Art Loeb Trail H2O sources

[allmebloominlife]

Got a group of 4 doing the Art Loeb Trail April 6-9. Any information on reliable/semi reliable water sources would be great. Thanks and happy trails!!

[Rain Man]

I did it in two different sections. No real problem with water at all. I purchased the Tim Homan "Hiking the Shining Rock & Middle Prong Wilderness" guide book and spoke with the Davidson River ranger's office, which was very helpful. The Goldsmith & Hamrick "The Best Hikes of Pisgah National Forest" was a good book too, though none of them alone covered the entire ALT.

We did do the Cold Mountain spur and got water from a piped spring on the way back down, which helped with the north end of the ALT.

https://www.hikewnc.info/trailheads/pisgah-national-forest/long-distance/art-loeb-trail/

[Gambit McCrae]

Did the whole trail back in February. When starting at the BSA end of the trail, its a real good climb up to for the first 6 miles or so. On the first 3 miles or so there is water everywhere. Then you kinda plane off and walk a "laurel covered" kinda section where there was running water.
Night 1 we camped at Black Balsam RD and there is a a marked spring on the map at the intersection of the MST however it was not real great while we were there. After you start your drop down after black balsam rd you cross the BRP, and once you get to the bottom of that climb and walk somewhat of a usfs road for .25 miles there is a very nice spring that goes under the road. Very good water here. Butters gap had water and lots of water after that until you start climbing up again. Then it is pretty dry till Davidson. All the water I filtered except for at that USFS had a very very bad taste. Worste water flavor I have ever had. smelled bad too. But it was wet.