Trails near Asheville

“I'm going to be dropping off a friend in Asheville in October for a couple of days to visit family. I want to spend those two days doing a short hike/camp around that area. Any suggestions?

Thanks”

“you have so many options. The smokies are just a stones throw away, and the black mountain range is right next door. You should hike up to Mt Mitchell. The fall colors should be fantastic in October.
There are several options on the black mountain crest trail as well.”

“There are a lot of Smokies peeps on this board, so I am sure you will get lots of suggestions”

“I'm looking for a secluded little secret spot, away from all the hordes of people in the Smokies looking for the fall colors. I also need to stay within an hour or so from Asheville proper. Somewhere along the Blue Ridge Pkwy maybe.”

“http://www.hikewnc.info/ very good site

http://www.main.nc.us/graham/hiking/joycekil.html

http://www.visitwaterfalls.com/

http://www.cs.unca.edu/nfsnc/

http://ils.unc.edu/parkproject/webcam/webcam.html
last edited: 9/23/05 12:08:57 AM”

“Thanks so much Ewker!”

“the Black Mtn Crest Trail is pretty secluded once you get away from Big Tom. The trail is the most rugged and strenuous in the south and most people don't venture past Mt. Craig. The views are amazing and there is a lot of fun scrambling.”

“October, secluded, near Asheville. Thats a tough one.

1) West of Asheville on south side of BRP (Cradle Forestry, Looking Glass, Rich Mt)

2) Middle Prong Wilderness

3)AT between I-40 and I-26.

4)South Mountains SP”

“what about Panthertown - isn't that fairly close to Asheville ?”

“It is; but Panthertown, Shining Rock, Smokies, and the Blacks likely to be more crowded than my suggestions above. Plus the Pnathertown may be about 90+ minutes from Asheville.”

“F* the dumb shtick man... Go to Wilson Creek.”

“yeah - Hunt Fish falls trail into Lost Cove is a nice short hike and camp around spot with a good swimming / ogling hole”

“Wilson Creek and Lost Cove are great places but it will be about 2 hours from Asheville (if you know the route). The area up South Harper and Raider Camp will have less people. You could car camp at intersection of FS 464 and 58 or down 58 or 464. Even down by Gragg Prong. Many trails to dayhike. Maybe crowded though. The trails are not marked, many creek crossings, easy to get lost away from the crowded places (Hunt Fish Falls, Harper Falls)”

“make sure you go to Lost Cove during the day. then you have a 50/50 chance of finding it =)”

“yeah the last Lost Cove trip had people lost in the fog big time”

“Catawba Falls Valley is very close to Asheville although access can be a problem due to private lands. You gotta know where to park, although new access has recently been acquired, not widely publicized yet.”

“LOL @ Ewker!! No kidding on that 50/50! Certainly strike Lost Cove bionicear.

Get directions to Biltmore Square Mall in Asheville. Pass that by about a mile and enter the BRP(Blue Ridge Parkway). Take a R on the BRP. At 17 miles you'll come to Mt Pisgah, drive further another numerous miles (I completely forget now just how many), pass by Graveyard Fields on the R side, and the next R is a short, paved road leading to Shining Rock Wilderness. This is always excellent, and although the main thoroughfairs can be full on weekends, it's much too easy to get off and be to yourself. You can go to (now world famous) Cold Mountain if you'ld like with only 2 days. Btw- Graveyard Fields is pretty cool, but nix it if you're there on the weekends.

For Mdl Prond Wldrns, nix that unless you're a total hiking slut, it's surely some difficult, with limited overlook possibilities.

And absolutely nix the Smokies. Even if you know exactly where you wanna go, it's a MUCH greater shot than one hour.

Oh man Asheville..... only 3 or so years and......






I'LL BE BACK!”

“A nice trail very close to Asheville can be found driving about 10 miles northeasterly along the Parkway to the Craggy Meadows Information Station. Trailhead leaves parking lot and is about 2.5 miles to Carter Creek Falls (400' cascades, difficult to see it all from any one location) and the wonders of the Craggy Mountains wild area (Pisgah National Forest and a part of the Mountains to the Sea Trail) with miles of other trails, cool vegetation and a lot of up and down including Craggy Pinnacle and Craggy Dome.
last edited: 9/24/05 7:31:45 PM”

“About 30 miles SW of Asheville is the Dupont State Forest with its high plateau and numerous nice waterfalls spilling over the edge with a neat network of interconnecting trails.”

“There are numerous trails near Asheville, and the Mt. Mitchell area is loaded.
The Black Mountain Crest Trail is 11.3 miles long starting from the first parking lot on top of Mt. Mitchell. Rather a difficult trail to do, there are opportunities to include loop trails. One such choice would be to hike to big tom gap and go down the Big Tom Gap Trail #191A which is 0.4 miles long. Once on the trail, you are in the National Trail Network, and at the time I hiked it back in September, it was over grown with tall grass with rocks underneath that tall grass. Also what makes it difficult is the markings to the trail are on the rocks! From the end of #191A, you'll intersect the Buncombe Horse Range Trail #191. Make a right and go 2.3-2.4 miles to the Mountains to Sea Trail #440. This heads up to the parking lot where you had parked. This trail is rather steep and is 1.5 miles to the lot.
An alternative is to camp at the Mt. Mitchell campgrounds which is for tents only...then rather go up trail #440, continue on another .5 miles and intersect the MST again #440 and head up about .7 miles to the campground trail. All in all it's a long trip, but doable and a nice one at that. Numerous views along the various trails are spectacular. At the concession in the gift shop next to the concession stand you can pick up a nice map of the area.
There are also numerous trails in the Big Ivy Area, just on the other side of the Black Mountains which are both challenging and picture esq too. Nice campgrounds are all around. To access the Big Ivy area, I would recommend getting that map I referred to. From the BRP, take FR63 (dirt road)to Dillingham. Make on 2173 to fr 74. This will take you into the Big Ivy Area. By the way, this is where they filmed the opening scene of The Last Of The Mohiccans.
I know this was rather detailed, but believe me the short trip from Asheville is worth it; not only for the hikes, but also for the scenary getting to them.
Jim”