Route map of the Pilot Cove Loop Trail as tracked by the Gaia GPS app and depicted a la Google Earth...
Pilot Cove Loop Trail Map
Route map of the Pilot Cove Loop Trail as tracked by the Gaia GPS app...
Pilot Cove Loop/Pilot Cove-Slate Rock Trail Upper Junction -- 3,820'
The upper terminus of the Pilot Cove Loop Trail (left) as seen arriving from the north on the Pilot Cove-Slate Rock Trail...
Pilot Cove Loop/Pilot Cove-Slate Rock Trail Upper Junction -- 3,820'
The the Pilot Cove Loop Trail as seen departing its north terminus at the Pilot Cove-Slate Rock Trail...
Pilot Cove Loop Trail -- 3,880'
The trail starts out by immediately making a moderate, but short-lived, climb...
Pilot Cove Loop Trail -- 3,930'
Atop the ridge mountain laurels take over for rhododendron, with small patches of waxy-green galax beneath...
Pilot Cove Loop Trail -- 3,970'
Where the laurel is more dense, nothing but moss can grow beneath...
Pilot Cove Loop Trail -- 3,950'
Things now flatten out a bit as the trail travels the crest of the ridge...
Pilot Cove Loop Trail -- 3,900'
Continuing on through the laurel...
Pilot Cove Loop Trail -- 3,870'
More galax, laurel, and moss...
Pilot Cove Loop Trail -- 3,820'
No doubt this is a spectacular stretch of trail when the white and pink laurel blooms arrive in spring...
Pilot Cove Loop Trail -- 3,800'
The trail starts to descend slightly as it approaches the gap just to the north of Slate Rock...
Pilot Cove Loop Trail -- 3,750'
If you look close through the leaves of the laurel on the right you'll see Slate Rock...
Pilot Cove Loop Trail -- 3,720'
The trail now drops to a shallow gap, just to the north of Slate Rock, via a quick series of switchbacks...
Pilot Cove Loop Trail -- 3,700'
Entering the laurel-choked gap just north of Slate Rock...
Pilot Cove Loop Trail -- 3,720'
A visible opening at the end of the tunnel...this is the trail as it arrives at Slate Rock from the north...
Pilot Cove Loop Trail @ Slate Rock -- 3,740'
Suddenly the trail bursts forth from the laurel onto the open ledges of Slate Rock where, almost impossibly it seems, large pine grow straight from the granite surface...
Slate Rock -- 3,720'
Stepping out onto the north side of Slate Rock another familiar landmark greets you from across the valley...Pilot Rock...
Slate Rock -- 3,720'
A panoramic view from Slate Rock looking across the adjacent valley in the direction of Pilot Rock. The ridge the trail traveled to arrive here is on the right...
Slate Rock -- 3,720'
The tenacity of life always amazes me on these open ledges...
Slate Rock -- 3,720'
A panorama from Slate Rock looking across towards Pilot Rock...
Slate Rock -- 3,720'
Another look across to Pilot Rock...
Slate Rock -- 3,720'
Wandering over to see the views from the more west-facing side of Slate Rock...
Slate Rock -- 3,720'
Funneltop Mountain (4,265') rises across the valley to the southwest...
Slate Rock -- 3,720'
Looking due west the view extends directly down the broad high-elevation valley known as the Pink Beds...
Slate Rock -- 3,720'
The panorama from the west-facing cliffs of Slate Rock...
Slate Rock -- 3,720'
It's always amazing to see the various shapes eons of runoff have carved in the faces of these open cliffs...
Slate Rock -- 3,720'
One last zoomed-in look across to Pilot Rock. The high ridge seen rising in the distance is that of Shining Rock (6,000'+)...
Pilot Cove Loop Trail @ Slate Rock -- 3,740'
To return to the trail go back to where you arrived at the summit and look for the trail entering the laurels on a 90-degree turn...
Pilot Cove Loop Trail @ Slate Rock -- 3,740'
Pick up the trail again by making a left (in relation to where you arrived at Slate Rock) up into the surrounding laurels...
Pilot Cove Loop Trail -- 3,750'
The trail remains on a fairly level grade as it begins to follow the ridge south from Slate Rock...
Pilot Cove Loop Trail -- 3,700'
Soon the descent begins, though only gradually at first...
Pilot Cove Loop Trail -- 3,620'
As elevation is lost the laurels began to thin and hardwoods once again began to dominate...
Pilot Cove Loop Trail -- 3,700'
Reaching the shallow gap in the ridge just to the south of Slate Rock...
Pilot Cove Loop Trail -- 3,600'
One last gradual ascent before the final drop off the ridge...
Pilot Cove Loop Trail -- 3,500'
The closer the trail gets to the south end of the ridge the more its rate of descent increases...
Pilot Cove Loop Trail -- 3,400'
Turning in a more northerly direction now as the trail begins the steepest part of its descent...
Pilot Cove Loop Trail -- 3,300'
The northerly track provides fleeting glimpses of the high peaks rising just in that direction...
Pilot Cove Loop Trail -- 3,250'
A few quick switchbacks help with the final drop to the valley...
Pilot Cove Loop Trail -- 3,200'
Nearing he lower/eastern terminus of the Pilot Cove Loop Trail...
Pilot Cove Loop/Pilot Cove-Slate Rock Trail Lower Junction -- 3,150'
The lower/eastern terminus of the Pilot Cove Loop is here, at its lower junction with the Pilot Cove-Slate Rock Trail. Heading left (east) here will get you to Yellow Gap Road in 2/10-mile...
Pilot Cove Loop/Pilot Cove-Slate Rock Trail Lower Junction -- 3,150'
The lower/eastern terminus of the Pilot Cove Loop is seen here (right), at its lower junction with the Pilot Cove-Slate Rock Trail (left). Heading east here (behind this shot) will get you to Yellow Gap Road in 2/10-mile.