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COLD MOUNTAIN
LOCATION:  Western North Carolina
HIKE STARTS:  Little East Fork Rd (SR 1129)
HIKE ENDS:  Little East Fork Rd (SR 1129)
TOTAL DISTANCE:  10.4 Miles
HIKE TYPE:  In and Out, Backtrack Hike
HIKE DIFFICULTY:  Difficult
TRAILS USED:  Art Loeb, Cold Mountain Trails
TRAIL TRAFFIC:  Light to Moderate
TRIP TYPE:  Day or Overnight Hike
MANAGEMENT:  Pisgah National Forest

HIGHLIGHTS:   Cold Mountain at 6,030 feet is located in The Shining Rock Wilderness and is one of five peaks in this section of the Pisgah National Forest that rises over 6,000 feet.  If you have seen the movie or read the 1997 best selling novel by Charles Frazier then you may be one of the many hikers that have flocked to this area in the last few years.  Prior to this, only hunters and hard-core hikers spent much time on the mountain.  The 10.4-mile round-trip hike to Cold Mountain is a steep and strenuous route with sections of unmarked trail and and an elevation gain of 2,800 feet from the Art Loeb trailhead at the Daniel Boone Scout Camp (SR 1129) to the summit. Sorrell Creek, a cold, clear mountain stream, is about two miles into the hike and is a nice place to take a break.    

Note: This section of the Blue Ridge Parkway is closed for much of the winter depending on the weather, usually November through March. During these months, you can call 828-298-0398 for weather and road closure information. Even when the Parkway is closed, the Cold Mountain overlook is accessible from U.S. 276 exchange.
 

MORE DETAILS

bullet click to see trail photos from this hike:  January 6, 2004*
bullet click to view a detailed trip report:  January 6, 2004* (password required) 
bullet click to view maps:  area map, detailed map (password required), profile map, Topozone map
bulletclick to view some recent news articles:  December 25, 2003 (password required)
bulletclick for the Southeastern Destinations discussion forum
bulletclick to access the guidebook North Carolina Hiking Trails which has details on this destination
bulletclick for other North Carolina hiking and backpacking books
bulletclick for other hikes in the Shining Rock Wilderness
bulletnote, the * indicates these items are not linked but coming soon


 
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