Here is a list of all trails in the Black Balsam Trailhead area. The trail is further graced with ferns, rhododendron, wild blueberries, and wildflowers. Sat, Jul 28, 2012, 9:30 AM: How about a nice Saturday afternoon hike up to Black Balsam and Tennent Mountain for some blueberry picking. Tackle the 9.8-mile lollipop loop in a day or stretch it into a leisurely overnight with one of the many prime campsites around Ivestor Gap. The Black Latvian cocktail is a drink made from a base of Riga Black Balsam Blackcurrant. Starting Point: On Black Balsam Rd. at milepost 420 off the Blue Ridge Parkway. This trail is extremely popular, especially in summer during the height of blueberry season (mid to late August) and fall. Black Balsam Knob and neighboring Graveyard Fields offer, to me, some of the most diverse and scenic hiking terrain to be found anywhere in the Southern Appalachians. . Hike in tent camping is allowed on Black Balsam Knob. Blueberries abound in season. After descending Black Balsam Knob, the trail passes through rolling hills with grassy expanses, stands of balsam, fir, and mountain laurel. Both raw and smoked fish is popular to eat in Latvia. Asheville, NC: Black Balsam Knob via Graveyard Fields This ridge-country classic swings from the Blue Ridge Parkway through the Graveyard Fields en route to Black Balsam Knob and Tennent Mountain. Short, high-elevation hardwood forest near the bottom, then heath balds and grassy areas near the top. Black Balsam Knob: the hike. Starts at the Flat Laurel Creek trail and travels to the summit of Sam Knob.

Barrel by barrel botanicals are infused in the spirit-water; a mix to create a so-called "Riga Black Balsam essence". Just a couple miles further, Black Balsam Road branches off to the right, offering a pair of parking areas, each with various trails available that lead to patches of berry thickets. Black pepper, dill, grains, and seed are also common to use in Latvian food. Located adjacent to the Blue Ridge Parkway south of Asheville a mere 20-miles from my home these two spots are a … From here, you can continue on the Art Loeb Trail until it meets the Ivestor Gap Trail, which will loop back to Black Balsam Knob Road (a little north of where you parked) for a 5-mile total hike. Access in winter is possible via the Flat Laurel Creek trail off of road 215. Trail Traffic: We encountered eight other hikers on the Black Balsam section and no others on the Chestnut Bald section. This trail is extremely popular, especially in summer during the height of blueberry … The adventure begins at the Art Loeb Trailhead, located just off the Blue Ridge Parkway at milepost 420 (view maps and driving directions).The hike ventures northbound from the road, trekking through tall grasses and diving into a grove of balsam … Also in the Sam Knob area and Art Loeb Trail in Pisgah National Forest. Hike Length: 6 miles Hike Duration: 3.5 hours Hike Rating: Easy Blaze: White Elevation Gain: 900 feet Hike Configuration: Out and back, each way. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be … The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, nature trips, and bird watching and is best used from March until October. Here the trees have a hard time re-establishing themselves once cleared by fire or man, due to soil conditions, weather, or

This hike is rated as moderate with just a couple short strenuous climbs (click on elevation profile photo for details) and is expected to be approximately 5 miles.

We climbed Black Balsam Knob again on this last trip and I think it is still my favorite hike simply because it is beautiful. Shining Rock Loop from Black Balsam Road is a 18.2 mile moderately trafficked loop trail located near Canton, North Carolina that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate. I don't think it'll be worth going to Graveyard fields on a weekend in August for the blueberries.

Black Balsam Knob Road, the easiest road to access a cornucopia of blueberries off the Blue Ridge Parkway in the Balsam Range, will be closed this year starting Sept. 2, according to the … Park on the road and hike 1/2 mile to get to the hill. Also in the Sam Knob area and Art Loeb Trail in Pisgah National Forest.

You will feel elixir’s fruity aroma and its special taste with every sip. Pisgah National Forest: Black Balsam Knob - See 643 traveler reviews, 409 candid photos, and great deals for Pisgah Forest, NC, at Tripadvisor. Goodbye, Black Balsam . . Riga Black Balsam is carefully prepared in oak barrels, which allow its characteristic strength and the slightly bitter-sweet taste to develop. I can’t get enough of the Blue Ridge Parkway that runs through North Carolina and over to Eastern Tennessee. From here, you can continue on the Art Loeb Trail until it meets the Ivestor Gap Trail, which will loop back to Black Balsam Knob Road (a little north of where you parked) for a 5-mile total hike. The parking lot spills out and cars park on the grass for a couple hundred yards up and down the parkway.