Backpacking info for MTS and areas around

[stomparound85]

Can anyone give me some good advice as to how the backpacking is around the shining rock area on the MTS trail and the art loeb or just in that area. As well as in pisgah all the way down to the Davidson River campground? Can you make five days out in this area is there plenty of water and camping? Is it overcrowded? any advice would help. thanks.

[Tennessee Viking]

Can anyone give me some good advice as to how the backpacking is around the shining rock area on the MTS trail and the art loeb or just in that area. As well as in pisgah all the way down to the Davidson River campground? Can you make five days out in this area is there plenty of water and camping? Is it overcrowded? any advice would help. thanks.

I have only hiked around Graveyard Fields. There is plenty of water in that area since it has a number of waterfalls. But you can contact the Pisgah Ranger station near Brevard to get current water info. Getting into July, the berries and wildflowers should be out.

The Art Loeb is a good weekend trip. You will defnitely run into weekend hikers and day hikers. But its not real crowded. It has open balds, 6000 foot summits, and the historic Cold Mountain. The last couple years water has been a little hard. But latest rains have helped a bit. The trail goes from Davidson River Campground to Boys Scout camp near Waynesville. If you are needing a shuttle, its a little pricy, so you will need some friends. There are some shelters on the Art Loeb and connecting trails.

I would defnitely bring a map. You will need to know Pisgah & Parkway boundaries. Camping is prohibited on parkway property. That is pretty much just the trail from Graveyard to NC and through Asheville.

But there is Pisgah Inn along the Parkway and a couple parkway campgrounds. So you can get a shower and gourmet dinner at the Pisgah.

You may also want to PM Taba. He just finished a detailed trail guide to the MST. Water sources and camping.