Reinhart Knob

Overview

Reinhart Knob is one the forty 6,000+ foot summits in the southern Appalachians recognized by the Carolina Mountain Club’s “South Beyond 6,000” peak-bagging quest. It is located in the Great Balsam mountains just off of the Blue Ridge Parkway southwest of Asheville, North Carolina. Reinhart Knob is just one of ten “sixers” located within this “V-shaped” mountain range.
Reinhart Knob from Beartrail Ridge Gap is an unforgiving and frustrating bushwhack through blackberry thickets and a tangled maze of rotting blow-down. The net rise from Beartrail Ridge Gap is only 242 ft., however, don’t underestimate this mountain. The extremely dense forest will assuredly slow your progress and make for a nice route-finding bushwhack adventure.
For the most part, the only people who attempt this mountain are “peak-baggers” attempting to complete the “South Beyond 6,000” requirements. Solitude is the name of the game on this seemingly impenetrable forest. Chances are you will not see another soul on Reinhart Knob.
The summit is obvious because it is less dense than the surrounding area & consists of a series of boulders. There is no manmade summit marker. The summit boulders are the most obvious landmark on the highpoint. There are no views from the summit other than those of the balsam forest and dense undergrowth of blackberry thickets and blow-down that carpets the mountain.
The origins of Reinhart Knob’s name remain a mystery. All that is known is that the mountain showed up under its current name on geographer Arnold Guyot’s early maps of the Great Balsams.

Getting There

From Knoxville, TN

Take I- 40 East toward Asheville, NC
Exit N.C. hwy. 276 toward Dellwood N.C.
From Dellwood, turn onto hwy 19 toward Maggie Valley
Go through Maggie Valley, following hwy. 19 to the Blue Ridge Parkway
Turn onto the BRP going north toward Asheville, N.C.
You will pass Waterrock Knob and Richland Balsam (the highest point on the BRP-6,047 ft.) After you pass Richland Balsam start looking for Beartrail Ridge Gap (mile 430.4). Park at Beartrail Ridge Gap.

Red Tape

Parking at Beartrail Ridge Gap is free

Dogs are allowed in the backcountry but they are supposed to be leashed

Camping

There is no backcountry camping available on or near this mountain except for maybe on the summit itself. However, I would not advise trying to lug a pack through the dese foliage.

Your best bet is to camp at one of the fee camping area in the area. these include: Balsam Mountain, Mt Pisgah, & Davidson River Rec. Area

Images

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