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.
Looking down into the Dark Prong of the East Prong of the Pigeon River...got that?
Looking north across Ivestor Gap to the next 6000 footer, Grassy Cove Top.
Looking down the rocky Ivestor Ridge. The trail makes a hard left towards Ivestor Gap not far from here.
An interesting boulder that lies in the trail just before it turns left down to Ivestor Gap.
Grassy Cove Top from the unnamed gap just to the north of Tennent Mt.
The Art Loeb and Ivestor Gap Trails breifly join before the Art Loeb crosses this unnamed hill along the ridge.
Looking back up at the rocky summit of Tennent Mountain from the point where the Art Loeb Trail turns sharply north towards Ivestor Gap.
The Art Loeb Trail passes through a dense grove of Fir trees as makes its final descent to Ivestor Gap.
Some backpackers had staked out a very scenic campsite in Ivestor Gap.
Ivestor Gap - This wooden fence marks the trails entrance into Shining Rock Wilderness.
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