Calendar of Events

Hit the trails and learn more about The North Carolina Arboretum’s botanically diverse forest with a guided trail walk! April through October, this free hiking program is led by trained volunteer guides who take small groups of participants along woodland trails and through a variety of forest types. Depending on the season and each guide’s area of expertise, topics of discussion may include wildflowers, plant and tree identification, natural history and more.

Guided trail walks are limited to 15 people, including the guide, and are not recommended for guests under 16 years of age. Groups depart from the Baker Visitor Center Lobby on Tuesdays at 1 p.m. and Saturdays at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m..

Walks last 1.5 – 2.5 hours, are approximately one to two miles in length. As this program is held rain or shine, all participants should dress appropriately for the weather.

There is no pre-registration; walks are first-come first served and sign up sheets are located in the Baker Visitors Center.

Walks are FREE; however, donations to The North Carolina Arboretum Society are appreciated. Regular parking fees apply. Arboretum Society Members always park free.

Know Before You Go

• Guided Trail Walks are not recommended for guests under 16 years of age.
• Guided Trail Walks are rain or shine and all participants should be dressed comfortably and for the weather.
• Hikes cover 1-2 miles and last 1.5-2 hours.
• Well-behaved leashed pets are welcome to accompany their owners. In the rare case that a pet is disruptive or negatively impacts the experience, the pet and its owner may be asked to excuse themselves from the guided walk.
• COVID-19 Safety: In order to hear the guide and fully participate in the trail walk, participants will be in close proximity to one another for extended periods of time. While face coverings are not required, participants should use their best judgement to keep themselves and others safe while enjoying the trails. Individuals who are experiencing flu-like symptoms or suspect they may have been exposed to COVID-19 should not participate.
• At this time, no more than 6 spaces may be filled by a single family/group through pre-registration for any one Guided Trail Walk. If additional spaces are available on the day of the Walk, additional members of the family/group may participate. We apologize for any inconvenience and look forward to welcoming larger groups in the future.

The 23nd Annual Asheville Turkey Trot 5K and Gobble Wobble 1 Mile Fun Run presented by Jus’ Running is Thanksgiving Day- Thursday, November 23, 2023. Portions of the proceeds will be donated to MANNA Food Bank. Early packet pickup will be Wednesday November 22 at “The Wedge At Foundation Cloud Room 5 Foundy St Asheville NC from 3:00 pm until 6 pm. There will be late registration there also. Keep in mind shirts aren’t guaranteed during late registration. Race day packet pick up will be at Pack Square Park from 7am until 8:30am. The race starts on Woodfin St in front of the Downtown YMCA and finishes at Pack Square Park. Please note, due to restrictions NO DOGS/ PETS are allowed. Please don’t bring them. The course is not completely closed so this is for safety purposes. Race timing will be provided by Right on Time Productions.

Don’t miss the 4th Annual Ugly Sweater Run 5K and 10K presented by Hunter Subaru! The race is set for Saturday, December 2nd at the Riveter in Fletcher, NC! Ugly Sweaters and holiday cheer are strongly encouraged!

Join iDaph Events for a festive 5K and 10K hosted by the Riveter, the nation’s premier indoor climbing gym, bike park, and wellness arena. The courses start at the Riveter and run along scenic and rural paved and farm roads, and return to the Riveter for even more merriment. There’ll be delicious food, drinks, and refreshments (including adult beverages and coffee), and plenty of activities including a premier bike park and a climbing wall.

The races include something for everyone! A 5k, and a 10k (double loop)! Everyone receives a free, cozy, ugly sweater shirt until the deadline, a Hunter Subaru swag bag, and a finisher Christmas ornament! All levels and abilities are welcome! Run a relaxed pace and take selfies, OR run your heart out and try to get a personal best!

WEDNESDAY HIKE
Asheville urban hike 5+ miles

Please join us for a brisk downtown hike! The planned route will include neighborhoods, wooded trail, and views of the city from the ridge. We planned this route with the lovely views and fall foliage in mind. 🍁🍂

Please remember to bring or wear a headlamp, bright colors, and reflective gear if you have it. Keep in mind that we will be walking on some roads without sidewalks however, they are not heavily trafficked. 🦺

We will start and end the hike at White Labs where we can enjoy food and drinks after.

• ONSITE | Thursday, December 21, 2:30 – 4:30 p.m. | $24 Adult Non-Member (Arboretum member discount applies!) Pre-registration Required.

  Celebrate the Solstice on an afternoon “awe” walk through the Arboretum forest. Photographer Susan Patrice and writer Rebecca Caldwell invite you to listen to the land, take in the light and share a poetry of place. Participants will be encouraged to pause along the way to discover and photograph the beauty in the winter landscape guided by Susan. A selection of poetry read by Rebecca will encourage reflecting on this season of transition and dormancy. Yet, for many of us, this landscape inspires a generative opening in the year’s cycles. We begin to make room for the creative work we’ve put on hold for too long. Like the poet Mary Oliver’s white-eyed wind bird, we feel a stirring and a restlessness when we might otherwise want to sleep: “He has an idea, and slowly it unfolds …” Come see what ideas are awaiting an invitation. All levels of experience are welcome. Bring yourself and a phone or any kind of photographic equipment if you like. Included is a set of prompts you can take for further wintertime journal writing and imaging.

  Pre-register for this small-group experience through the form linked below and staff will  be in touch to finalize registration and payment.

Join Conserving Carolina on December 21 at 7:00 pm to celebrate the longest night of the year with a winter solstice walk to Hooker Falls in DuPont State Recreational Forest.

The stroll will be along a quarter-mile trail to the base of Hooker Falls. In the dark of night we will create soft moonlight by shining flashlights upon the falls…and enjoy a quiet moment to celebrate the return of the sun to the northern hemisphere.

Pre-registration is required. Please RSVP at conservingcarolina.org/calendar. There is no charge for this event.

Spend time on the trails walked by Carl Sandburg. Walk around a lake, past his home, by the goat barn, and over the rock where Sandburg often wrote his poetry. Then walk a short distance to visit the quaint shops of the village of Flat Rock. Go by the rock for which the village is named and past the Flat Rock Playhouse (the official NC State Playhouse).

This is a hilly walk; many will want walking poles. A portion of the trail has roots and other tripping hazards. Tennis shoes will be fine for most; if it has rained that day there is one slick place, so be sure your shoes have good tread. Bring a protein snack and water bottle.

The group will gather in the main parking lot at the entrance to the Sandburg property. There are restrooms near the beginning of the walk and near the Sandburg house.

Want to avoid the winter blues? Get motivated with the 32nd Annual Frostbite Races presented by Hunter Subaru!

Join the largest winter footrace in Henderson County for a fun-filled afternoon of running and family-friendly activities. Choose from a 10K, 5K run/walk, or a flat and fast 1-mile un-timed Fun Run – perfect for runners of all ages and abilities. Join us at the Lelia Patterson Center in Fletcher, NC for a day of fitness, fun, and frosty festivities. Register now and gear up for the coolest race of the year!

• ONSITE | 

  Instructor: Alexandra Holland

  $35 Adult Non-Member

   (**Arboretum Members receive a 10% discount on all classes.)

  BRN – Elective, 2 hours | BREG – Elective, 2 hours | NCEE – Criteria II, 2 hours

  Limit: 15

  Spring is here, and the natural world is waking from its winter rest! Naturalist and botanist Alexandra Holland leads this wildflower walk at the Arboretum, pointing out the array of spring wildflowers emerging and in bloom. Learn some basics of wildflower ecology and identification while taking in the beauty of spring.

  Alexandra Holland graduated from Duke University and earned her Master’s degree in botany from the University of Texas at Austin. She was in the first class of students to be certified as Blue Ridge Naturalists. Alexandra managed the UTEX Culture Collection of Algae at UT Austin and spent many hours working with education programs at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.  She has taught botany for over a decade and leads nature hikes in Western North Carolina for groups of all ages.

Instructor: Susan Patrice

$24 Non-member Adult**

 (**Arboretum Members receive a 10% discount on all classes.)

Limit: 12

Take a fresh look at the objects, moments and vistas that surround you during this “awe walk” led by documentary photographer Susan Patrice. The contemplative practices she teaches help you experience place through new and loving eyes, to see beauty and wonder in your surroundings. Bring cameras or phones to capture what calls to you in the enveloping landscape. Participants will be sent meeting instructions for this small-group class that will take a slow intentional walk through parts of the Arboretum forest and forest meadow. This walk is a precursor to the generative writing and contemplative photography workshops to be held the following weekend.

Susan Patrice is a documentary photographer, community artist, and founder of Makers Circle. She recently launched Kinship Photography Collective, a global community of practice designed to create rich visual conversations that explore the intimate connections between nature, culture and belonging. Susan’s own photography and public installations focus primarily on the Southern Landscape and its people and feature intimate images that touch deeply into the questions of place, gender, and belonging.

Discover the beauty of the 4th annual Jump off Rock Half Marathon & 10k presented by Hunter Subaru and UNC Health Pardee, an endurance running event unlike any other! Experience the thrill of one of the most scenic and fastest half marathon races in the south, running “downhill to downtown.” The Half has garnered a reputation as the most breathtaking and picturesque downhill half marathon in the Southeast, and it’s no wonder why!

Starting at Jump off Rock, a national landmark and the highest peak of the Town of Laurel Park, endurance runners will be captivated by the stunning views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the colorful blooms and blossoms of spring. Then, continue on the gently downhill and picturesque 13.1 mile route that leads straight to the heart of downtown Hendersonville at Main Street.

The 10k race is fast and fun, commencing at the base of the Town of Laurel Park at the Hendersonville Family YMCA. Runners can join in with the half marathoners along the route and enjoy the beauty of the Town of Hendersonville that surrounds them. The 10k route is moderately flat and has a couple of gentle rollers throughout.

Finish line festivities await all participants at the same location in Historic Downtown Hendersonville on Main Street, creating a vibrant atmosphere of celebration and camaraderie!

Don’t miss your chance to experience the inspiring beauty of the Jump off Rock Half Marathon & 10k, an event that promises to inspire and captivate you like no other!

EXCITING NEWS: Both races are now USATF Sanctioned AND Certified!

Join us for this Memorial Day 5K Run for Life event to remember those who gave their all for our country and to help support Open Arms Pregnancy Center. This will be a run/walk-timed event to be held at Bill Moore Community Park in Fletcher (AKA: “Fletcher Park”) located at 85 Howard Gap Road, Fletcher, NC US 28732 on Memorial Day, Monday, May 27th with a start time of 8:00 AM. A Fun Run will start at 9:00 AM.
Runners should register by April 20th to secure a T-shirt for the race.
Sign up at https://runsignup.com/Race/NC/Fletcher/Run4for5k
Those interested in sponsoring the event should contact Open Arms Pregnancy Center to learn more. (Marlies Zerressen at [email protected] or call 828.676.4510)
Open Arms provides a safe place for women facing unplanned pregnancies, those
needing material goods for their baby, or those who need emotional support. We serve
each mom throughout her pregnancy and continue supporting her and the baby to 18 months of age. All services are free and confidential.

Guests will meet at Dssolvr Asheville (63 N. Lexington Ave, Asheville, NC 28801) and then depart with their treasure map on a walking team scavenger hunt where they will use their minds and feet to follow clues, solve puzzles, and crack codes to find and unlock the treasure chest for a grand prize!

The hunt involves walking a distance of up to 2.0 miles in total and will take place rain or shine, so long as the weather does not become dangerous. The hunt typically takes about 60 minutes to complete.

Children under 10 years old are welcome to participate for free with the purchase of an Adult ticket.

Guests will meet at Dssolvr Asheville (63 N. Lexington Ave, Asheville, NC 28801) and then depart with their treasure map on a walking team scavenger hunt where they will use their minds and feet to follow clues, solve puzzles, and crack codes to find and unlock the treasure chest for a grand prize!

The hunt involves walking a distance of up to 2.0 miles in total and will take place rain or shine, so long as the weather does not become dangerous. The hunt typically takes about 60 minutes to complete.

Children under 10 years old are welcome to participate for free with the purchase of an Adult ticket.

The Light Up the Night 5K is a fundraising, glow-in-the-dark, night-time, walk or run and will be timed by Finish Well Timing. This will be Western Carolina Rescue Ministries’ 6th annual Light Up the Night 5k race to raise funds and spread awareness of the ministry’s community impact. This event will take place on Friday August 2, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. in Asheville’s Carrier Park, and all proceeds from this event will directly benefit WCRM.

Last year, your support gave a second chance to 26 moms and 46 babies in our Abba’s House Recovery Program. The success of these moms would not be possible without your valuable contribution.

As we embark on another year of service and outreach, we are excited about the opportunities that lie ahead. This year, we want to include you in playing an even greater role in our ministry. We will be pursuing funding for the need of life transformation across all our programs.

This event is one of the Ministry’s most significant opportunities to raise funds in support of our community and these funds will be directly used to break the cycles of homelessness and addiction in our region. For the past 43 years, WCRM has been serving the homeless community of Asheville providing rescue, recovery, and restoration to people in crisis. We care for our clients with dignity, providing help, hope, and opportunity for our ministry participants to reengage in society. Whether it’s a hot meal, a warm shelter, or recovery from addiction, our compassion shines on everyone we meet.

The 15th West Asheville Garden Stroll is Saturday, September 14th from 11 AM to 4 PM, with a family-friendly kickoff program at 10:30. It features 15 diverse gardens in the Horney Heights neighborhood, on both sides of Sulphur Springs Road from Lucy Herring School westward. Stroll Guides with a map and garden descriptions will be available at the school from 11:00 until 3:30. Local organizations will be on hand in the morning with resources for gardeners and possibly some items for sale.

The Garden Stroll is FREE, and all are welcome to join in this community event, rain or shine. However, leave your four-footed friends at home — dogs are not allowed in the gardens.
While there is street parking throughout the neighborhood, we encourage you to park at the school or at Abernethy United Methodist Church (1418 Patton Ave) and walk or bike the 3 mile route. (Regardless of where you park, come by the school first to pick up a Stroll Guide.)

This year’s gardens showcase many alternatives to conventional lawns as well as all kinds of edibles, ornamentals, medicinal plants, permaculture designs, and a wide variety of native plants. Water features, eclectic art, trellises, and quirky garden sheds provide focal points. You’ll see new and mature gardens as well as works-in-progress, all offering the chance to chat with friendly and enthusiastic gardeners.

With the theme “If You Grow It, They Will Come,” we encourage stroll-goers to observe how these gardens provide safety, nourishment, & love for birds, bees, and so many others of nature’s families.