AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Lower Chestnut Falls–Art Loeb Trail, 5 sights

13.8 mi · ▲ 4,140 ft · 6 hr 40 min

Lower Chestnut Falls–Art Loeb Trail, 5 sights is a 13.8-mile out-and-back near Balsam Grove, NC. The route reaches Lower Chestnut Falls. It climbs 4,140 ft, with sections as steep as 33% grade. It scores 75/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi3,255 – 5,079 ft · steepest grade: 33%14.0 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Art Loeb Trail 35.26590, -82.84691
Nearest town Balsam Grove, NC
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Lower Chestnut Falls–Art Loeb Trail, 5 sights

13.8 mi · ▲ 4,140 ft · 6 hr 40 min

Elevation 3,255–5,079 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: Art Loeb Trail · 35.26590, -82.84691

Weather Sep 4: Partly cloudy, high 85°F / low 67° · precip 19% · wind 4 mph · sunrise 7:07 AM · sunset 7:56 PM

  1. Start on Art Loeb Trail, heading W.
  2. 2.4 miContinue straight onto Deep Gap Road, heading N.
  3. 500 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  4. 250 ftTurn right onto Art Loeb Trail, heading NW.
  5. 0.9 miContinue straight onto Kiesee Creek, heading NW.
  6. 2.7 miPass Lower Chestnut Falls.
  7. 50 ftSharp right onto Chestnut Ridge Road, heading S.
  8. 0.8 miReach Lower Chestnut Falls, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  9. 0.8 miSharp left onto Kiesee Creek, heading SE.
  10. 2.7 miContinue straight onto Art Loeb Trail, heading E.
  11. 0.9 miTurn left, heading SE.
  12. 250 ftTurn right onto Deep Gap Road, heading W.
  13. 500 ftContinue straight onto Art Loeb Trail, heading S.
  14. 2.4 miArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/lower-chestnut-falls-art-loeb-trail-out-back-5-sights

Trail surface

47% dirt53% unspecified

Weather

Partly cloudyTemperature 85°F67°
Precip19%Wind4 mphUV7Humidity75%
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°69° 17%
Sun 82°64° 61%
Mon 69°63° 42%
Tue 75°58°
Wed 82°59°
Thu 86°63°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.9 mi in (~99 min). Leave by 5:57 PM for the 7:56 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:56 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

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