heavily logged in the early part of the 20th century.http://www.northcarolinaoutdoors.com/places/mountains/shiningrock.html
The Art Loeb Trail was dedicated on November 9, 1969. It was named after an avid hiker and Carolina Mountain Club member, who resided in Brevard. Mr. Loeb often explored and cared for the area.
Extensive logging and locomotive fires in 1925 and 1942 are the cause for the expansive, open views around Black Balsam Knob.
Animals, plants, and geology
There is a variety of birds, reptiles and mammals in the area.
Deer
Deer or true deer are hoofed ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. The two main groups of deer are the Cervinae, including the muntjac, the elk (wapiti), the red deer, and the fallow deer; and the Capreolinae, including the re ...
,
rattlesnakes
Rattlesnakes are venomous snakes that form the genera '' Crotalus'' and '' Sistrurus'' of the subfamily Crotalinae (the pit vipers). All rattlesnakes are vipers. Rattlesnakes are predators that live in a wide array of habitats, hunting small an ...
bobcats
The bobcat (''Lynx rufus''), also known as the red lynx, is a medium-sized cat native to North America. It ranges from southern Canada through most of the contiguous United States to Oaxaca in Mexico. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUC ...
may be spotted by the watchful hiker. While most of the spruce and fir was removed by logging, there are areas where these trees are encountered on the trail. There are significant differences in the landscape from the southern end of the trail compared to the higher elevations.
Along the way, the hiker encounters some unique geology. From Pilot Mountain, there's a view of the Looking Glass Rockpluton. Close to Butter Gap is Cedar Rock, a large granite outcropping. In addition, Shining Rock and its cluster of quartz boulders can be encountered via a side trail.
Activities
The trail sees many hikers taking advantage of the trail's proximity to the
Blue Ridge Parkway
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. The parkway, which is America's longest linear park, runs for through 29 Virginia and North Carolina counties, linking Shenan ...
and
Asheville
Asheville ( ) is a city in, and the county seat of, Buncombe County, North Carolina. Located at the confluence of the French Broad and Swannanoa rivers, it is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the state's 11th-most populous ci ...
, in addition to literary enthusiasts exploring Cold Mountain. Hikers around in the northern part of the trail in the Shining Rock Wilderness should be prepared, as the trails are not marked, and there are no signs.
South of Ivestor Gap the trail is outside of the Shining Rock Wilderness, and contains blazes and signs to help with navigation. The trail also shares with the
Mountains-to-Sea Trail
The Mountains-to-Sea State Trail (MST) is a long-distance trail for hiking and backpacking, that traverses North Carolina from the Great Smoky Mountains to the Outer Banks. The trail's western endpoint is at Clingman's Dome, where it connects ...
for a short stretch in the Silvermine Bald area. There are also several side trails that connect to the Art Loeb, including the optional climb up Cold Mountain.
Challenges for the hiker include steep ascents and descents, exposed hiking on high Appalachian Balds, and few water supply points. It is recommended to have a life straw and gravity filter to maximize the minimal water supply points.
To complete the entire trail, most guides recommend either three or four days. There are several backcountry camp spots throughout the trail, with primitive shelters at Deep Gap and Butter Gap.
Starting in 2001, an adventure run of the entire trail is held on the
Winter Solstice
The winter solstice, also called the hibernal solstice, occurs when either of Earth's poles reaches its maximum tilt away from the Sun. This happens twice yearly, once in each hemisphere (Northern and Southern). For that hemisphere, the winter ...
.
Intersecting trails
The Art Loeb Trail intersects with several trails,
Mountains-to-Sea Trail
The Mountains-to-Sea State Trail (MST) is a long-distance trail for hiking and backpacking, that traverses North Carolina from the Great Smoky Mountains to the Outer Banks. The trail's western endpoint is at Clingman's Dome, where it connects ...
,
Farlow Gap
Farlow Gap is a popular trail for mountain biking and hiking, located in the western area of North Carolina. It is an expert-level trail, and considered "one of the toughest mountain bike trails in Pisgah National Forest."https://www.hikewnc.info Art Loeb Section 2 Trail.
Photo gallery
Image:A volcanic igneous intrusion in the Appalachian Mountains.jpg, Looking Glass Rock from Pilot Mountain
Image:Art Loeb Trail.jpg, Spruce trees on the Art Loeb Trail
Image:View from Black Balsam Knob.jpg, View from the southern sub-peak of
Black Balsam Knob
Black Balsam Knob, also known as Black Balsam Bald, is in the Pisgah National Forest southwest of Asheville, North Carolina, near milepost 420 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is the second highest mountain in the Great Balsam Mountains. The Great Ba ...
Image:ArtLoebCedarRock.jpg, Cedar Rock from the trail
Image:ArtLoebShiningRockGap.jpg, Flower Gap
Image:ArtLoebTennent.jpg, View from Tennent Mountain