Some of the most breathtaking mountain views in all of the Southeast can be reached by as little as a one-mile round trip hike. Sweeping views surround you on every side. Hiking the Art Loeb Trail is a completely unique experience when compared to other hikes in the area. The mountain tops are devoid of trees that would normally obstruct the view.
What to Expect Driving In
The drive to the trail requires you to drive up the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway. If you are coming from the Knoxville area like we were you will have the option to drive on the parkway for about 20 miles. I recommend making sure you have enough gas to make it. Once you are on the Blue Ridge Parkway gas stations get hard to find. The drive is the perfect opener to the hike. We have been on the Blue Ridge Parkway a few times, but not this section. We quickly realized why everyone loves the parkway so much.
As you drive down the winding road the amazing view will switch from one side of the road to the other. You can even stop at the highest point on the Blue Ridge Parkway, which is 6,053 feet. The pull off offers great views and a sign that seemed very popular for pictures.
The side road that takes you to the trailhead is very narrow. The bushes that line the road are overgrown and take up a good deal of the road. It makes you think that the road must not be heavily trafficked. That was an incorrect assumption on our trip. Two trails start from the same road. The first trailhead was made noticeable due to the all the parked cars lining the road.
The top parking lot is large but still could not fit all the visitors. We were lucky to snag a parking spot as someone was leaving. This parking lot offers a trail map and some more information about the trails. They also have a “bathroom” which may be a stretch for the term. You are able to relieve yourself though.
What to Expect Hiking
You have a few options when it comes to the hike. You can hike up the Art Loeb Trail to Black Balsam Knob. It is only about half a mile to reach the first bald. The option we picked though was to start from the top parking lot and take the Ivestor Gap Trail and the Art Loeb Trail to create a five-mile loop. You only hike on Investor Gap before taking the first side trail on the right named the Art Loeb Spur.
The spur trail is was a little bit harder than we expected. The trail was heavily rutted and had some very tall steps. Some almost seemed impossible for LaBre to step up on but she was able to make it through. Shortly after starting the spur you will come to a Y intersection. At the intersection, you will want to take a right to continue towards the Art Loeb Trail. Shortly after the Y, you come up to a large rock that you can climb on and take in a great view.
Soon the trail opens up onto the Bald and you have made it to the Art Loeb Trail. When the two trails meet you will want to turn right to head towards Black Balsam Knob. The veins from the trail are spectacular on their own. As you continue up the trail you will start to climb higher. When you reach Black Balsam you will be on more large rocks. They used to have a plaque, but sadly all that remains is the spot on the rock where it used to be.
After you have spent some time soaking in the amazing views it is time to continue on to Tennent Mountain. The trail starts to become more technical. You will go down for a little while. Then you will start to climb up to the top of Tennent Mountain. As you head to the next peak you have two options. You can go left or right at a Y. Both come back together eventually so the choice is yours. We decided to take the right and made it through the trail with relative ease. The climb is surprisingly easy. The climb ends at 6,040 feet. We did feel the altitude some, but we were able to adapt quickly. You are actually higher than the surrounding mountains and feel as if you are standing in the clouds.
The descent from Tennet is very interesting. As you descend you enter the vast fields of blueberry and blackberry bushes. In a few places, the trail begins to close in on you. The trail is still very rocky in this section making the trail a little more difficult. Randomly the trail will open up and show you the view it is hiding. Then all the sudden you will duck back into the thick bushes. It continues this way for a while before cutting back to the left and descending faster.
When you begin to descend the trail opens up a little. While the trail is wider it is one of the more wooded areas of the park. Many roots are exposed and make climbing down a little tricky. Soon you will make it back to the Ivestor Gap Trail. When you reach this trail turn to the right and it will be a straight shot back to the parking area.
The Ivestor Gap Trail is a relatively flat trail. It is about the same length as the portion of the Art Loeb trail you just hiked but takes a fraction of the time. Many natural springs flow out of the side of the mountain and run out into the road. Some of the springs have PVC directing the water. The water often was flowing like a garden hose. Some of the springs are not directed and flood the whole road. We had not had any rain before we did the hike but a few sections of the trail were still flooded. We were able to rock hop and keep our shoes from getting wet. Before too long you will walk past the start of the Art Loeb Spur and right back into the parking lot you started in.
What to Expect the Drive Out
We expected to drive out the same as we came in, but our GPS had other plans. Shortly after turning right back onto the Blue Ridge Parkway we took a side road to the right. This road leads us down the mountain through the forest. After driving for a while a river came into view on the right side of the road.
While following the river we saw a few waterfalls coming down the mountain on the left. The river also runs into Lake Logan. The lake surprised us all and was extremely beautiful. We were hopeful we could come back another time and visit the lake, but with a little research, we found that it is a private lake. You can visit the lake, but it is a 35 dollar fee for a half day of fishing.
Soon we ended up in the small town of Canton. The town had some really interesting old buildings but seemed a little dead. It looked like it had one restaurant and a few shops. Sadly the town was completely empty. The plant, however, was huge and looked to be in full operation.
After leaving Canton, it is time to hop back on the interstate and head home.
Thing to Remember
The trail offers little to no overhead coverage for the majority of the trail. You will definitely want to bring sunscreen. It is also recommended to wear bug spray because at the time the bugs can be pretty bad. We wore our bug spray (Avon Skin So Soft Bug Guard) and had no problems.
Weather and the time of year play a large role in what the trail is like. We hiked the trail at the beginning of September. The temperature in Knoxville was in the high 80s. The temperature on the trail did not get above 70. If the trail is hot I have to image it is miserable due to the lack of shade. We were also lucky that it was a clear day so the view seemed to go on for miles. The trail would definitely not seem as spectacular on a day where the view is diminished.
The trail has a few tough sections, but they seem doable by most people. We encountered many different people on the trail and everyone seemed to be doing fine. We had ages from teens to forties in our group and we all made it through will no issues. If you worry you may have problems, I recommend staying on the Art Loeb Trail and going as far as you feel comfortable. Then you can turn around and head straight back to your car.
The trail is extremely popular due to how great the view is and the ease of access to the first bald. We got to the trailhead at about 11 and the parking lot was already packed with cars. Most people turn around at Black Balsam Knob, so if you continue up the trail the crowd drops drastically. We had plenty of time to ourselves once we made it to Tennent Mountain.
The trail is far from any restaurants so be sure to take a snack. Water is a good option too. If you hike the full 5-mile loop, you are likely to spend a few hours on the trail.
We cannot recommend this hike enough. Through all the hikes we have done, we have never seen views like this. The only signs of civilization you see are the roads used to bring you to the trailhead. Since the trail is so far away from everything else there’s very little light pollution. Making it a popular destination for people to star gaze on clear nights.
Thanks so much for taking the time to read!
Do have questions about the hike or anything else? Please never hesitate to ask, we would love to hear from you!
Don’t forget to check us out on social media! We are on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and Youtube. For more posts about adventures, click here! Again, thank you for reading! God Bless!
