[at-l] Pisgah National Forest ; Art Lobe and Mtns to Sea.

[Slyatpct at aol.com (Slyatpct@aol.com)]

In a message dated 6/26/2005 8:37:39 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
tfort@jam.rr.com writes:

> Are those safe places to park?   According to my maps, that would add an 
> additional 10.5 mile day?  An easy day hike. :-)  Can you camp near the Boy 
> Scout area?   That might be a bit odd.  
> 

I've parked overnight at all three spots and didn't have any or know of no 
problems.  

Heading north, the first four miles are rated as moderate, the next three 
strenuous and final four from Deep Gap, all dowhill.  Once you drop off the ridge 
near Cold Mountain I don't think there's any good place to camp (ruling out 
the BS camp) but I wasn't looking either.  It's a pretty short drive from the 
Boy Scout camp back to the split near Black Balsam Knob where there's parking 
and camping nearby.  Lots of it is open balds, with great views.   It's also 
"wildereness" so it's not marked but fairly easy to follow.  Depending on which 
way you do the loop, which is well blazed, from Davidson River to the Parkway 
will be strenous, the other half and the connector (MST) easy to moderate.   
You should be able to do it all in a week.

Sly