Rich Mountain–Horse Cove, 7 saddles
14.7 mi · ▲ 3,724 ft · 6 hr 46 min
Rich Mountain–Horse Cove, 7 saddles is a 14.7-mile out-and-back near Laurel Falls, NC. The route passes Horse Cove, Cat Gap, Sandy Gap and Low Gap before reaching Rich Mountain at the turnaround, 7.3 miles in. It climbs 3,724 ft, with sections as steep as 26% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 88/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Rich Mountain–Horse Cove, 7 saddles
14.7 mi · ▲ 3,724 ft · 6 hr 46 min
Elevation 2,322–3,707 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: Cat Gap Loop · 35.28433, -82.79055
Weather Sep 5: Overcast, high 90°F / low 71° · precip 14% · wind 1 mph · sunrise 7:07 AM · sunset 7:54 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Cat Gap Loop, heading E.
- 0.9 miTurn right, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Cat Gap Loop Trail, heading S.
- 0.2 miPass Horse Cove.
- 0.9 miPass Cat Gap.
- 200 ftBear left onto Art Loeb Trail, heading SW.
- 0.5 miPass Sandy Gap.
- 2.1 miContinue straight onto Searcy Connector, heading W.
- 50 ftBear right onto Art Loeb Trail, heading W.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Searcy Connector, heading NW.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto Art Loeb Trail, heading NW.
- 350 ftPass Low Gap.
- 200 ftContinue straight onto Searcy Connector, heading NE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Art Loeb Trail, heading NE.
- 2.4 miReach Rich Mountain, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 2.4 miContinue straight onto Searcy Connector, heading S.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Art Loeb Trail, heading S.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Searcy Connector, heading SE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Art Loeb Trail, heading SE.
- 0.2 miBear left onto Searcy Connector, heading SW.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Art Loeb Trail, heading SW.
- 2.6 miBear right onto Cat Gap Loop Trail, heading NE.
- 1.1 miTurn right, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Cat Gap Loop, heading N.
- 0.8 miBear right, heading W.
- 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
Weather
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Cat Gap Loop Trailhead
- Upper Cedar Rock Falls via Cat Gap Loop Trail 1.4 mi · ▲ 235 ft
- Horse Cove–Cat Gap Loop Trail, 3 sights 2.3 mi · ▲ 252 ft
- Butter Gap Trail 2.5 mi · ▲ 297 ft
- Cat Gap Loop 3.7 mi · ▲ 247 ft
- Cedar Rock Falls–Horse Cove Loop, 4 sights 4.4 mi · ▲ 828 ft
- Cedar Rock Mountain–Horse Cove, 7 sights 5.8 mi · ▲ 1,799 ft
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