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Discover 35 five-star hiking trails near Asheville, North Carolina, including popular routes and hidden gems.
Peaceful waterfalls, dramatic mountain vistas, bountiful nature preserves, and, of course, the Blue Ridge Parkway and Great Smoky Mountains National Park—there’s no better place to hit the trails than the Asheville area. This diverse geographical region offers a variety of easy, moderate, and strenuous hikes. Travel through history at Mount Pisgah via Buck Spring Lodge. Take in the scenery at Big Firescald Knob. Bring the kids to Bearwallow Mountain.
Explore 35 of the region’s best, five-star trails with this easy-to-carry and easy-to-use guidebook. In the updated edition, acclaimed author and record-setting hiker/backpacker Jennifer Pharr Davis presents everything you need to know about spectacular outings that lead to mountain panoramas, majestic waterfalls, remote wilderness, amazing wildlife, and more.
Inside you’ll find:
- Descriptions of 35 five-star hiking trails for all levels and interests
- GPS-based trail maps, elevation profiles, and detailed directions to trailheads
- Insight into the history, flora, and fauna of the routes
- Ratings for scenery, difficulty, trail condition, solitude, and accessibility for children
Save time and make the most of your hiking adventures. From easy strolls in the deep woods to thrilling treks atop mountains, experience the best of Asheville’s breathtaking scenery and varied terrain. Lace up, grab your pack, and hit the trail!
Jennifer Pharr Davis is a lover of long trails and good stories. She has inspired women and men across the country with her message that “the trail is there for everyone at every phase of life” and has made a name for herself as a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year, hiker, speaker, and author. Jennifer set the overall fastest known time on the Appalachian Trail in 2011 by hiking 47 miles a day for 46 straight days. She was featured in the 2020 IMAX film Into America’s Wild, narrated by Morgan Freeman; served on the President’s Council for Sports, Fitness and Nutrition; and founded Blue Ridge Hiking Company, a Western North Carolina guiding service she began in 2008. Jennifer lives in Asheville, North Carolina, with her husband, Brew, and her children, Charlotte and Gus.
Overview Map
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Preface
Recommended Hikes
Introduction
Map Legend
Central
- French Broad River Greenway
- Destination Center Track Trail
- Rocky Cove
- Lake Powhatan
North
- Big Firescald Knob
- Hickey Fork Loop
- Lovers Leap
- Bailey Mountain Preserve
- Rattlesnake Lodge
- Hawkbill Rock
- Douglas Falls
- Craggy Gardens and Craggy Pinnacle
East
- Big Butt Little Butt
- Mount Mitchell High Loop
- Mount Mitchell Circuit
- Setrock Creek Falls
- Snooks Nose and Hickory Branch Falls
- Bearwallow Mountain
- Florence Nature Preserve
- Wildcat Rock
South
- Carl Sandburg’s Connemara Farms
- DuPont State Forest Four Falls
- Lake Julia
- John Rock
- Looking Glass Rock
- Moore Cove Falls
- Turkey Pen Loop
- Mills River Loop
West
- Mount Pisgah via Buck Spring Lodge
- Pink Beds Loop
- Cradle of Forestry
- Shining Rock
- Black Balsam Knob High Loop
- Sam Knob
- Cold Mountain
Appendix A: Outdoor Retailers
Appendix B: Hiking Clubs
Index
About the Author