Black Balsam Knob–Art Loeb Trail, 5 sights is a 16-mile out-and-back in Shining Rock Wilderness near Burnett Siding, NC. The route reaches Black Balsam Knob at the turnaround, 8 miles in. It climbs 2,987 ft, with sections as steep as 23% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 90/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
0 mi3,320 – 6,208 ft · steepest grade: 23%16.5 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Little East Fork Trail 35.38331, -82.89590
Nearest town Burnett Siding, NC
Directions
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Black Balsam Knob–Art Loeb Trail, 5 sights
16 mi · ▲ 2,987 ft · 6 hr 50 min
Elevation 3,322–6,208 ft
Out & Back · Shining Rock Wilderness
Trailhead: Little East Fork Trail · 35.38331, -82.89590
Weather Sep 4: Partly cloudy, high 86°F / low 67° · precip 19% · wind 3 mph · sunrise 7:07 AM · sunset 7:56 PM
- Start on Little East Fork Trail, heading S.
- 4.8 miSharp right onto Ivestor Gap Trail, heading SE.
- 1.6 miContinue straight onto Art Loeb Trail, heading S.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Ivestor Gap Trail, heading S.
- 450 ftContinue straight onto Fork Mountain Trail, heading SW.
- 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 E.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Art Loeb Trail, heading W.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Black Balsam Summit Trail, heading W.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Art Loeb Trail, heading S.
- 200 ftContinue straight onto Black Balsam Summit Trail, heading SE.
- 50 ftBear left onto Art Loeb Trail, heading S.
- 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 NE.
- 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 SE.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Ivestor Gap Trail, heading NE.
- 1.6 miSharp left onto Little East Fork Trail, heading NW.
- 4.7 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
98% dirt2% unspecified
Weather
Partly cloudyTemperature 86°F67°
Precip19%Wind3 mphUV7Humidity69%
Hourly temperatureRain chance
90°65°
Sunrise 7:07 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 7:56 PM
Sat
88°68°
15%
Sun
86°64°
55%
Mon
71°63°
30%
Tue
75°57°
Wed
82°59°
Thu
85°62°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 5.2 mi in (~195 min). Leave by 4:22 PM for the 7:56 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:17 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
More from Little East Fork Trail Trailhead
- Shining Rock–Little East Fork Trail, 3 sights 10.9 mi · ▲ 2,630 ft
- Art Loeb Trail & Little East Fork Trail 12.7 mi · ▲ 2,386 ft
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