If you love hiking in the mountains of North Carolina, then don’t pass up the chance to explore one of the most stunning trails in the state. The Art Loeb Trail passes along bald peaks and ridges and doles out astounding views all along the way.
Avid hikers know that finding a trail along a mountain bald is an amazing experience. When you can hike for miles feeling as if you're as high as the heavens all while viewing mountain peaks all around you, then the adventure is as good as gold.
If you only have eight hours to hike, then start at one end of the trail and hike for four hours and then turn around and hike back. Trust us: any time spent on this gorgeous trail is a life-enriching journey.
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If it helps to put it in perspective, the trail runs very close to the Blue Ridge Parkway. It passes through the Shining Rock Wilderness and crosses over several prominent knobs including Black Balsam Knob, Tennant Mountain, and Pilot Mountain.
The highest peak on the trail is Black Balsam Knob, at 6,214 feet above sea level. The lowest point is in Brevard at the Davidson River. The overall elevation change is 8,257 feet.
In spite of its length, the Art Loeb Trail is well traveled. It was named for Art Loeb, a Brevard resident who was an avid hiker and conservationist who spent much time exploring the balds here. (It's easy to see why!)
If you want to bring your gear and spend the night on the trail there are very primitive shelters at Deep Gab and Butter Gap.
Although we don't recommend camping on top of a bald mountain for obvious reasons (storms and lightning, for instance), experienced hikers know what to look for and do it occasionally in spite of the risks.
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Another option for day hikers is to bunk down in a camping spot at the Davidson River Campground in Brevard. The campground is adjacent to the southern terminus of the trail.
For that beautiful hiking adventure you've been craving for a while, plan a trip to the mountains of North Carolina to hike all (or at least part) of the Art Loeb Trail from Brevard to Canton. You'll be glad you did!
Hiking the full 30 miles of the Art Loeb Trail is not recommended for novice hikers. If you’re not an experienced backwoods hiker, please be sure you bring someone who is if you’re planning to hike the entire Art Loeb Trail. Also, please remember to follow the “leave no trace” principle so we can leave this trail in pristine condition for generations to come. Learn more about the trail and peruse more than 3,000 photos submitted by other hikers by visiting this link on AllTrails.com.
