Butter Gap–Cedar Rock Mountain Trail Loop, 8 sights

12.4 mi · ▲ 1,923 ft · 5 hr 6 min

Butter Gap–Cedar Rock Mountain Trail Loop, 8 sights is a 12.4-mile loop near Balsam Grove, NC. The route passes Butter Gap and Low Gap. It climbs 1,923 ft, with sections as steep as 27% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 91/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi2,651 – 3,708 ft · steepest grade: 27%12.5 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Catheys Creek Road 35.24976, -82.82175
Nearest town Balsam Grove, NC

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Butter Gap–Cedar Rock Mountain Trail Loop, 8 sights

12.4 mi · ▲ 1,923 ft · 5 hr 6 min

Elevation 2,651–3,707 ft

Loop

Trailhead: Catheys Creek Road · 35.24976, -82.82175

Weather Sep 4: Partly cloudy, high 85°F / low 68° · precip 19% · wind 3 mph · sunrise 7:07 AM · sunset 7:56 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Catheys Creek Road, heading NE.
  2. 50 ftBear right onto Low Gap Road, heading NE.
  3. 0.8 miTurn right onto Art Loeb Trail, heading NE.
  4. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Cedar Rock Mountain Trail, heading NE.
  5. 0.2 miBear left onto New Butter Gap Trail, heading N.
  6. 50 ftPass Butter Gap.
  7. 3.6 miTurn left onto Long Branch Trail, heading NE.
  8. 0.9 miTurn left, heading SW.
  9. 50 ftContinue straight onto Searcy Creek Road, heading W.
  10. 1.4 miTurn right onto Grogan Creek Road, heading SE.
  11. 50 ftTurn right onto Searcy Creek Road, heading SE.
  12. 1 miTurn right onto Searcy Connector, heading SE.
  13. 0.6 miPass Low Gap.
  14. 50 ftSharp right onto Art Loeb Trail, heading S.
  15. 2.2 miTurn left onto Catheys Creek Road, heading W.
  16. 1.4 miThe 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

62% dirt12% gravel26% unspecified

Weather

Partly cloudyTemperature 85°F68°
Precip19%Wind3 mphUV7Humidity79%
Hourly temperatureRain chance
85°65° 1 PM: 1% rain2 PM: 6% rain3 PM: 14% rain4 PM: 19% rain5 PM: 16% rain6 PM: 8% rain7 PM: 6% rain8 PM: 6% rain9 PM: 3% rain
Sunrise 7:07 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 7:56 PM
Sat 88°70° 17%
Sun 85°66° 61%
Mon 72°64° 42%
Tue 75°59°
Wed 83°60°
Thu 89°64°

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from Catheys Creek Road Trailhead