What comes to mind when you think of Asheville? If it’s not miles upon miles of beautiful hiking country, maybe it should be!
Asheville is known for being one of the most beautiful areas in western North Carolina. It’s a charming town tucked away in the breathtaking Blue Ridge Mountains. It’s home to dense green forests, brilliant waterfalls, and plenty of mountain summits with impressive views.
Some of these hiking trails are part of a larger trail network called the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. This impressive 1,200-mile trail begins at the Tennessee border and runs through Asheville, connecting to ten state parks and three national forests along the way.
Whether you are a brand-new hiker or an experienced mountaineer, Asheville hiking will be rewarding. With the help of this guide, you will be able to plan your next great adventure on the best hikes in Asheville, NC!
Table of Contents
Easy Hikes Near Asheville, NC
1. Asheville Botanical Gardens Trail
Location: Asheville Botanical Gardens
Trail Length: Half-mile
Trail Type: Loop Trail
Estimated Time: 30 minutes round-trip
The 10-acre Asheville Botanical Gardens is located just over a mile north of downtown at the University of North Carolina at Asheville. This is an easy shaded half-mile loop that features more than 600 species of plants and wildflowers native to the Appalachian Mountains.
This is a family-friendly trail that would be a great introduction to hiking. Along the trail, you will encounter a babbling creek and plenty of great picnic spots. And keep your eyes peeled for the historical marker that commemorates where the Battle of Asheville took place at the end of the Civil War!
2. Black Balsam Knob Trail
Location: Blue Ridge Parkway
Trail Length: 2 miles
Trail Type: Out and Back
Estimated Time: 1-hour round-trip
This easy hike gives you all the views you’d expect from the Blue Ridge Parkway, including gorgeous vistas of Black Balsam Knob. This trail is both family-friendly and dog-friendly which makes it perfect for a weekend outing. It’s very popular during the summer months since it’s peak blueberry season. Bring the whole family to pick delicious blueberries with stunning mountain views.
When you arrive at the trailhead for Black Balsam Knob, you’ll also be at the parking area for the Art Loeb Trail. You will take this trail to get to Black Balsam Knob. As the trail starts, you will hike through a lush forest with rocky terrain before arriving at a meadow with panoramic views. Then, you’ll pass through a bald as you gently ascend to the top of Black Balsam Knob. Bring a picnic for the summit, and then gently descend the way that you came.
3. Craggy Gardens Trail
Location: Blue Ridge Parkway
Trail Length: 2 miles
Trail Type: Out and Back
Estimated Time: 1-hour round-trip
Craggy Gardens is a unique, rocky forest full of rhododendrons that you don’t want to miss. Tall grasses, wildflowers, scrubs, and blueberry bushes cover scenic mountain balds.
You will begin by hiking through a dense forest and twisted, knobby trees to a grassy meadow at the summit. At the peak, the 360-degree views of this high-elevation dreamscape will stun you.
This trail is beautiful in many seasons as the rhododendrons are blooming in June, and blueberries are ripening in late summer.
After enjoying epic mountain views at the summit, you will dip back into the tree line that eventually leads to a picnic area and back to the visitor’s center.
4. Max Patch Trail
Location: Appalachian Trail in the Pisgah National Forest
Trail Length: 1.5 miles
Trail Type: Loop Trail
Estimated Time: 1-hour round-trip
Max Patch is a scenic mountain bald nestled in the southern Appalachian Mountains. This landmark is often called “the crown jewel of the Appalachian Trail”.
The bare mountain top didn’t occur naturally, as it was cleared for grazing land in the 1800s.
This trail begins at a parking area along a gravel road. You will follow the white blazes of the Appalachian Trail up a gradual open climb with panoramic views that only get better as you go. You then briefly enter a dense green tunnel before emerging again on the bald as you ascend to the top of Max Patch. The summit is a great place to have lunch and enjoy the views!
From the peak, you can see Mount Mitchell to the east and the Great Smokey Mountains to the west. About one mile in, you will leave the white blazes and veer right to follow the Max Patch spur trail back to the trailhead and parking area.
Moderate Hikes Near Asheville, North Carolina
5. Balsam Nature Trail & Mount Mitchell Summit
Location: Blue Ridge Parkway at Mt. Mitchell State Park
Trail Length: 1 mile
Trail Type: Paved Loop Trail
Estimated Time: 1-hour round-trip
This trail may not be very long, but the one-mile loop sure offers some incredible panoramic views!
This trail summits Mount Mitchell, which stands at 6684 feet. At this summit, you’ll be standing on the highest peak east of the Mississippi River!
Due to the high elevation, it can often be windy, foggy, and sometimes even snowy at the top of Mount Mitchell, so it’s important to plan accordingly. Despite this, hiking through the mist and foggy forest will still leave you in awe.
The trail then connects to the Balsam Nature Trail through a high-elevation forest that provides gorgeous vista views.
This trail is both family and dog-friendly, and it’s easy to access via the free summit parking area off of the Blue Ridge Parkway at mile point 355. The trailhead is also inside the Black Mountain Campground.
This popular hike is definitely one to include on your next Asheville hiking adventure!
6. Craggy Pinnacle Trail
Location: Blue Ridge Parkway
Trail Length: about 1 mile
Trail Type: Out and Back
Estimated Time: 1-hour round-trip
This trail is relatively short but deep, and easy to access as it’s one of the closest hikes to downtown Asheville.
You will begin by hiking through a tunnel of rhododendrons. As you continue, you will begin to climb up stone-cut steps. These will bring you to the pinnacle which boasts epic panoramic views of mountain vistas and dramatic rocky outcroppings.
This summit is said to have some of the best sunsets in North Carolina! And for a bonus, hike this trail in June during peak rhododendron bloom for the most gorgeous views.
You should keep in mind Craggy Gardens has a fragile ecosystem with delicate plants, so it’s important to stay on the trail to protect the Craggy Pinnacle.
To access the Craggy Pinnacle Trail, take the Blue Ridge Parkway North past the Visitor Center and park in the Craggy Dome parking lot.
7. Mount Pisgah Trail
Location: Pisgah National Forest
Trail Length: 2.5 miles
Trail Type: Out and Back
Estimated Time: 2 hours round-trip
Mount Pisgah is an iconic landmark in Asheville, North Carolina, and it can be seen from many surrounding mountain summits.
After leaving the trailhead in the Pisgah National Forest, the trail begins relatively flat as you hike through rhododendrons and mountain laurel. From there, you begin a steep climb through a hardwood forest that eventually leads to a series of rock steps. As you get closer to the peak, you’ll then encounter log step switchbacks.
You will be stunned by the vista views at this 5,721-foot summit with an observation platform. On a clear day, you can see Cold Mountain to the west, and Looking Glass Rock and Frying Pan Mountain to the southwest.
This trail boasts beautiful wildflower blooms in the spring and summer that you won’t want to miss! Once you reach the summit of Mount Pisgah, you can see another legendary peak in Asheville: Cold Mountain. After taking in all the views, you descend the same trail in which you came.
8. Rattlesnake Lodge via Mountains to Sea Trail
Location: Blue Ridge Parkway
Trail Length: 4 miles
Trail Type: Out and Back
Estimated Time: 3 hours round-trip
This trail is known for its beauty and unique history. It’s a dog-friendly route less traveled making it perfect for a peaceful hike with you and your best friend.
The trail begins at a small parking lot and follows the Mountains to Sea Trail to the east. On the way to Rattlesnake Lodge, a breathtaking view of rocky outcropping above the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Along this trail, you will hike through a hardwood forest along a narrow historic road to the remains of an estate dating back to the 1900s. The majestic lodge was built in 1904 as a wealthy family’s summer home. The lodge got its name because of its infamous living room ceiling covered in rattlesnake skins.
This trail is especially beautiful during the autumn months due to the breathtaking fall foliage colors.
Difficult Hikes Near Asheville
9. Art Loeb Trail
Location: Pisgah National Forest near Brevard, North Carolina
Trail Length: 30 miles
Trail Type: Point to Point
Estimated Time: 3-4 days round-trip
If you’re looking for a stunning trail for your next multi-day backpacking trip, the Art Loeb Trail is perfect for you.
This hiking trail was named in memoriam of Art Loeb, who was a true lover of the Blue Ridge Mountains and an activist from the Carolina Mountain Club.
This trail follows peaks and ridges and touches some of the highest points in the Black Balsams. Many hikers describe this trail as equal parts stunning and challenging, as it boasts some of the most beautiful views of the Pisgah National Forest. Many backpackers hike this trail in 3 or 4 days, but it’s also possible to hike shorter sections of the Art Loeb Trail as day hikes.
This trail is also dog-friendly, so make sure to bring yours along for this backpacking adventure!
10. Grandfather Mountain Trail
Location: Grandfather Mountain State Park
Trail Length: about 5 miles
Trail Type: Loop trail
Estimated Time: 5 hours round-trip
If you’re up for the challenge, this rewarding trail is known as the most technical hike east of the Mississippi! It’s quite the adventure, but keep in mind that it’s meant for experienced hikers.
The trail takes you to Grandfather Mountain’s three iconic peaks: MacRae Peak, Attic Window Peak, and Calloway Peak. The trail starts at the parking lot and quickly ascends through evergreen and rhododendron forests. It then becomes rugged and includes multiple cable assists, so this is where experience is needed.
You will use cables and ladders to summit the sheer rock face of MacRae Peak. The next summit is just over a quarter-mile up the trail and offers gorgeous views of dramatic rocky outcroppings.
Many hikers will choose to turn around after summiting the Attic window, but you can continue just over one mile to Calloway Peak, which is the highest of the three at 5,964 feet. The difficulty of this trail is well worth it as the high-elevation views are unmatched.
11. Table Rock Mountain Summit Trail
Location: Linville Gorge in western North Carolina
Trail Length: 2 miles
Trail Type: Out and Back
Estimated Time: 1.5 hours round-trip
This trail may be short, but its steep grade makes it quite the challenge.
Table Rock Mountain is a flattened peak with a rocky summit, and the trail leading up to it provides stunning panoramic views of the surrounding Linville Gorge. Some avid hikers even say that the views from this summit are some of the best in North Carolina!
Your journey begins at a trailhead off of a Forest Service Road. From there, you will steadily climb an ascending stone staircase surrounded by craggy cliffs and dense green shrubs. As you get closer to the summit, you’ll encounter a few scrambles on rocky outcroppings while continuing up switchbacks.
At the apex, the wide expanse of exposed granite will leave you awestruck by its rugged beauty. From the summit, you’ll be able to see Hawksbill Mountain and Linville Falls to the north. After you’ve taken in the stunning landscape, you’ll begin your descent back to the trailhead.
Hikes with Waterfalls Near Asheville
12. Trail to High Falls, Hooker Falls, Triple Falls
Trail Length: 2 miles
Location: Blue Ridge Parkway
Trail Type: Out and Back
Estimated Time: 1-hour round-trip
The areas around Dupont State Forest are known as “The Land of the Waterfalls”. After completing this hike, you will understand why! This easy to moderate hiking trail gives you a glimpse of some of the most beautiful falls in the region. Family-friendly, dog-friendly
Start from the Hooker Falls Access Area parking lot. Hike through dense evergreen and hardwood forest. Hooker Falls is peaceful and quaint. From there, go back the way you came until the pedestrian bridge. Walk along Little River to the base of Triple Falls, much steeper. Continue to reach High Falls.
13. Linville Falls
Location: Blue Ridge Parkway
Trail Length: 2 miles
Trail Type: Out and Back
Estimated Time: 1-hour round-trip
The Linville Gorge is carved into the mountains between Asheville and Boone, North Carolina, and the Linville Falls are at the gorge’s northern edge near the Blue Ridge Parkway.
This moderate hiking trail begins at a visitor center off of the Blue Ridge Parkway near milepost 316. From there, it crosses over the Linville Falls which cascades over a massive cliff and pools into the basin below.
You’ll get another stunning view as the trail continues to climb toward the upper falls. The trail then enters an old-growth forest before yet another beautiful view of the falls at the Chimney Rock overlook. The trail then goes shortly downhill to Erwin’s View which offers panoramic views of Linville Falls.
14. Looking Glass Falls
Location: Blue Ridge Parkway
Trail Length: half-mile
Trail Type: Out and Back
Estimated Time: 20 minutes round-trip
Known as one of North Carolina’s most popular waterfalls, these beautiful falls are set just off highway US 276 between the Blue Ridge Parkway and Brevard.
This short, easy day hike is not one to miss, as this 60-foot waterfall is an absolute must-see!
Begin for a hike at the parking lot to make the quarter-mile jaunt over to the base of the falls. In the summer months, you’ll enjoy a cool mist and abundant wildflowers along the way. Swimming is allowed at the waterfall, but rocks are slippery so swim at your own risk.
This trail is family and dog-friendly, so make sure this one is on your list for waterfall hikes for the whole family!
Thank you so much for this guide! Can’t wait for my trip to Asheville!