Cat Gap Loop Trail Map

Route map of the Cat Gap Loop Trail as tracked by the Gaia GPS app and depicted a la Google Earth...

Cat Gap Loop Trail Map

Route map of the Cat Gap Loop Trail as tracked by the Gaia GPS app...

Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education -- 2,340'

The Cat Gap Loop trail departs the large parking lot at the Pisgah Hatchery from two different points...its southwest corner (straight ahead in this shot, to the left of the building) and also from the east end of the lot, which is out of frame to the left...

Cat Gap Loop Trail East Trailhead -- 2,340'

The Cat Gap Loop trail departs the large parking lot from two different points...its southwest corner and here, at its east end, which we'll start this album off at to travel the loop in a clockwise direction...

Cat Gap Loop Trail East Trailhead -- 2,340'

The Cat Gap Loop as it leaves the east end of the parking lot, alongside a pretty split rail fence...

Davidson River -- 2,340'

The loop starts out right alongside the banks of the Davidson River...

Cat Gap Loop Trail -- 2,340'

This first portion of the loop is all but completely flat as it twists along the broad floodplain of the Davidson River...

Cat Gap Loop Trail -- 2,340'

Along yet another split rail fence as the trail now begins to turn away from the river slightly...

Cat Gap Loop Trail -- 2,340'

Just over 1/10-mile into the hike the trail reaches this short but very interesting little bridge across Cedar Rock Creek...

Cedar Rock Creek -- 2,340'

Looking downstream from the bridge...this is the same creek which, later on in the album, the waterfalls the trail passes close to will be located (though a good distance farther upstream)....

Cat Gap Loop Trail -- 2,350'

After crossing Cedar Rock Creek the trail becomes much more confined than it has been up to this point...

Davidson River -- 2,350'

A few breaks in the surrounding rhodo provided some nice views of the Davidson River along this stretch...

Cat Gap Loop Trail -- 2,350'

Popular in the summertime, a couple of large campsites are located along this stretch of the trail as well...

Cat Gap Loop Trail -- 2,340'

Passing through a small cathedral of young trees...

Cat Gap Loop Trail -- 2,340'

Helpful little bridges help across tiny runoff tributaries...

Cat Gap Loop Trail -- 2,330'

The trail by now leaves the Davidson River behind and enters the lower reaches of Horse Cove...

Cat Gap Loop Trail -- 2,370'

Tiny Horse Cove Creek pulls right up alongside the trail here...

Cat Gap Loop Trail -- 2,400'

As the path nears the crossing of Horse Cove Creek the terrain gets quite uneven and wet...

Cat Gap Loop Trail @ Horse Cove Creek -- 2,420'

At just under a mile from the east trailhead the loop reaches its crossing of Horse Cove Creek. This is rarely a problematic crossing but, at normal levels, you at least have to step carefully to avoid a wet foot (the levels seen here are lower than normal)...

Cat Gap Loop Trail @ Horse Cove Creek -- 2,420'

Looking back, just under a mile from the east trailhead, where the loop reaches its crossing of Horse Cove Creek. This is rarely a problematic crossing but, at normal levels, you at least have to step carefully to avoid a wet foot (the levels seen here are lower than normal)...

Cat Gap Loop Trail -- 2,440'

Moving south from the crossing the trail now begins to climb more noticeably, quickly jumping across Forest Service Road 475C and continuing up Horse Cove...

Cat Gap Loop Trail -- 2,460'

Overlooking the lower reaches of beautiful Horse Cove as the Cat Gap Loop begins its way up the valley....

Cat Gap Loop Trail -- 2,480'

As opposed to the flat start to the loop, the grade here is much more challenging....

Cat Gap Loop Trail -- 2,500'

The surrounding forest here in Horse Cove is beautiful to experience...

Cat Gap Loop Trail -- 2,520'

At times the trails surroundings press in a bit but this is the exception along this stretch, not the rule...

Cat Gap Loop Trail -- 2,550'

Ever upward through the stately cove forest...

Cat Gap Loop/John Rock Trail Lower Junction -- 2,600'

A quarter-mile above the crossing of Horse Cove Creek (1 1/4-mile from the trailhead) the loop reaches a Y-junction where the John Rock Trail breaks right. Most people turn here for the climb up and over John Rock and its spectacular cliffs...

Cat Gap Loop Trail -- 2,620'

Continuing south past the John Rock Trail, the climb up the valley continues unabated...

Cat Gap Loop Trail -- 2,650'

The grade grows ever steeper now, with a few parts of the climb sporting log steps...

Cat Gap Loop Trail -- 2,700'

The Cat Gap Loop as it continues its climb up Horse Cove...

Cat Gap Loop Trail -- 2,730'

Horse Cove narrows and becomes deeper its upper end is reached...

Cat Gap Loop Trail -- 2,800'

Mist in the treetops always sets a nice mood...

Cat Gap Loop Trail -- 2,850'

The green tunnel...

Cat Gap Loop Trail -- 2,900'

About 4/10-mile above the junction with the John Rock Trail, the Cat Gap Loop makes a hard right to begin its steep climb up to the ridge extending south from John Rock...

Cat Gap Loop Trail -- 2,930'

This is by far the steepest the trail has yet been...immediately after making the turn in the previous shot...

Cat Gap Loop Trail -- 2,960'

Looking behind gives another perspective on the grade along this stretch...

Cat Gap Loop Trail -- 3,000'

The trail was now seeking out the gap in the ridge that extends south from John Rock...

Cat Gap Loop Trail -- 3,070'

The Cat Gap Loop as it nears Horse Cove Gap, south of John Rock, from the east...

Cat Gap Loop/Cat Gap Bypass/John Rock Trail Upper Junction -- 3,100'

This massive dirt opening marks Horse Cove Gap, to the south of John Rock, where three busy trails converge. This is how the gap looks arriving from the east. To the right (out of frame) is the upper end of the John Rock Trail. Straight ahead is the Cat Gap Bypass Trail which, as its name implies, bypasses the extended climb up to Cat Gap by the main Loop. The Cat Gap Loop itself, and the direction the album heads from here, is to the left (south) past the stake and large stump...

Cat Gap Loop/Cat Gap Bypass/John Rock Trail Upper Junction -- 3,100'

The Cat Gap Loop Trail as it departs south, between the trail sign and this large stump, at Horse Cove Gap...

Cat Gap Loop Trail -- 3,120'

Immediately after departing the gap south, the loop continues its steep climb...

Cat Gap Loop Trail -- 3,180'

The surroundings quickly open up once again...

Cat Gap Loop Trail -- 3,220'

Entering the cloud forest...

Cat Gap Loop Trail -- 3,250'

The trail now was turning to angle up the side of the ridge leading to Cat Gap...only a short distance away at this point...

Cat Gap Loop Trail -- 3,270'

Looking down the adjacent slope...

Cat Gap Loop Trail -- 3,290'

The slope the trail cuts across becomes increasingly steep as it nears Cat Gap...

Cat Gap Loop Trail -- 3,320'

Into the rhododendron again on final approach to Cat Gap...

Cat Gap Loop/Art Loeb Trail Junction (Cat Gap) -- 3,350'

Suddenly flat ground appears ahead...the east end of Cat Gap where the Art Loeb Trail joins on the left...