Art Loeb Spur Trail–Art Loeb Trail Loop, 5 sights is an 11.7-mile loop in Shining Rock Wilderness near Big East Fork, NC. It climbs 2,872 ft, with sections as steep as 22% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 50/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
0 mi3,967 – 6,181 ft · steepest grade: 22%12.2 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Mountains-to-Sea Connector 35.32231, -82.82818
Nearest town Big East Fork, NC
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Art Loeb Spur Trail–Art Loeb Trail Loop, 5 sights
11.7 mi · ▲ 2,872 ft · 5 hr 20 min
Elevation 3,968–6,183 ft
Loop · Shining Rock Wilderness
Trailhead: Mountains-to-Sea Connector · 35.32231, -82.82818
Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 78°F / low 65° · precip 18% · wind 5 mph · sunrise 7:07 AM · sunset 7:56 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Mountains-to-Sea Connector, heading NW.
- 350 ftContinue straight onto Mountains-to-Sea Trail, heading W.
- 4.9 miBear right onto Art Loeb Trail, heading SW.
- 0.4 miBear right onto Art Loeb Spur Trail, heading N.
- 100 ftTurn left onto Art Loeb Trail, heading N.
- 0.2 miBear right onto Black Balsam Summit Trail, heading NE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Art Loeb Trail, heading NE.
- 200 ftContinue straight onto Black Balsam Summit Trail, heading N.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Art Loeb Trail, heading N.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Black Balsam Summit Trail, heading N.
- 0.1 miSharp left, heading NE.
- 0.1 miSharp right onto Ivestor Gap Trail, heading N.
- 0.7 miContinue straight onto Art Loeb Trail, heading E.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Ivestor Gap Trail, heading N.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Art Loeb Trail, heading N.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Greasy Cove Trail, heading E.
- 2.6 miSharp right onto Bridges Camp Gap Trail, heading SE.
- 1.1 miContinue straight onto Mountains-to-Sea Trail, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Mountains-to-Sea Connector, heading S.
- 50 ftThe loop closes back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
64% dirt36% unspecified
Weather
OvercastTemperature 78°F65°
Precip18%Wind5 mphUV7Humidity76%
Rained 0.2″ 4 days ago (0.4″ over the last week)
Hourly temperatureRain chance
80°65°
Sunrise 7:07 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 7:56 PM
Sat
82°68°
Sun
77°60°
60%
Mon
65°59°
39%
Tue
71°54°
Wed
78°55°
Thu
82°58°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 5.2 mi in (~187 min). Leave by 4:29 PM for the 7:56 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:32 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Mountains-to-Sea Connector Trailhead
- View Cherry Cove (MP 415.7) via Mountains-to-Sea Trail 2.5 mi · ▲ 621 ft
- Bridges Camp Gap Trail via Mountains-to-Sea Trail 2.7 mi · ▲ 473 ft
- Lower Falls Viewpoint via Mountains-to-Sea Trail 4 mi · ▲ 986 ft
- Second Falls via Mountains-to-Sea Trail 4 mi · ▲ 952 ft
- Mountains-to-Sea Trail 6.9 mi · ▲ 1,441 ft
- Big East Fork Trail & Bridges Camp Gap Trail 9.6 mi · ▲ 1,334 ft
Get outside more
A wild hike near Big East Fork, emailed to you once a week.
Hikes near Big East Fork, North Carolina