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Best day hikes near asheville nc
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Jul 27, · Fryingpan Mountain Lookout Tower. (Getty Images) The mile Fryingpan Mountain Lookout Tower trail is one of the best Asheville-area sunset hikes (situated about . One of the most popular trails near Brevard, NC, 45 minutes southwest of Asheville is Looking Glass. It’s a stout climb to the summit but the views up toward the Blue Ridge Parkway and . Feb 17, · Easy Hikes Near Asheville 1. Moore Cove Falls Trail. The Moore Cove Falls Trail is one of the most easy waterfall hikes near Asheville, making it 2. Craggy Gardens .
Best day hikes near asheville nc.Asheville hiking: our top 10 favorite trails
Cool tunnels of mountain laurel, twisted birch trees, and the occasional lookout make for an enjoyable journey as you meander to the top. The rocky summit of Hawksbill Mountain affords one of the most spectacular views in all of North Carolina. Two thousand feet below you, the Linville River threads through the bottom of the canyon, enveloped by nearly 12, acres of unadulterated wilderness. Grandfather Mountain, Table Rock, and Shortoff Mountain cut stately profiles against the peak-rippled horizon.
This three-mile loop features a steep climb on the way up and a gentler, more gradual descent. Be aware that this road is closed from January-March. The summit is rounded and soft with grass, surrounded by rolling woods and pastureland that gradually swell into mountains, eventually becoming the sharp peaks of the Black Mountain Range, Blue Ridge, and the Smokies in the distance.
Although the summit is only a few minutes walk from the parking area, jump on the Appalachian Trail for a day trip to Lemon Gap—or hike all the way to Maine, for that matter! Just fifteen minutes east of Asheville, the Lookout Trail swoops up the side of Lookout Mountain in a short and punchy half mile of rock scrambling and wide stairs hacked into the hillside.
The view from up top is more intimate than the typical Appalachian vista. A series of peaks affectionately known as The Seven Sisters of the Black Mountain Range feel so close, it’s as if you could reach out and touch them.
To add an extra hour to your hike, and to escape the crowds that can converge on the small rocky summit, descend via the East Ridge Trail. This leads to the Blue Gap Trail, which will bring you back to the parking lot.
This post originally appeared on RootsRated. Click here to discover more stories like this. Named for the Catawba Indians and formed by the headwaters of the Catawba River, Catawba Falls features an impressive series of cascades plummeting over feet from two major drops. Along the trail, keep your eyes peeled for stone ruins from the early s, including the wall of an old dam.
The peaceful gurgling of small streams and cascades provides a soothing soundtrack as you hike the 3-mile round-trip trail. One of the most iconic and tallest North Carolina mountains , Mount Pisgah towers at 5, feet, allowing it to be seen all the way from downtown Asheville. The first half-mile of the hike will seem easy, with very little elevation gain. Soon thereafter, your efforts will be rewarded as you reach a wooden observation deck where you can admire the long-ranging summit views. The name Graveyard Fields may evoke images of a dark and eerie stretch of wilderness.
But this is actually a beautiful trail, with sparkling waterfalls and fields of wildflowers along the route. The trail gets its odd name from stumps that were said to resemble tombstones, which were once dispersed across the area after a terrible wildfire. Those haunting remnants are long gone, and the area is now one of the most popular day trips from Asheville.
Along with the high-elevation meadows and wildflowers, blueberry bushes can be seen all over the area. Around August, lots of people come here to pick their own berries , with National Park Service rules allowing visitors to pick up to 1 gallon of blueberries per day!
There are many trails that can take you to the falls, but the most popular is the 4. The trail will lead you through a gorgeous stretch of DuPont Forest. At around 2. Here you can admire the cascading water up close as it rushes down the granite rock face before collecting in a series of pools and settling in the area below.
While it may not have the jaw-dropping summit views that some of the other Asheville hiking trails on this list offer, the Rattlesnake Lodge Trail makes up for it with its understated beauty and rich history.
A popular hike among locals, this trek follows the Mountains to Sea Trail eastbound. It allows hikers to explore the ruins of Rattlesnake Lodge, which was built by physician-turned-conservationist Dr. Chase Ambler. Named for its living room ceiling, which was covered in rattlesnake skins, the lodge was originally built in the early s as a summer home for the Ambler family. But it was later sold, and ultimately destroyed in a fire in the s.
The hike to the summit is relatively short, but we rate this trail as moderate for its fairly intense elevation gain. Departing from a trailhead off of NC Forest Service , the trail delves into a hardwood and pine forest. Along with featuring beautiful Crabtree Falls in the middle of the hike, this trail is also unique because it passes an amphitheater that hosts ranger talks and demonstrations. The sound of rushing water will fill your ears as the trail crosses a wooden bridge over the base of the falls.
This is a picturesque spot for photos and admiring the sparkling water as it cascades down a massive rock face. You can simply retrace your steps back to the trailhead from here or continue on for a more scenic route that passes a shallow cave and another smaller waterfall. The trail follows Davidson River upstream, passing by several smaller cascades along the way.
There are also some roots and larger rocks you have to make your way around, so be sure to watch your step! Chase some seriously beautiful cascading falls on our favorite hikes to waterfalls near Asheville. Or climb to outstanding vistas and historic fire lookout towers on soaring mountaintops on our favorite hikes on the Appalachian Trail in North Carolina.
Always leave no trace , pack out everything you pack in, and if you see trash, pick it up and pack it out. Stay on the marked trail, tell someone where you’re going, pack safety and wayfinding essentials , and don’t rely on a mobile phone to find your way.
Please always practice good trail etiquette. And before you go, always check the trailhead kiosk, official maps, and the park or ranger office for notices of changed routes, trail closures, safety information, and restrictions. Map Search. Trail Finder. Melanie Haiken is a San Francisco—based writer. Outdoor Adventure.
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– The 10 Best Hikes in Asheville – National Forest Foundation
Ah, the hiking in Asheville! Several of the hikes on our list are located right off the Blue Ridge Parkway and some are further outside of the city. Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife and remember to Leave No Trace! This is one of the most popular hikes in the area. The trailhead is located right off the Blue Ridge Parkway at mile There is a large tower at the top but the view is still incredible.
Drive from Asheville : If you keep hiking for another half mile or so you will come to a bald that in mid-June is pink and purple with the flowers of the Catawba rhododendron. This trail is worth visiting year-round. In the winter, many of the trees are covered in ice, which gives the mountain a shimmering, frosted look. No matter the season, please stay on the trail as this is a fragile eco-system and one that is damaged by human footsteps.
Drive from Asheville: There are a few trees at the summit so you can bring along a hammock for the best rest of your life. Full disclosure: it climbs feet in elevation and is not flat, but you get a head start on the elevation because the parking lot sits at 5, feet.
Wake up early, get to the trailhead before everyone else does to set forth on one of the most popular hikes in the area. This is one of my favorite hikes in the area. My first time there, I felt like we were out west. There are 86 miles of trails here! This is a 3-mile hike taking you to 3 separate waterfalls Hooker, Triple, and High Falls.
The park is free and open 5 am to 10 pm, so bring breakfast for a sunrise hike or watch the sunlight fade and the stars appear for a night picnic. Her dad said that it was the highlight of his entire trip. Getting there and back can be tricky because the turnoffs are not marked well.
We recommend taking notes or snapping photos at the turns. It can look very different on the drive back out and several sections of the road are gravel lanes. As her dad will vouch, the view is more than worth it. Can you even imagine a acre grassy bald with panoramic views? Several hundred years ago, high winds toppled the trees leaving stumps that resembled gravestones across the valley. A wildfire in scorched all growth here after recently being logged and the area has been slow to recover since.
There are two waterfalls here in a mile-high valley surrounded by wildflowers. The colors as the leaves change in the fall are glorious with degree views of 6,foot peaks. Sliding rock is an exhilarating natural water slide. Right off the road is a foot long smooth sloping boulder with 11, gallons of water flowing per minute.
At the end of the slide is an 8 ft deep swimming hole, so make sure you can swim. Mitchell is the highest mountain in the Eastern United States. The summit is located within Mt. Mitchell State Park, which is free to enter and is easily located off the Parkway. Not feeling up for a hike today but still want the view? You can actually drive almost all the way to the top for a panoramic view. Sam Knob is great for a spectacular view since it sits at an elevation of 6, feet and is located on a bald with rocks and shrubs read: very little stands in your way of a panoramic photograph.
The trail starts out as gravel, gives way to a boardwalk, and then turns into singletrack with big rocks. Pro Tip: The view at the top is fantastic but be sure to bring sunscreen since there is very little shade at the top.
The entire trail is not finished, but it is still the longest trail in the state of North Carolina. Park off Ox Creek Road and hike a section of it! Chase Ambler built this summer home for his family in and was in use until when it burned down.
Though right on the Parkway, this hike quickly veers away from it so that little traffic noise can be heard the further along the trail you get.
Vanderbilt he also constructed the Biltmore Estate! The entire trail is Park at the French Broad overlook, milepost Bent Creek is part of the original 1, acres purchased by George Vanderbilt of the Biltmore Estate. Park at the Lake Powhatan recreation area and from here you can navigate an easy wooded walk that takes you around the lake. Fishing and swimming are allowed, so bring an ice chest filled with snacks to spend an entire afternoon or book a campsite and make it an overnight!
Actual elevation? The views are as good as you imagine at this height. In the winter, some of the trees get covered in ice and will give the mountainside a silvery look. The parking lot is conveniently located at Mile Distance: 1 mile roundtrip Difficulty: Strenuous Trailhead Coordinates: This hike is short and is located right off the Blue Ridge Parkway at Mile They are entrepreneurs and creatives who love finding adventure, both big and small.
The two have made a daily practice of sharing vulnerabilities, truth telling, and side splitting laughter. The couple lives in Asheville, North Carolina and spend as much time as possible in the mountains. Join over , readers! Sign up to get access to our library of resources, travel photography tips, exclusive giveaways, and inspiration to be a Local Adventurer.
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