Black Balsam Knob–Black Balsam Summit Viewpoint Loop, 4 sights is a 2.2-mile loop near Big East Fork, NC. The route passes Black Balsam Summit Viewpoint and Black Balsam Knob. It climbs 402 ft, with sections as steep as 21% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 75/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
0 mi5,807 – 6,211 ft · steepest grade: 21%2.6 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Ivestor Gap Trail 35.32592, -82.88161
Nearest town Big East Fork, NC
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Black Balsam Knob–Black Balsam Summit Viewpoint Loop, 4 sights
2.2 mi · ▲ 402 ft · 56 min
Elevation 5,809–6,211 ft
Loop
Trailhead: Ivestor Gap Trail · 35.32592, -82.88161
Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 71°F / low 59° · precip 20% · wind 4 mph · sunrise 7:07 AM · sunset 7:56 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Ivestor Gap Trail, heading NE.
- 200 ftContinue straight onto Art Loeb Spur Trail, heading E.
- 0.4 miTurn left onto Art Loeb Trail, heading NE.
- 0.1 miBear right onto Black Balsam Summit Trail, heading NE.
- 250 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 100 ftSharp left, heading E.
- 50 ftPass Black Balsam Summit Viewpoint.
- 50 ftPass Black Balsam Knob.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Art Loeb Trail, heading SE.
- 50 ftBear right onto Black Balsam Summit Trail, heading SE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Art Loeb Trail, heading SE.
- 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 N.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Ivestor Gap Trail, heading N.
- 1 miContinue straight onto Art Loeb Spur Trail, heading S.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Ivestor Gap Trail, heading S.
- 150 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
90% dirt10% unspecified
Weather
OvercastTemperature 71°F59°
Precip20%Wind4 mphUV7Humidity65%
Rained 0.1″ 7 days ago
Hourly temperatureRain chance
75°55°
Sunrise 7:07 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 7:56 PM
Sat
74°60°
17%
Sun
70°56°
66%
Mon
61°54°
56%
Tue
66°49°
15%
Wed
74°50°
Thu
77°54°
25%
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.3 mi in (~15 min). Leave by 7:21 PM for the 7:56 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:19 PM — 3 min before dark.
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Ivestor Gap Trail Trailhead
- Silvermine Bald & Art Loeb Spur Trail via Ivestor Gap Trail 3.6 mi · ▲ 644 ft
- Grassy Cove Top–Art Loeb Spur Trail, 5 sights 4.6 mi · ▲ 665 ft
- Lower Falls Viewpoint–Art Loeb Spur Trail, 5 sights 11.7 mi · ▲ 1,223 ft
- Second Falls–Art Loeb Spur Trail, 5 sights 11.7 mi · ▲ 1,179 ft
Get outside more
A wild hike near Big East Fork, emailed to you once a week.
Hikes near Big East Fork, North Carolina