The Art Loeb Trail is a 30 mile long point to point trail in the Pisgah National Forest near Brevard, NC. It is considered very rugged and is a challenge for hikers to complete in 2 to 3 days and for ultrarunners to complete in the hours from sunup to sundown. The route goes over multiple peaks over 6,000 ft and depending on which trailhead you start at, with a cumulative 9,000 feet of climbing.

Ok, so there are multiple ways to get on to the Art Loeb, but the endpoints of the trail are where you want to start. You want to consider where you want to camp and your mileage each day before picking a direction. The most popular route is northbound starting from the south trailhead at Davidson River Campground and going north the northern terminus at Camp Daniel Boone. You will need to either use 2 cars or find a shuttle service like 

When we did our hike, we went southbound. If you are going northbound, then just read this backwards. Try out our 

Starting from the trailhead, you will hike 4 miles up to Deep Gap. At Deep Gap, you have the opportunity to turn left and hike another 1.5 miles to the summit of Cold Mountain or turn right to continue on the Art Loeb. Cold Mountain has spectacular views of the Shining Rock Wildnerness and on clear days you can see the summit of Mount Pisgah.

From Deep Gap, you turn right to stay on the Art Loeb and go through the Narrows, a technical section with steep, but short uphills and downhills. Once through the Narrows, you are towards the end of the wilderness section. In this area, trail marking and blazing is minimal. Stay on the Art Loeb trail until you get to a T. Turn left at this point to summit Shining Rock Mountain and turn right to stay on the Art Loeb Trail towards Black Balsam. 

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From Shining Rock Wildnerss, you will go through gaps and over balds. This is one of the best areas of the Art Loeb giving you views on both sides of the trail. You'll first go through Flower Gap and then go over Tennet Mountain and then finally Black Balsam Knob. Black Balsam Knob is right by the Blue Ridge Parkway, so expect to see more hikers than usual at this point. This is approximately 10.5 miles into the hike.

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From Black Balsam Knob, the trail dips back into the tree line and descends down to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Cross the parkway and stay left to find the trailhead. The trail keeps going down the mountain to Farlow Gap before you go over another climb and descent. After this noticable climb and descent, you'll arrive at Deep Gap Shelter. After Deep Gap Shelter, you climb up and over Pilot Mountain to get to Gloucester Gap. This is approximately 18 miles into the hike. 

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From Gloucester Gap, it's another 4 miles to get to Butter Gap Shelter. From Butter Gap Shelter, its a pretty straight forward hike to the southern terminus. The trail doesn't have any big climbs left, but there are multiple 500 to 800 foot climbs and descents and if its been raining, there will be a few water crossings. One of the neat things towards to end is going around the base of Cedar Rock Mountain which occassionally has people climbing at.

After you're done, it's a good idea to head over the 

 for a beverage and hot food from their food truck. 

There are quite a few places to camp and get water on the Art Loeb making the trail accessible to alot of hikers. With that being said, you still need to be mindful about your resources and planning. The trail is still in a remote location and no one wants to have to call in a rescue.

There are additional places to set up camp on the trail, but these are the most popular. During wet seasons, particularly in the spring when ice is melting, there are more water sources.

The Art Loeb Trail is a 30 mile long point to point trail in the Pisgah National Forest near Brevard, NC. It is considered very rugged and is a challenge for hikers to complete in 2 to 3 days and for ultrarunners to complete in the hours from sunup to sundown. The route goes over multiple peaks over 6,000 ft and depending on which trailhead you start at, averages around 9,000 feet of climbing.

The Art Loeb Trail

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