If you’re ready for some exercise, we’ve got the spot for you. The Park features six different hiking trails, ranging in difficulty from easy-to-moderate to moderate-to-strenuous. Some lead to 404-foot Hickory Nut Falls; others lead through the woods through old growth forests, dazzling displays of wildflowers and interesting rock formations. The Great Woodland Adventure features fun, whimsical sculptures of some of the animals that call the Park home. Guided bird and wildflower hikes are just a few that are offered throughout the season. The Park, a Natural Heritage Area, is located 25 miles SE of Asheville in scenic Hickory Nut Gorge. Open all year. Live it up!
Hiking & Backpacking
Find the best hikes in Asheville, NC and Western North Carolina including detailed trail maps, guides, shops, and trail descriptions.
A 427-acre facility with a Visitor Education Center, state-of-the-art greenhouses, beautiful gardens, and walking trails. Surrounded by lush folds of the botanically diverse Southern Appalachian Mountains, The North Carolina Arboretum is adjacent to the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway, at Milepost 393, and is nestled in one of the most beautiful natural settings in America. Please note that the Arboretum recently increased its personal vehicle parking fee to $14 in order to help sustain new and future upgrades at the Arboretum and also create more job opportunities. Also, commercial vehicle parking is $50, bus parking is $100, and the first Tuesday of each month is half off personal vehicle parking.
Nearly 500,000 acres of protected forest, featuring hundreds of miles hiking, biking, and horse trails, waterfalls, and beautiful mountaintop views.
This is a historical site and interpretive center in Pisgah National Forest near Brevard. The Cradle of Forestry is a beautiful place to visit any day of the week.
There are a few places in the world that still stand apart from the ordinary. Rising more than a mile high, surrounded by the gentle mist of low-hanging clouds, Mount Mitchell State Park is one of these extraordinary places.
One of America’s finest driving routes, following the Blue Ridge Mountains from Virginia to the Great Smoky Mountains.
This is a great hike outside the Little Creek Community in Madison County. From the top of this mountain you can see the Great Smoky Mountains and the Foothills of East Tennessee. There is a large open area that is great for flying kites.
AppalachianTrail.com offers extensive information relating to the longest hiking-only trail in the world. Thousands of AT trail hikers have shared their advice, photos and stories for others. From various wildlife you might encounter on the Trail – to the best movies featuring the AT – we have it covered. You can read other hiker’s stories, discover the highest peaks, famous places and attractions on the Appalachian Trail, and research communities along the way. We strive to be your all-everything reference when planning your AT hike and learning about the history of the trail.
Authentic general store featuring quality goods, traditional clothing and custom fit shoes. Since 1883, Mast General Store has been outfitting the Appalachians with traditional mercantile goods, comfortable clothing, rugged footwear and quality outdoor gear for all mountain seasons. Discover for yourself why….. some times are just too good to leave behind, and why it is a simple pleasure to just browse throughout the store.
The newest addition to North Carolina’s state parks is right here in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Gorges State Park has over 80 inches of rain a year making it a temperate rain forest. The plunging waterfalls, rugged river gorges, sheer rock walls, and concentration of rare and unique species makes this a wonderful park to visit.
This historic site consists of a 22 room house, barns, sheds, rolling pastures, walking trails, two small lakes, ponds, flower and vegetable gardens, and an orchard. This is where Carl Sandburg felt the peace and solitude he required to write.
Whatever your needs, Carolina Mornings has you covered with the finest vacation homes and cabin rentals in and near Asheville – whether it’s a mountain chalet, an upscale log cabin, an elegant downtown loft or a Biltmore Village condo. Be showered with free activities and concierge services from Carolina Mornings. Cabins sleep up to 10 guests, and many are pet-friendly! An exclusive offer from Carolina Mornings: all rentals also receive FREE Biltmore Estate admission, guided river rafting, golfing, downtown tours, and more with each stay!
This national scenic trail begins in Georgia and stretches across 2,144 miles of Appalachian Mountain ridge lines to end in Maine. Along the way, it traverses the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and parts of Western North Carolina. For more information on the trail, and day hike suggestions, contact the Appalachian Trail Conference.
The Asheville Urban Trail creates a living, historic walking tour of Asheville: a museum without walls, that illustrates and highlights the city’s heritage. “The remarkable abundance and survival of much of the city’s turn-of-the-century architecture has set the decorative tone for the rebirth of the downtown area. And the visual beauty and intricate detail of the architecture style found here is not only a feast for the eyes, but also stands as a visual reminder of the remarkable, creative history of the city and of the dynamic and talented individuals who first chose Asheville as home.” Along the Urban Trail the history of the city and of its people is represented in story and art.