Sam Knob Summit Trail Map

Route map of the Sam Knob Summit Trail as tracked by the Gaia GPS app and depicted a la Google Earth...

Sam Knob Summit Trail Map

Route map of the Sam Knob Summit Trail as tracked by the Gaia GPS app...

Sam Knob Summit/Sam Knob Trail Junction -- 5,660'

The lower terminus of the Sam Knob Summit Trail is here, at its junction with the Sam Knob Trail alongside a large grassy field. The spot is about a half-mile west, via the Sam Knob Trail, from the parking lot at the end of Black Balsam Road...

Sam Knob Summit Trail -- 5,660'

Looking across the open field at the trails lower terminus, towards Black Balsam Knob (6,214')...

Sam Knob Summit Trail -- 5,670'

The forest immediately pushes in close as the trail begins its climb...

Sam Knob Summit Trail -- 5,700'

The popularity of Sam Knob as a hiking destination has, unfortunately, resulted in some rather unattractive stretches of trail...

Sam Knob Summit Trail -- 5,750'

Every so often the laurels give way to extensive groves of ragged yellow birch...

Sam Knob Summit Trail -- 5,780'

Switching back the trail now cuts through a dense laurel hedge...

Sam Knob Summit Trail -- 5,840'

This is probably the most challenging portion of the trail as it curves sharply upward through a number of large boulders...

Sam Knob Summit Trail -- 5,900'

This stairway is a welcome sight on the climb up Sam Knob as, above it, the eye-candy begins in earnest...

Sam Knob Summit Trail -- 5,920'

Looking back above the steps...Black Balsam Knob (6,214') rises just to the east...

Sam Knob Summit Trail -- 5,930'

Out in the open now, the view ahead includes Little Sam Knob (5,862') on the left and Mount Hardy (6,110') straight ahead...

Sam Knob Summit Trail -- 5,930'

A small outcrop just off the trail provides this awesome view of Black Balsam Knob (6,214')...

Sam Knob Summit Trail -- 5,930'

The full panorama from the small outcrop, just off the trail, on the south side of Sam Knob. Black Balsam Knob (6,214') is on the far left, Chestnut Bald (6,025') is one of the broad bumps on the ridge in the center, and Little Sam Knob (5,862') rises on the right...

Sam Knob Summit Trail -- 5,940'

Looking across the valley of Flat Laurel Creek, as the trail now rounds the south side of the summit ridge...

Sam Knob Summit Trail -- 5,950'

The trail climbs around to the west side of the summit via a few quick jumps up some large boulders...

Sam Knob Summit Trail -- 5,980'

The trail as it emerges onto the west side of the open summit ridge...

Sam Knob Summit Trail -- 5,990'

A few ledges, lying just below the South Summit, can be seen poking through the shrubs above...

Sam Knob Summit Trail -- 6,000'

The popularity of this trail is evidenced in deeply eroded cuts like you see here, where runoff has sliced deep into the fragile summit soil...

Sam Knob Summit Trail (North/South Summit Split) -- 6,020'

This lonely rhododendron marks the point where the trail splits, at the midway point between Sam Knob's twin summits. To the left is the North Summit and to the right is the South Summit...

Sam Knob Summit Trail (North Summit) -- 6,030'

Starting up the gentle grassy slope to the North Summit...

Sam Knob Summit Trail (North Summit) -- 6,040'

The trail passes this huge outcrop of snowy quartz, with its stunning view across to Fork Ridge, just before reaching the summit...

Sam Knob Summit Trail (North Summit) -- 6,040'

The trail as it curves its way up the last few feet to the North Summit...

Sam Knob (North Summit) -- 6,050'

Welcome to the north summit of Sam Knob...

Sam Knob (North Summit) -- 6,050'

The view from up here, looking down the deep gorge of the West Fork Pigeon River, is absolutely jaw-dropping...

Sam Knob (North Summit) -- 6,050'

The sweeping panorama north from the North Summit. On the left the Great Balsam Range rises dark and shrouded in clouds. The pointed peak rising below in the center is that of Birdstand Mountain (5,300'). On the left is the snowy Shining Rock Ridge...

Sam Knob (North Summit) -- 6,050'

The awesome panorama of the massive Shining Rock Ridge as seen from the east side of the summit. See the next pic for the same shot with major summits labeled...

Sam Knob (North Summit) -- 6,050'

Same as the last pic, just with the major summits of the Shining Rock Ridge labeled...

Sam Knob (North Summit) -- 6,050'

Heading back down the north side of the North Summit this wrinkled rock outcrop offers yet another stunning view...of the upper reaches of the West Prong Pigeon River Gorge and the peaks surrounding it...

Sam Knob (North Summit) -- 6,050'

The incredible panorama looking south and west. There are a bunch of peaks to be seen here...two of the most noticeable are Mount Hardy (6,110') in the center, Green Knob (5,892') along the nearest ridge on the right, and the dark summit of Richland Balsam (6,410') rising on the far right horizon...

Sam Knob Summit Trail (North Summit) -- 6,040'

Now we'll follow the trail over to the south summit , seen here at the opposite end of the ridge...

Sam Knob Summit Trail (North/South Summit Split) -- 6,020'

Back at the summit split rhododendron. To the right is the Sam Knob Trail, straight ahead is the route to the south summit...

Sam Knob Summit Trail (South Summit) -- 6,020'

The route up to the south summit is much more brushy than the spur up the north summit...

Sam Knob Summit Trail (South Summit) -- 6,030'

Things steepen a bit as the trail nears the top...

Sam Knob Summit Trail (South Summit) -- 6,040'

Approaching the summit rocks of Sam Knob's south summit...

Sam Knob (South Summit) -- 6,050'

Stepping out onto the grassy south summit of Sam Knob...

Sam Knob (South Summit) -- 6,050'

Looking across to Black Balsam Knob (6,214')...

Sam Knob (South Summit) -- 6,050'

Looking across the Flat Laurel Creek Valley...dead center is Chestnut Bald (6,025') with Devil's Courthouse (5,670') visible just below it to the right. Little Sam Knob (5,862') rises on the near right...

Sam Knob (South Summit) -- 6,050'

You can even make out the waters of Lake Keowee glistening, far to the south, beyond the dark summit of Devil's Courthouse...

Sam Knob (South Summit) -- 6,050'

The full 180-degree panorama seen from the south summit of Sam Knob...

Sam Knob (South Summit) -- 6,050'

A look over the upper reaches of the West Prong Pigeon River Gorge and the peaks surrounding it...

Sam Knob (South Summit) -- 6,050'

The panorama towards Fork Ridge from the South Summit. Richland Balsam (6,410') rises in the distance on the far right as well...

Sam Knob (South Summit) -- 6,050'

There is some debate over which, if either, of Sam Knob's summits is the highest. My GPS app usually puts the South Summit slightly higher but, officially, I believe they are both listed as equal...

Sam Knob (South Summit) -- 6,050'

The full western panorama, including the north summit (on the right)...

Sam Knob (South Summit) -- 6,050'

An open ledge hidden off the east side of the summit a favorite spot to sit and relax a bit before heading down. This, IMHO, is the finest view that Sam Knob has to offer...

Sam Knob (South Summit) -- 6,050'

Looking across to Black Balsam Knob (6,214'). The field where the lower terminus of the Sam Knob Summit Trail is located is seen at the lower right...

Sam Knob (South Summit) -- 6,050'

Looking across at the north summit, from the south summit end of the trail, with Richland Balsam (6,410') in the distance.