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United States

North Carolina

Haywood County

Shining Rock Summit – Cold Mountain loop from Black Balsam Knob

Routes

Hiking trails & Routes

United States

North Carolina

Haywood County

Shining Rock Summit – Cold Mountain loop from Black Balsam Knob

Hard

4.8

(3986)

9,804

hikers

Shining Rock Summit – Cold Mountain loop from Black Balsam Knob

08:37

28.4km

900m

Hiking

Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: May 27, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through protected areas

Please check local regulations for:

Shining Rock Wilderness

Pisgah National Forest

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

Get Directions

3.65 km

Shining Rock Wilderness Entrance

Highlight • Trail

Shining Rock is the largest wilderness area in North Carolina. Many mountains in the Wilderness are higher than 5,000 feet, and three peaks are higher than 6,000 feet. The trailhead is located at the crossing of several hiking trails.

Tip by

4.99 km

Grassy Cove Top

Highlight • Summit

6.29 km

Flower Knob

Highlight • Summit

7.55 km

Shining Rock Summit

Highlight • Summit

The summit of Shining rock is a bit brushy, with paths wending their ways to various spots. Several good tent and hammock campsites are about 0.25 miles back toward the …

Tip by

9.51 km

Stairs Mountain

Highlight • Summit

14.7 km

Cold Mountain

Highlight • Summit

Cold Mountain stands at 6,030 feet in the protection of the Shining Rock Wilderness in Pisgah National Forest. This mountain summit is not an easy one to bag, but it's …

Tip by

28.4 km

End point

Parking

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

20.7 km

7.47 km

136 m

< 100 m

Surfaces

15.4 km

12.5 km

338 m

136 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Highest point (1,820 m)

Lowest point (1,520 m)

Weather

Wednesday 12 August

23°C

15°C

-- %

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Comments

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Shining Rock Summit – Cold Mountain loop from Black Balsam Knob

Shining Rock Wilderness Entrance

Grassy Cove Top

Flower Knob

Shining Rock Summit

Stairs Mountain

Cold Mountain

Nearby routes

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