Butter Gap Trail Map

Route map for the Butter Gap Trail as tracked by the Gaia GPS app and depicted a la Google Earth...

Butter Gap Trail Map

Route map for the Butter Gap Trail as tracked by the Gaia GPS app...

Butter Gap/Art Loeb Trail West Junction -- 3,320'

This is the western junction of the Art Loeb and Butter Gap Trails. The Art Loeb goes right here and the Butter Gap goes left. They come back together, as you'll see, in another quarter-mile at Butter Gap itself. Somewhat confusing but, for the purposes of this album...this is the southern terminus of the Butter Gap Trail...

Butter Gap Trail -- 3,300'

From its western junction with the Art Loeb, the Butter Gap Trail starts a gradual descent along and just below the north side of the ridge...

Butter Gap/Art Loeb Trail East Junction (Butter Gap) -- 3,300'

A quarter-mile from the western junction the trail reaches its eastern junction with the Art Loeb Trail, at Butter Gap itself...

Butter Gap/Art Loeb Trail East Junction (Butter Gap) -- 3,300'

At Butter Gap the Butter Gap Trail goes left (north), out of frame here. The Art Loeb arrives on the right and turns straight ahead in this shot. The path on the left, I believe, is an unofficial trail which heads up towards Cedar Rock...

Butter Gap/Art Loeb Trail East Junction (Butter Gap) -- 3,300'

The Butter Gap Trail as it departs Butter Gap, heading north...

Butter Gap Trail -- 3,200'

Leaving Butter Gap the trail now begins a moderately steep descent above a narrow ravine...

Butter Gap Trail -- 3,150'

Before long the trail makes a hop across the uppermost waters of Grogan Creek...

Butter Gap Trail -- 3,120'

On this nice stretch the trail closely follows the yet-tiny creek under a low canopy of rhododendron...

Butter Gap Trail -- 3,080'

In a couple spots, bare rock could force a slow down in wet or icy conditions...

Butter Gap Trail -- 3,020'

A typical Pisgah forest scene...hills covered in hardwoods with a thick blanket of rhododendron underneath...

Butter Gap Trail -- 2,950'

Hopping another small tributary of Grogan Creek...

Butter Gap Trail -- 2,900'

Here the trail passes through an old grove of now-dead hemlocks...a sad but common sight in these parts...

Butter Gap Trail -- 2,860'

Pushing through the dog hobble and rhodo...

Butter Gap Trail -- 2,840'

Another quick rock-hop...

Butter Gap Trail -- 2,820'

The lower the trail gets, the more the pines start to fill in the canopy overhead...

Butter Gap Trail -- 2,820'

There are numerous bent and broken trees to be seen along this stretch...caused by a recent winter storm (when this shot was taken), the forest will no doubt recover quickly...

Butter Gap Trail -- 2,800'

Passing through a stately grove of pines...

Butter Gap Trail -- 2,780'

As the trail approaches Grogan Creek Falls from the north its surroundings begin to fill in with rhododendron...

Butter Gap Trail -- 2,760'

Cutting through the rhododendron...

Butter Gap Trail -- 2,740'

The trail passes this nice, large campsite just north of Gragan Creek Falls...

Butter Gap Trail @ Grogan Creek Falls -- 2,720'

Though there's no sign marking the scramble path down to the falls, you can see the cascade through the trees so if you're paying attention it's hard to miss...

Grogan Creek Falls -- 2,700'

Grogan Creek Falls, at 20' high, has to be one of the most underrated waterfalls in the area. It's small, yes, but I still feel its one of the more aesthetically pleasing cascades I've ever seen...

Grogan Creek Falls -- 2,700'

Grogan Creek Falls, at 20' high, has to be one of the most underrated waterfalls in the area. It's small, yes, but I still feel its one of the more aesthetically pleasing cascades I've ever seen...

Butter Gap Trail @ Grogan Creek Falls -- 2,720'

This shot looks down the short scramble path to the base of the falls. Since you can see the falls through the shrubs it is, like I said before, a hard spot to miss if you're passing by...

Butter Gap Trail -- 2,700'

Continuing north from Grogan Creek Falls on the Butter Gap Trail...

Butter Gap/Long Branch Trail Junction -- 2,680'

Only about 1/3 mile below the falls the Butter Gap Trail meets the Long Branch Trail at a well-signed junction. The Long Branch Trail turns west here while the Butter Gap Trail continues north...

Butter Gap/Long Branch Trail Junction -- 2,680'

Only about 1/3 mile below the falls the Butter Gap Trail meets the Long Branch Trail at a well-signed junction. The Long Branch Trail turns west here while the Butter Gap Trail continues north...

Butter Gap Trail -- 2,660'

The Butter Gap Trail continues north from the junction under thick cover of rhododendron...

Butter Gap Trail -- 2,640'

The trail is mostly flat along this stretch which means it can be a bit muddy in spots...

Butter Gap Trail -- 2,620'

Arriving alongside Grogan Creek again for a short while, the trail undulates along the top of the bank through the rhodo's...

Butter Gap Trail -- 2,600'

Nearing its northern terminus, the Butter Gap Trail enters a large grassy area which I've heard was once known as Picklesimer Fields...

Butter Gap Trail -- 2,590'

Just before reaching the true northern end of the trail this wooden trail sign is passed. The true end of the trail is just through the pines ahead at the junction with the Cat Gap Loop...

Butter Gap/Cat Gap Loop Trail Junction -- 2,590'

The Cat Gap Loop/Butter Gap Trail junction...or, the northern terminus of the Butter Gap Trail. On the right here is a long rock ledge, while the Butter Gap Trail starts straight ahead ...