Grassy Cove Top–Art Loeb Spur Trail, 5 sights is a 4.6-mile out-and-back in Shining Rock Wilderness near Big East Fork, NC. The route reaches Grassy Cove Top at the turnaround, 2.3 miles in. It climbs 665 ft, with sections as steep as 31% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 85/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
0 mi5,693 – 6,034 ft · steepest grade: 31%5.2 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Ivestor Gap Trail 35.32592, -82.88161
Nearest town Big East Fork, NC
Directions
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Grassy Cove Top–Art Loeb Spur Trail, 5 sights
4.6 mi · ▲ 665 ft · 1 hr 52 min
Elevation 5,693–6,035 ft
Out & Back · Shining Rock Wilderness
Trailhead: Ivestor Gap Trail · 35.32592, -82.88161
Weather Sep 5: 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 NE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Ivestor Gap Trail, heading E.
- 1.6 miContinue straight onto Fork Mountain Trail, heading E.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Ivestor Gap Trail, heading NE.
- 450 ftContinue straight onto Art Loeb Trail, heading NE.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Ivestor Gap Trail, heading N.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 0.2 miBear left onto Grassy Cove Top, heading N.
- 50 ftBear left, heading N.
- 50 ftReach Grassy Cove Top, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 50 ftBear right, heading NE.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Ivestor Gap Trail, heading NE.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto Art Loeb Trail, heading W.
- 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 S.
- 1.6 miContinue straight onto Art Loeb Spur Trail, heading SE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Ivestor Gap Trail, heading SE.
- 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
88% dirt12% 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 2.1 mi in (~55 min). Leave by 6:41 PM for the 7:56 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:07 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Ivestor Gap Trail Trailhead
- Black Balsam Knob–Black Balsam Summit Viewpoint Loop, 4 sights 2.2 mi · ▲ 402 ft
- Silvermine Bald & Art Loeb Spur Trail via Ivestor Gap Trail 3.6 mi · ▲ 644 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
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Hikes near Big East Fork, North Carolina