Art Loeb Trail
Trail
31.1 mile
50.1 kilometer
point to point
Difficult
Elevation
Ascent:
7,578'
2,310 m
Descent: -6,409' -1,954 m
High: 6,194' 1,888 m
Low: 2,138' 652 m
Grade
Avg Grade: 9% (5°)
Max Grade: 66% (33°)
Dogs
Leashed
Weather
Current trail conditions
Unknown
See History
Popular hikes nearby
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“One of the longest and more difficult trails in NC; this also ranks as one of the most popular.”
— Zane Ray
Features
Birding · Fall Colors · Views · Wildflowers · Commonly Backpacked
Overview
Many turn this trail into a multi-day trip, but be aware of other trail users who break the trail into segments for day use.
Description
Along its route the Art Loeb Trail traverses several significant peaks, including Black Balsam Knob (6214 feet), Tennant Mountain (6040 feet) and Pilot Mountain (5072 feet). The trail also skirts the base of Cold Mountain which was made famous by the novel and Hollywood film.
Many hikers use the Art Loeb for extended backpacking trips, while others use shorter sections for day hikes, or use connecting trails to form several outstanding loop hikes. Most of the trail is overlapped by the Mountains-to-the Sea Trail which is blazed with 3-inch white dots.
This trail is commonly divided into four separate sections, and more information about the individual sections can be found here:
Flora & Fauna
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Need to Know, History & Background
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Contacts
Land Manager: USFS - Pisgah National Forest, Pisgah Ranger District
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