Grassy Cove Top–Art Loeb Trail Loop, 5 sights is a 10.1-mile loop in Shining Rock Wilderness near Big East Fork, NC. The route reaches Grassy Cove Top. It climbs 2,372 ft, with sections as steep as 29% grade. It scores 54/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
0 mi3,967 – 6,037 ft · steepest grade: 29%10.4 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Mountains-to-Sea Connector 35.32231, -82.82818
Nearest town Big East Fork, NC
Directions
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Grassy Cove Top–Art Loeb Trail Loop, 5 sights
10.1 mi · ▲ 2,372 ft · 4 hr 33 min
Elevation 3,968–6,037 ft
Loop · Shining Rock Wilderness
Trailhead: Mountains-to-Sea Connector · 35.32231, -82.82818
Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 78°F / low 65° · precip 18% · wind 5 mph · sunrise 7:07 AM · sunset 7:56 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Mountains-to-Sea Connector, heading NW.
- 250 ftTurn right, heading NE.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Mountains-to-Sea Trail, heading NE.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Bridges Camp Gap Trail, heading N.
- 1.1 miSharp left onto Greasy Cove Trail, heading W.
- 2.7 miTurn right onto Art Loeb Trail, heading NW.
- 0.2 miSharp left onto Grassy Cove Top, heading SW.
- 350 ftPass Grassy Cove Top.
- 150 ftBear right, heading SE.
- 0.2 miSharp right onto Art Loeb Trail, heading SW.
- 100 ftSharp left onto Graveyard Ridge Trail, heading SW.
- 1.9 miContinue straight onto Mountains-to-Sea Trail, heading S.
- 3.5 miContinue straight onto Mountains-to-Sea Connector, heading SE.
- 50 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
57% dirt43% unspecified
Weather
OvercastTemperature 78°F65°
Precip18%Wind5 mphUV7Humidity76%
Rained 0.2″ 4 days ago (0.4″ over the last week)
Hourly temperatureRain chance
80°65°
Sunrise 7:07 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 7:56 PM
Sat
82°68°
Sun
77°60°
60%
Mon
65°59°
39%
Tue
71°54°
Wed
78°55°
Thu
82°58°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 4.2 mi in (~162 min). Leave by 4:54 PM for the 7:56 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:10 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Mountains-to-Sea Connector Trailhead
- View Cherry Cove (MP 415.7) via Mountains-to-Sea Trail 2.5 mi · ▲ 621 ft
- Bridges Camp Gap Trail via Mountains-to-Sea Trail 2.7 mi · ▲ 473 ft
- Lower Falls Viewpoint via Mountains-to-Sea Trail 4 mi · ▲ 986 ft
- Second Falls via Mountains-to-Sea Trail 4 mi · ▲ 952 ft
- Mountains-to-Sea Trail 6.9 mi · ▲ 1,441 ft
- Big East Fork Trail & Bridges Camp Gap Trail 9.6 mi · ▲ 1,334 ft
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Hikes near Big East Fork, North Carolina