Laurel Fork Falls–Rich Mountain, 4 sights
9.9 mi · ▲ 2,121 ft · 4 hr 22 min
Laurel Fork Falls–Rich Mountain, 4 sights is a 9.9-mile out-and-back near Balsam Grove, NC. The route passes Rich Mountain and Laurel Fork Falls. It climbs 2,121 ft, with sections as steep as 17% grade. It scores 88/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
0 mi3,022 – 4,488 ft · steepest grade: 17%10.1 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Catheys Creek Road 35.24976, -82.82175
Nearest town Balsam Grove, NC
Directions
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Laurel Fork Falls–Rich Mountain, 4 sights
9.9 mi · ▲ 2,121 ft · 4 hr 22 min
Elevation 3,023–4,487 ft
Out & Back
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
- Start on Catheys Creek Road, heading N.
- 1.5 miContinue straight onto Art Loeb Trail, heading NW.
- 0.2 miPass Rich Mountain.
- 0.9 miBear right onto Pilot Mountain Road, heading NW.
- 0.8 miPass Laurel Fork Falls.
- 0.7 miTurn right onto Upper Pilot Mountain Road, heading W.
- 0.8 miReach Laurel Fork Falls, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.8 miTurn left onto Pilot Mountain Road, heading SE.
- 1.5 miBear left onto Art Loeb Trail, heading E.
- 1.1 miContinue straight onto Catheys Creek Road, heading SE.
- 1.4 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
30% gravel22% dirt48% unspecified
Weather
Partly cloudyTemperature 85°F68°
Precip19%Wind3 mphUV7Humidity79%
Hourly temperatureRain chance
85°65°
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
- Butter Gap–Cedar Rock Mountain Trail, 3 sights 2.3 mi · ▲ 466 ft
- 471A & Worm Hole via Catheys Creek Road 3.3 mi · ▲ 380 ft
- Rich Mountain via Art Loeb Trail 3.3 mi · ▲ 512 ft
- Low Gap Road–Searcy Connector, 3 sights 3.4 mi · ▲ 584 ft
- Long Loeb LWO via Catheys Creek Road 3.6 mi · ▲ 419 ft
- 471C via Catheys Creek Road 3.9 mi · ▲ 314 ft
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