This hike has my vote for the premier hike in North Carolina. The Art Loeb Trail leads from the Black Balsam Mountain parking area over 4 peaks above 6000 feet to Shining Rock Mountain. This is one of the largest areas of open bald in the NC mountains.
I noticed in each of the gaps I passed through along this hike the soil would become very sandy. Very strange.
Tennent Mountain from the unnamed gap between it and Black Balsam.
Heading up the rocky summit of Tennent Mountain.
Looking back at the ridge I just descended off Black Balsam Knob.
The colorful view east, down into the Yellowstone Prong Valley.
Approaching the rocky summit of Tennent Mountain.
Another view of the Great Balsam Mountains on the way up Tennent Mountain.
The summit plaque on Tennent Mountain with mountains stretching away to the south.
"Knob" is just not an appropriate description for Black Balsam, as seen in this view from Tennent Mountain. It is just massive, only about half of the summit massif is pictured here. The Graveyard Ridge Trail can be seen 1000' below to the left.
The sprawling summit ridge of Black Balsam Knob rises beyond the summit rocks of Tennent Mountain.
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