Art Loeb Trail Thru-Hike

September 18-21, 2025

Join us for this 4 day, 31 mile backpacking trip on the rugged and scenic Art Loeb Trail.  The Art Loeb Trail is listed as one of the 33 Best Hikes in North America by National Geographic Adventure Magazine, and for good reason!  It is a beautiful, challenging hike traveling over grassy balds, up 6000ft peaks, along bubbling creeks, and through lush forests.  We'll hike the trail southbound from Daniel Boone Scout Camp to Davidson River Campground, tackling over 9,000ft of total elevation gain and 10,000ft of total elevation loss.  Because this trail is rugged and challenging at times, it is ideal for folks who have some previous backpacking experience.  Hikers who are already comfortable on trail or have a high level of physical fitness will find this to be an incredibly rewarding first backpacking trip! 

Fall weather in the mountains can be very difficult to predict, with temperatures at high elevation up to 20 degrees cooler than in Asheville. Participants signing up for this trip should be prepared for cold temperatures.

"The level of professionalism and attention to every detail is wonderful. This is a 5 star
company and we had a fantastic time." - N.Z., Private Art Loeb Trail Backpacking Trip

Cost:

$1075 per person
Payment Plans, Scholarships, and Sliding Scale Fees are available for all trips.  Please reach out to us at trips@blueridgehikingco.com for more information.

This trip will run if there are a minimum of 2 participants signed up.  The maximum group size is 6 participants.  If the trip minimum has not yet been met, we'll reach out to participants two weeks before the trip start date to discuss options.  If you are traveling in a party of 4 or more hikers, we encourage you to consider a private backpacking trip.  You can find more information about our private trip offerings by sending us an email.

In addition to your guide, this price includes backpacking gear, food while you're on trail, transportation between the meet-up location and the trailhead, and any necessary backcountry permits and fees. Price also includes access to a pre-trip Zoom call, where you can ask questions about your upcoming trip. It does not include personal items or gratuity for your guide.

Sign-Up Details:

In order to sign up for this trip, please go to our Trip Calendar and select the trip start date (September 18, 2025). You will find the trip listed there. 

Before the start of the trip, we will be in contact via email with an information packet and a form for you to fill out. This form includes a waiver, health form, and information about gear needs and dietary restrictions. Please complete and return this form at your earliest convenience. The information packet also includes an itinerary of your trip and a packing list.

Itinerary:

Trip meets at 8am on Thursday September 18 in Pisgah Forest, NC.

You will begin your day with a pack shakedown. Your guide will hand out your gear, go over necessary packing items, and discuss safety, weather, and logistics for the trip. They will walk you through how to properly pack your pack, and may look in detail at the items you've packed to make sure you're not carrying too many extra items. Around 11am, you will be shuttled to Daniel Boone Scout Camp, where you will begin your trip.

You'll hike approximately 31 miles over 4 days, ranging from 6 to 10 miles per day. The Art Loeb Trail is notoriously rugged, with challenging navigation through the Shining Rock Wilderness, unrelenting climbs and descents, and rocky terrain. The first half of your trip will be along the Balsam range, featuring 3 6,000ft peaks and some of the most iconic views in Western NC (including Cold Mountain and Black Balsam Knob). After you cross the Blue Ridge Parkway, you'll descend into rolling forested terrain for the second half of the trip. You'll finish your hike at Davidson River Campground.  

Hike generally finished around mid-afternoon on the last day. Itinerary is subject to change based on a variety of factors, including weather, trail conditions, and participants needs and abilities. Please inform the admin team or your guide ahead of time if you have a time constraint the last day of your trip.

Elevation profile created with Gaia GPS.
 

Trip Difficulty Rating:

Participants on this trip should have a minimum fitness level of 6 out of 10, and this trip is ideally suited for hikers with a fitness level of 7-8. This is an intermediate trip, meaning hikers should have some previous backpacking experience, and are very comfortable on trail. For more information about our difficulty and experience level ratings, please see our Trip Difficulty page.
 

Travel:

If you plan to fly, we recommend flying into the Asheville, NC airport. It is about a 20 minute drive or Uber ride south of downtown Asheville and 20 minutes east of Pisgah Forest where this trip meets. Other nearby airports are Charlotte, NC (about an hour and a half drive) and Greenville, SC (about an hour drive). A free shuttle is provided from downtown Asheville the morning of the trip. If you plan to drive or rent a car, free parking is available in either Asheville or Pisgah Forest for the duration of the trip.

There are many hotels to choose from in Asheville, which is about a 40 minute drive from our meetup location. Hotel options in Pisgah Forest, Brevard, and Hendersonville are also a short drive away.
 

Guide:

Your guide for this trip has not yet been determined. All of our guides have extensive backcountry experience and are passionate about sharing their knowledge with other people. All of our guides have Wilderness First Aid (or higher) and CPR certifications. 

What we Provide:

Food: BRHC provides all on-trail food. You will have the ability to choose your own food from our wide selection, and you will carry your own food during the trip. We do our best to cater to requests, though it is important to keep to lightweight foods appropriate for backpacking. If you have food allergies or dietary restrictions, please inform our team in your pre-trip paperwork.

Individual Use Gear: BRHC provides high quality, ultralight, cottage industry backpacking gear to make your experience as comfortable as possible.  We offer the following five pieces of gear at no additional cost:
Backpacks - We use a lightweight 60L pack. We will ask for your height and weight in order to fit the pack appropriately to you.
Tents - We provide a one-person tent, or and two-person tent if you are sharing with a partner or friend.
Sleeping Bags - We use a 20 degree synthetic sleeping bag with sleeping bag liners.
Sleeping Pads - We provide hikers with a closed-cell foam pad, for its excellent combination of weight and durability. Inflatable sleeping pads are available for an additional rental fee
Trekking Poles - These will provide you with some added stability while hiking, and may be used to set up your tent.

Community Gear: BRHC provides all community gear for the trip, including water filters, camping stoves and fuel, bowls, utensils and cups; trowels, toilet paper, and hand sanitizer; first aid kit; and navigational aids.
 

What to Bring:

We will send all participants a detailed packing list a few weeks before the trip. You are expected to bring your own clothing/footwear, a headlamp, two 1L water bottles (Nalgene or disposable Smart Water bottles are good options), personal medications/toiletries, and approved optional items. Generally, comfortable trail shoes are better than heavy hiking boots. Please pack synthetic or wool athletic clothing rather than cotton. Cotton does not dry quickly and will not keep you warm when wet. For most trips you will need only one outfit to hike in, one outfit to sleep in, a raincoat, and a warm layer. A beanie and lightweight gloves are appropriate in most seasons as temperatures cool down in the mountains at night. You will not need a new set of clean clothes for each day, make-up, hair products, scented products or deodorant. Just bring a toothbrush and toothpaste and enjoy going all natural for the trip!
 

Cancellation Policy:

Trip cost includes a 15% non-refundable administrative fee. Hikes may be cancelled up to 1 month before the trip for a refund (minus the 15% admin fee). Within 1 month, a 50% refund will be offered. Within 1 week, no refunds will be offered. If Blue Ridge Hiking Company cancels the trip due to severe weather, we'll offer a refund less the 15% admin fee. We are unable to offer exceptions to this policy; we strongly recommend all hikers purchase travel insurance to cover their trip.

Hikers may reschedule their trip once (at least 1 month before their trip) free of charge. Additional changes to their reservation date may result in a rescheduling fee.

We hike rain or shine! While it is incredibly rewarding, backpacking is an endurance sport, and it can be challenging and/or uncomfortable at times. Maintaining a positive mindset, even when it is uncomfortable, is key to enjoying your time in the wilderness. With our focus on lightweight gear, our goal is for your pack to weigh around 25lbs (or no more than 25% of your body weight).

If your guide does an exceptional job, please show your appreciation with a tip. Our team of highly trained professional guides never expects but always appreciates a tip. Industry standard gratuity for a guided backpacking trip is 20-25% of trip price.

If you have any questions regarding this trip, you can reach our office by phone at 828-713-5451 or by email at trips@blueridgehikingco.com.