Hike Cold Mountain

Ten-Mile Trail Leads to Summit of Famous Mountain

One of 13 mountains in Haywood County that exceed elevations of 6,000 feet, Cold Mountain is most recognizable now for its name, thanks to Charles Frazier's award-winning and best-selling novel and its subsequent Hollywood film adaptation starring Jude Law, Nicole Kidman and Renee Zellweger. Still in pristine condition because of its location within the Shining Rock Wildnessness Area of the Pisgah National Forest, hiking to the summit of Cold Mountain is tough but rewarding. The 10-mile Art Loeb Trail (the trailhead is located at the Daniel Boone Scout Camp off N.C. 215) is strenuous hike but the views at the summit are quite amazing.

Cold Mountain can also be viewed from the Blue Ridge Parkway, at the Milepost 412 overlook, near the U.S. 276 intersection. A hike to Mount Pisgah's summit (shorter and less difficult than the Cold Mountain hike) offers a great vista of Cold Mountain as well.


Here are some links with more information, details and photos about hiking to the summit of Cold Mountain and viewing the now famous mountain: RomanticAsheville.com, SummitPost.org, and SoutheastClimbing.com.

Check out the current view of Cold Mountain, provided by the U.S. Forest Service's Webcam.

Don't forget to take the Cold Mountain Heritage Tour during the summer (usually in late June or early July) and see the sites that inspired the author of the book, along with out historic and important sites. The Cold Mountain Heritage Tour, organized by the Bethel Rural Community Organization, celebrates and preserves the enormously rich heritage of the Bethel community and surrounding area. Historically, Bethel boasts its Indian heritage as well as its distinction as the location of the oldest settlement in Haywood County. This rural area is also fortunate to be the real home of “Inman” of Cold Mountain fame. The community, “Cold Mountain,” was essentially a fictionalized place that was named for a nearby mountain; actual events that happened in Inman’s life occurred in Bethel. Inman was born, lived, murdered, and buried in Bethel. Inman’s gravesite, the location of which has been quietly maintained since 1864 when he was killed, is featured on the tour.