Activities
The trail sees many hikers taking advantage of the trail's proximity to the Blue Ridge Parkway and Asheville, in addition to literary enthusiasts exploring Cold Mountain. Hikers around in the northern part of the trail in the Shining Rock Wilderness should be prepared, as the trails are not marked, and there are no signs.
South of Ivestor Gap the trail is outside of the Shining Rock Wilderness, and contains blazes and signs to help with navigation. The trail also shares with the Mountains-to-Sea Trail for a short stretch in the Silvermine Bald area. There are also several side trails that connect to the Art Loeb, including the optional climb up Cold Mountain.
Challenges for the hiker include steep ascents and descents, exposed hiking on high Appalachian Balds, and few water supply points.
To complete the entire trail, most guides recommend either three or four days. There are several backcountry camp spots throughout the trail, with primitive shelters at Deep Gap and Butter Gap.
Starting in 2001, an adventure run of the entire trail is held on the Winter Solstice.
Read more about this topic: Art Loeb Trail
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