Black Balsam Knob–Art Loeb Trail, 6 sights is a 12.2-mile out-and-back in Shining Rock Wilderness near Big East Fork, NC. The route reaches Black Balsam Knob at the turnaround, 6.1 miles in. It climbs 1,568 ft, with sections as steep as 19% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 63/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
0 mi5,033 – 6,208 ft · steepest grade: 19%12.9 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Graveyard Fields Loop Trail 35.31997, -82.84750
Nearest town Big East Fork, NC
Directions
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Black Balsam Knob–Art Loeb Trail, 6 sights
12.2 mi · ▲ 1,568 ft · 4 hr 51 min
Elevation 5,033–6,208 ft
Out & Back · Shining Rock Wilderness
Trailhead: Graveyard Fields Loop Trail · 35.31997, -82.84750
Weather Sep 5: sunrise 7:07 AM · sunset 7:56 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Graveyard Fields Loop Trail, heading W.
- 0.6 miTurn left onto Graveyard Ridge Trail, heading N.
- 0.4 miBear right, heading E.
- 0.2 miBear left onto Mountains-to-Sea Trail, heading N.
- 1.3 miContinue straight onto Graveyard Ridge Trail, heading NW.
- 1.9 miTurn left onto Art Loeb Trail, heading SW.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Ivestor Gap Trail, heading S.
- 450 ftContinue straight onto Fork Mountain Trail, heading S.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Ivestor Gap Trail, heading SW.
- 0.6 miSharp left, heading W.
- 0.1 miSharp right onto Black Balsam Summit Trail, heading NW.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Art Loeb Trail, heading E.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Black Balsam Summit Trail, heading SE.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Art Loeb Trail, heading S.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Black Balsam Summit Trail, heading S.
- 50 ftBear left onto Art Loeb Trail, heading SW.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Black Balsam Summit Trail, heading S.
- 100 ftReach Black Balsam Knob, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto Art Loeb Trail, heading S.
- 50 ftBear right onto Black Balsam Summit Trail, heading S.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Art Loeb Trail, heading S.
- 200 ftContinue straight onto Black Balsam Summit Trail, heading S.
- 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 N.
- 0.1 miSharp right onto Ivestor Gap Trail, heading N.
- 0.6 miContinue straight onto Fork Mountain Trail, heading N.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Ivestor Gap Trail, heading N.
- 450 ftContinue straight onto Art Loeb Trail, heading N.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Graveyard Ridge Trail, heading NE.
- 1.9 miContinue straight onto Mountains-to-Sea Trail, heading W.
- 1.3 miBear right, heading E.
- 0.2 miBear left onto Graveyard Ridge Trail, heading E.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto Graveyard Fields Loop Trail, heading SW.
- 0.5 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
78% dirt22% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 7:07 AMSunset 7:56 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 5.6 mi in (~166 min). Leave by 4:50 PM for the 7:56 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:35 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Graveyard Fields Loop Trail Trailhead
- Upper Falls–Graveyard Fields Loop Trail, 3 sights 2.8 mi · ▲ 295 ft
- Second Falls via Mountains-to-Sea Trail 3.7 mi · ▲ 536 ft
- Grassy Cove Top–Art Loeb Trail, 4 sights 9.3 mi · ▲ 1,300 ft
- Art Loeb Spur Trail–Art Loeb Trail, 5 sights 9.9 mi · ▲ 1,945 ft
- Second Falls–Bridges Camp Gap Trail, 5 sights 10.8 mi · ▲ 2,045 ft
- Devils Courthouse–Silvermine Bald, 5 summits 12.8 mi · ▲ 2,041 ft
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Hikes near Big East Fork, North Carolina