Upper Courthouse Falls–Lower Chestnut Falls, 7 sights
16.1 mi · ▲ 4,519 ft · 7 hr 38 min
Upper Courthouse Falls–Lower Chestnut Falls, 7 sights is a 16.1-mile out-and-back near Balsam Grove, NC. The route passes Lower Chestnut Falls before reaching Upper Courthouse Falls at the turnaround, 8.1 miles in. It climbs 4,519 ft, with sections as steep as 33% grade. It scores 74/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Upper Courthouse Falls–Lower Chestnut Falls, 7 sights
16.1 mi · ▲ 4,519 ft · 7 hr 38 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
- Start on Art Loeb Trail, heading W.
- 2.4 miContinue straight onto Deep Gap Road, heading N.
- 500 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 250 ftTurn right onto Art Loeb Trail, heading NW.
- 0.9 miContinue straight onto Kiesee Creek, heading NW.
- 2.7 miPass Lower Chestnut Falls.
- 50 ftBear left onto Kiesee Creek Road, heading S.
- 0.8 miSharp right onto Courthouse Creek Road, heading W.
- 1.2 miReach Upper Courthouse Falls, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 1.2 miSharp left onto Kiesee Creek Road, heading SW.
- 0.8 miBear right onto Kiesee Creek, heading NE.
- 2.7 miContinue straight onto Art Loeb Trail, heading E.
- 0.9 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 250 ftTurn right onto Deep Gap Road, heading SE.
- 500 ftContinue straight onto Art Loeb Trail, heading W.
- 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 surface
Weather
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 8:57 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
More from Art Loeb Trail Trailhead
- Lower Pilot Mountain Road & Pilot Mountain Road via Art Loeb Trail 2.8 mi · ▲ 582 ft
- Art Loeb Trail 4.9 mi · ▲ 2,355 ft
- Laurel Fork Falls–Middle Pilot Mountain Road, 3 sights 4.9 mi · ▲ 1,020 ft
- Lower Chestnut Falls–Art Loeb Trail, 5 sights 13.8 mi · ▲ 4,140 ft
- Rich Mountain–Kagle Mountain Road, 3 summits 15.7 mi · ▲ 2,813 ft
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