Sam Knob Summit Trail (#617A)
Read More
Route map of the Sam Knob Summit Trail as tracked by the Gaia GPS app and depicted a la Google Earth...
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...