Shining Rock Wilderness

BJett

BJett

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May 3, 2013
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Shining Rock Wilderness in North Carolina was included in the original 1964 Wilderness Act, and has since been expanded to 18,500 acres.
Located in the Pisgah Ranger District of NC, the Art Loeb National Recreation Trail is the highlight here. Section 3 of the Art Loeb goes up and over 6,000' summits and balds, and most of the trail in the Wilderness is above the treeline making for the most spectacular views in the southern Appalachians.
We did a 10 mile shuttle hike from the Black Balsam section of the Art Loeb to the Shining Rock Creek trailhead near the Big East Fork of the Pigeon River. A day hike from camp to 6000' Cold Mountain added another 9 miles.

Approaching 6,200' Black Balsam Mountain
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6000' Tennant Mountain
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Art Loeb section 3
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Morning light at Shining Rock Gap
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Camp trillium
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Jack in the Pulpit
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White quartz gives the area its name. On the trail to Deep Gap
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6000' Cold Mountain, the same Cold Mountain made famous in Charles Fraziers book (the movie was ok)...
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Stunning sunset from Shining Rock
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Wildflowers and waterfalls along Shining Creek
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Shining Rock Creek
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https://www.hikewnc.info/trailheads/shining-rock-wilderness/
 
Gorgeous views! I really love the clouds that you got to experience!
 
Love the morning light and sunset photos.
 
I've only been there once about 5 years ago. The number of dayhikers from the Blue Ridge Parkway was insane near Black Balsam Knob, it did not feel like wilderness at all. With that said, it is a beautiful area that I would like to revisit in the middle of the week.

Nice photos, thanks
 
wsp_scott said:
I've only been there once about 5 years ago. The number of dayhikers from the Blue Ridge Parkway was insane near Black Balsam Knob, it did not feel like wilderness at all. With that said, it is a beautiful area that I would like to revisit in the middle of the week.

Nice photos, thanks
Click to expand...


Avoid that place like the plague on weekends! Week days can still have crowds but much easier to get away after Black Balsam.
 
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