Wear layers! If Dupont and Pisgah are all about waterfalls, the Blue Ridge Parkway is all about spectacular views. You’ll hear the waterfalls before you see them — the trees hide them very well. The Pisgah Ranger District has two mid-altitude rocky balds. Hawkbill Rock Trail. Continue until the trail hits a gravel footpath. It’s a great spot to take a dip in the summertime. Asheville is an amazing year-round outdoor destination. (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Where you can see elk, black bears, and dozens of species of endemic salamanders. Signs point you to the various ruins of Rattlesnake Lodge. The entire waterfall is over 120 feet high, but it’s split into three smaller drops. Uniquely Asheville yoga, hiking & meditation with the best mountains and waterfalls. Continue along the Deep Creek Loop trail and you’ll find the second waterfall another half-mile in. Explore local history by … While it can get crowded, the trails are very wide, so it’s easy to spread out. Ask them to be more specific, and they’ll say Black Balsam Knob. I’ve been to Asheville twice and I honestly love it! For now, I’m steering clear of the most crowded trails like Linville, Skinny Dip and Catawba Falls due to coronavirus concerns. Carrie is the founder of Trains, Planes and Tuk Tuks. Regardless of which season you choose, keep in mind that the temperature at 5,000 feet is about 15 degrees cooler than in Asheville. The first quarter-mile is flat along the river. If you arrive at trailheads before 10 am, parking is usually a piece of cake. But I promise, the views are 150% worth it. Not seen this pink color here though . (2.8 miles roundtrip, moderate) Hike back in time as you discover the rock foundations of Rattlesnake Lodge, an early 1900s family retreat. Each season has its advantages. This trail offers the rare chance to do a loop hike without tons of distance or elevation gain. If you’ve seen The Hunger Games, you surely recognize Bridal Veil Falls. It even has a small enclosed room at the top where you could hide out in bad weather. You can see it all on a short hike from the Blue Ridge Parkway. So once you’re on the trail, basically just keep going straight along the single-track and you’ll be fine. Scramble up to the summit of Mount Craig, with its 180-degree views, before returning the way you came. This is one of the most challenging hikes on this list of easy hikes near Asheville. On a cloudy and/or rainy day will the views be very good from any of these places suggested? I don’t recommend this hike when the Blue Ridge Parkway is open. You’ll descend a set of rock steps before you reach a clearing with truly amazing views of the Black Mountains. The trail ends at a river crossing where you can’t go any further on the left side. Return the way you came. Craggy Pinnacle is the easiest hike in the area. Hiking – Western North Carolina. The mountains are so beautiful. The mountain laurels in spring are unbelievable. At the top of Mount Mitchell in August at 2 pm, it’s still only about 70 degrees. On your right you can see all the way into Shining Rock, while off to your left you can glimpse Looking Glass Rock on a clear day. It’s the most beautiful one on the entire Parkway. This trail starts about a quarter mile away from the campground/restrooms at a large parking lot. Follow the clear signs to the Lower Falls, about half a mile from the parking area. It passes three beautiful waterfalls at the beginning, climbs a small ridge, and covers two more waterfalls near the end. It can be very slippery and dangerous. Mount Craig, about 1.5 miles to the north, is a fun add-on to your hike. Most of the trail is flat. The hike is almost completely flat, but the terrain is tough. Where: Sapphire in Transylvania County, about 45 minutes southwest of Asheville. June-August brings perfect weather and explosions of wild mushrooms. The trail is much more challenging and unless you’re experienced at hiking in the dark, you could easily injure yourself. Thank you for taking the time to write it all out (especially the reminder about cell service)! Looking Glass Rock is the most famous (mainly because it’s visible along the Blue Ridge Parkway). No need to drive 30 minutes out of town to hike. At the top, you’ll find a grassy field with the fire tower itself. If you’re looking for a moderate hike through one of the most lush parts of Pisgah, and you want to avoid the mountain bikers, the Coon Tree Loop trail is perfect. To stay within the 30 minute limit, my only ideas are 1) Drive to Montreat College ,about 18 miles east of Asheville on I-40, and hike the Greybeard Trail. 5. The Coon Tree Loop trail is not really marked, but it’s signed at every intersection. The hike starts from the Avery Creek Trailhead, but in winter you’ll usually have to park at the Pisgah Horse Stables and walk an extra half-mile along the gravel road. Plus, it’s accessible even when the Parkway is closed. My car is a tiny Honda Insight and I’ve never been unable to reach a trailhead. Eventually you’ll come to a signed turnoff to the left, which just says “fire tower”. It’s interesting that you never have cell service near Ashville. Follow the Catawba Falls Trail along the river, catching view after view of small cascades along the way. Walk along the outside for 360-degree ridge-line views. Carrie this is SUCH a good post! Blue Ridge Parkway Milepost 375. If you want to do a sunrise hike, it’s a bit of a gamble weather-wise. The Blue Ridge Parkway north of Asheville has a completely different character than the southern section. You can swim in the small pool below the falls. Mast General Store. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. You could even push a stroller to some of the falls here! This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. The answer to this is…it very much depends. And it’s one of the few truly awesome loop hikes in the park. This high-elevation rainforest has it all — mountains, valleys, waterfalls, mountain laurels, rhododendrons, unreal fall colors, and hundreds of unique species of plants. We plan on driving the Blueridge Parkway in the fall and will definitely check out some of your recommended hikes! It’s one of the most unique waterfalls in the region, and one of the easiest to access, especially for mobility-impaired visitors. The beginning of this hike involves a steep climb to a summit with disappointing views — but don’t worry, the best is yet to come. This is one of my favorite places near Asheville in winter, where the spray from the waterfall causes the trees all around it to ice over (even when it’s too warm for ice anywhere else). A 30-minute drive from downtown, north on the Blue Ridge Parkway, will bring you to … Dupont State Forest has the most incredible waterfalls in the entire WNC region. Where to stay in or near downtown Asheville... Thanksgiving dinner at Biltmore, Asheville NC, Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Asheville West, NC, Grand Bohemian Hotel Asheville, Autograph Collection, Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Asheville Downtown Tunnel Road, NC, DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Asheville - Biltmore. You could take the BRP west from (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? You’ll climb gradually most of the way. Descend and return to your car along Ivestor Gap Trail (steep and hard on the knees, but beautiful) or go back the way you came. Signs clearly mark every intersection, and the Cat Gap trail is blazed but John Rock is not. It’s lower elevation than most of the other panoramas, but it’s a quick and easy drive, which makes it great for sunrises and sunsets. For the purposes of this list of easy hikes near Asheville, you can turn around anytime you want. You see something new on every hike. The hike starts from a small parking area just before you reach Hot Springs. This is where you’ll find most of the Asheville area’s best waterfall hikes, as well as some of the most beautiful low-elevation forest in the country. I’ve been to Asheville numerous times, but always with non-hikers. Distance from Asheville: 18.5 miles, 30 minutes; Length: 3 Miles; Difficulty: Difficult ; The Wildcat Rock Trail features a waterfall, long-range views, caves and wildflowers. At one section, you will have to cross water via rocks. // About 30-40 minutes from town. Sure, you could see it all from the comfort of your car. Ask anyone from Asheville where their favorite hikes are and they’ll say Shining Rock Wilderness. Follow the orange blazes. Cool thing is living at Avalon puts you 30 minutes from endless hikes. I once wandered around the summit for over an hour thinking I was going one way when it turned out I was just going in circles. Dupont in the winter is a sea of icy evergreen trees. Just beware that cows graze here — watch your step and watch where you sit! Uwharrie National Recreation Trail. This is a popular fishing area and a great place for backcountry camping. You can’t visit Asheville without checking out the highest peak east of the Mississippi! That’s what you’ll see along the Big East Fork/Pigeon River hike. You’ll arrive at it from the bottom — a steep trail to the right takes you to the base of the falls. The Appalachian Trail and Mountains-to-Sea Trail are also clearly marked. The one downside is it has limited trails in its database. You can extend the hike since it is part of the Mountains to Sea Trail. It gets a fraction of the visitors compared to Linville or Catawba Falls, but it’s no less beautiful. Rattlesnake Lodge. A short wooden platform leads to a lookout. Before we dive in to the best short hiking trails near Asheville, let’s go over a few of the basics. And they really do get better the higher you go. There are several spots where they form a tunnel, and the effect is stunning. While the 1,000 mile long trail spans the entire state, shorter segments of the trail along the Parkway are great for walks, day hikes with children, or quick stress relieving strolls when you don't have a lot of time. For even better views, continue along a mostly-flat additional half mile, where you’ll find overlooks on both sides of the Parkway. People get lost and need emergency rescues all the time because they were counting on the Internet for directions. This trail climbs to a 180-degree lookout over the French Broad River on the Appalachian Trail. So we are trying to find some other hikes near Asheville that are closer with nice views. A mostly-flat, meandering trail takes you past three classic Dupont State Forest waterfalls, each wildly different in character. If you're willing to go 45 minutes, that gets you high enough heading south on the BRP to get several good views from the MTS as it passes through the parking areas of scenic overlooks on the road...but you could simply drive to the overlooks and hike around them a bit. Most of them are off the beaten path. You don’t have to drive far, scramble up a rocky cliff face, or destroy your knees to summit 6,000-foot balds or swim under waterfalls near Asheville. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Also it may be a violation of the rental car agreement (if the OP has one) since it requires driving on dirt roads to get there - they are well-maintained and (usually) easily navigable in a passenger car, but still dirt. FREE mats & photos included! 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