Some of the Art Loeb Trail is overlapped by the Mountains-to-the Sea Trail which is blazed with 3-inch white dots. Section 1 begins at the Davidson River and climbs steeply to Shut-in Ridge. Once up, don't expect that the hard part is over. This trail will take you up and down knobs, along ridges and down into several gaps. Blaze: White

Turn onto the road to Davidson River Campground, 0.2 mile south of Pisgah District Ranger Station on U.S. Highway 276. Park in the Art Loeb Trailhead parking lot. The other end of this section is at Gloucester Gap on FS Rd. 471, where overnight parking is not recommended.

The Art Loeb Trail, 30.1 miles long, is a national recreation trail and named after a local hiking enthusiast. The trail traverses beautiful, but rugged terrain from some of the lowest, to some of the highest points on the Pisgah District. Points of interest include ridgetop views, Cedar Rock Mountain and Butter Gap Shelter, where there is a spring.