Sycamore Cove Loop Trail Map

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

Sycamore Cove Loop Trail Map

Sycamore Cove Loop North Trailhead (US-276) -- 2,160'

This is the northern trailhead for the Sycamore Cove Loop Trail along US-276. As you can see here there really isn't much space to park if one wanted to start the hike from the highway. There is a pulloff on the opposite side big enough for a few cars but that's likely to fill quickly on a busy weekend. Your best bet is to start at the nearby Art Loeb Trailhead and follow the Art Loeb to a short connector path which will bring you to the highway directly across from this spot...

Sycamore Cove Loop North Trailhead (US-276) -- 2,160'

Starting the Sycamore Cove Loop Trail, seen departing its north trailhead on U.S. 276...

Sycamore Cove Loop Trail -- 2,160'

The loop begins by following this small meandering tributary...

Sycamore Cove Loop Trail -- 2,160'

Passing through a wet area at its start, the trail keeps hikers dry by crossing a couple handy boardwalks...

Sycamore Cove Loop Trail -- 2,160'

Turning up into the woods, away from the flat wetlands...

Sycamore Cove Loop Trail -- 2,160'

The trail as it turns away form the highway and up into the hills...

Sycamore Cove Loop Trail -- 2,200'

The trail gains elevation quickly at first, with a few glimpses down through the trees to what might be ranger residences near the U.S.F.S. visitor center...

Sycamore Cove Loop Trail -- 2,200'

Entering the valley of Starens Branch...

Sycamore Cove Loop Trail -- 2,220'

There are some impressively tall pines along this early part of the loop...

Sycamore Cove Loop Trail -- 2,240'

Ruins of some kind...possibly an old well...sit alongside the trail...

Sycamore Cove Loop Trail -- 2,250'

The valley has a typical look for this part of the mountains, with hardwoods towering above a thick understory of mixed rhododendron and other shrubs...

Sycamore Cove Loop Trail -- 2,250'

This interesting concrete pillar sits alongside the trail as it pulls up alongside the creek. I wonder about its story...

Sycamore Cove Loop Trail -- 2,260'

Arriving at the trails lower crossing of Starens Branch...

Sycamore Cove Loop Trail -- 2,260'

A simple log bridge carries the trail across tiny Starens Branch...

Starens Branch -- 2,260'

Just above the crossing is this tiny, but incredibly scenic, unnamed cascade...

Sycamore Cove Loop Trail -- 2,280'

Looking back down at the lower crossing of Starens Branch as the trail starts to climb again. The cascade from the previous shot is hidden beneath the rhodo on the left...

Sycamore Cove Loop/Starens Branch Trail Junction -- 2,300'

Just beyond the crossing the trail switches back steeply, up to its junction with the the unofficial-yet-marked Starens Branch Trail...

Sycamore Cove Loop/Starens Branch Trail Junction -- 2,300'

The Sycamore Cove Loop at the junction with the unofficial-yet-marked Starens Branch Trail. The trail arrives on the right and continues by switching back on the left to continue the loop...

Sycamore Cove Loop Trail -- 2,340'

Resuming the climb up along the side of the valley...

Sycamore Cove Loop Trail -- 2,380'

The huge skeletons of dead hemlocks are a common and sad sight along this part of the trail...

Sycamore Cove Loop Trail -- 2,400'

Looking back down and across the valley...

Sycamore Cove Loop Trail -- 2,420'

As you can see the trail has gained a bit of elevation above the creek at this point. You can hear it far below but, for the most part, it remains hidden by a thick blanket of rhododendron...

Sycamore Cove Loop Trail -- 2,450'

The trail as it nears the head of the valley...

Sycamore Cove Loop Trail -- 2,480'

The trail as it now turns to make its upper crossing of Starens Branch, through a thick tangle of rhododendron...

Starens Branch -- 2,480'

As tiny as it is below, Starens Branch is at times barely more than a trickle this high up the valley...

Sycamore Cove Loop Trail -- 2,480'

Looking back at the upper crossing of Starens Branch...

Sycamore Cove Loop Trail -- 2,500'

Looking down the valley of Starens Branch from just beyond the upper crossing...

Sycamore Cove Loop Trail -- 2,540'

Just beyond the upper crossing the trail enters a broad drainage dominated by pines...

Sycamore Cove Loop Trail -- 2,580'

The switch from hardwoods to conifers is quite sudden and pretty...

Sycamore Cove Loop/Grassy Road Trail Junction -- 2,620'

The Sycamore Loop now reaches its junction with the Grassy Road Trail...which also marks the extreme upper point in the valley which the loop climbs. The Sycamore Loop here makes a sharp right...

Sycamore Cove Loop/Grassy Road Trail Junction -- 2,620'

Making the right-hand turn to stay on the Sycamore Cove Loop at its upper junction with the Grassy Road Trail...

Sycamore Cove Loop Trail -- 2,650'

Passing through a pretty laurel arch...

Sycamore Cove Loop Trail -- 2,680'

The trail continues to climb a bit longer, but only gradually, as it now turns to follow along the side of the ridge...

Sycamore Cove Loop Trail -- 2,720'

You can always count on the local beech population to help drag out the foliage season...far beyond what the rest of the trees in the forest can...

Sycamore Cove Loop Trail -- 2,750'

As the trail rounds this bend in the ridge it reaches its high point...it's all downhill from here...

Sycamore Cove Loop Trail -- 2,650'

A bit of hill cane begins to line the trail as it begins its very gradual and winding descent along the ridge...

Sycamore Cove Loop Trail -- 2,600'

Some of the small coves along this stretch were thickly carpeted in hill cane making for many beautiful scenes like this...

Sycamore Cove Loop Trail -- 2,580'

There isn't much of interest to see along this stretch, as the trail alternates between surroundings of thick rhododendron and open forest...

Sycamore Cove Loop Trail -- 2,550'

Winding downward ever so gradually along the ridge...

Sycamore Cove Loop Trail -- 2,520'

At times the canopy thins just enough to provide some fleeting views of the surrounding hills...

Sycamore Cove Loop Trail -- 2,500'

Still tunneling through the rhodo...

Sycamore Cove Loop Trail -- 2,480'

At this point the trail is now descending into the narrow valley to the west of Johnson Mountain (seen rising across the way). This is the valley which the trail will now follow back down to the highway to complete its loop...

Sycamore Cove Loop Trail -- 2,440'

The trail as it switches back steeply down to the floor of the valley beneath Johnson Mountain...

Sycamore Cove Loop Trail -- 2,440'

A tiny unnamed tributary flows through the valley...the trail will now follow this little stream quite closely from here on out...

Sycamore Cove Loop Trail -- 2,400'

Between this point and the highway the trail makes no less than six crossings of this little stream. This is the first and uppermost crossing...

Sycamore Cove Loop Trail -- 2,360'

It's striking how pretty this little valley is. Nothing spectacular, just...nice...