Discover and Celebrate the Bliss of the Asheville Area Hiking Trails
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
"... The People's Path, and America's First National Scenic Trail... "The body of the Trail is provided by the lands it traverses, and its soul is in the living stewardship of the volunteers and workers of the Appalachian Trail community." -from the Appalachian Trail Management Principles, and the A.T. Comprehensive Plan..."
Appalachian Trail Clubs
"...
Thirty maintaining organizations call different parts of the A.T. their
own. Every year, they do the essential work that keeps the Trail open, safe and in good repair. New volunteers are always welcome. Volunteer opportunities for Trail maintenance, boundary monitoring, water-quality sampling, and monitoring rare species are available through many of these clubs. Some clubs maintain trails in addition to the A.T. Most clubs have active hiking schedules along with other social and outdoor activities...."
Michael Daniel of WalkingwithFreedom.com hiking a part of the Appalachian Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains. Michael is "an addictive long distance hiker with over 10,000 miles hiked since 1998. He has section thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail, from Georgia to Maine with over 8,000 combined miles in over 8 years, he has thru-hiked the John Muir Trail in 2002 as well as The Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada in 2006..."
Great Smoky Mountains National Park "...is a hiker's paradise with over 800 miles of maintained trails ranging from short leg-stretchers to strenuous treks that may require backcountry camping... Hikers enjoy the Smoky Mountains during all months of the year with
every season offering is own special rewards. During winter, the
absence of deciduous leaves opens new vistas along trails and reveals
stone wills, chimneys, foundations, and other reminders of past
residents. Spring provides a weekly parade of wildflowers and flowering
trees. In summer, walkers can seek out cool retreats among the
spruce-fir forests and balds or follow splashy mountain streams to
roaring falls and cascades. Autumn hikers have crisp, dry air to
sharpen their senses and a varied palette of fall colors to enjoy...."
"Cades Cove" is musically hiked with Greg in The Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Franklin, NC Area Hiking Trails
"... This area is rich in a variety of hiking trails. This listing can only cover a few. The Appalachian Trail (Georgia to Maine) passes just a few miles West of Franklin, and can be accessed at many places. The Bartram Trail also passes through Franklin, going East-West, and offers many highlights. There is a wide variety of trails offering hikes of different lengths in the Cowee, Fishhawk, and Nantahala Mountains...."
Mount Pisgah
Climbing Mount Pisgah "...Mount Pisgah is a beautiful high point in the Southern Appalachians, gray granite bedrock covered with red oak and flowering shrubs such as rhododendron,laurel and many wildflowers. There is a 271 foot television tower on the summit, property of WLOS TV, Asheville, N.C. There is a wooden platform at the summit, affording excellent & breathtaking 360 degree views of the North Carolina mountains. Trail begins at a parking area just off the famed Blue Ridge Parkway, and the 1.5 mile trail climbs 721 feet to the summit..."
Hiking in Pisgah Forest: Looking Glass Falls
Grandfather Mountain Nature
and Hiking Trails
"... Grandfather Mountain has 11 trails varying in difficulty from a gentle walk in the woods to a rigorous trek across rugged peaks. It is in the backcountry that you come up against the more challenging hikes....Grandfather has a number of gentle paths that can be accessed from the summit road. Designed to offer a low-impact foray into nature, these paths allow guests to get out in the woods without requiring a long and strenuous commitment.... "
Friends of Road Mountain
"... A major goal of the Friends of Roan Mountain is to support the annual Naturalists' Rallies. For more than four decades, in both spring and fall, people have come to Roan Mountain to participate in a three-day celebration of the diversity of life found there. A wide variety of hikes led by naturalists explore subjects such as wildflowers, birds, butterflies, ferns, geology, history, medicinal and edible plants, mushrooms, salamanders, stream ecology, and astronomy. These annual treks have become a tradition for many - a chance not only to visit flora and fauna but to reunite with friends as well. In the evenings, participants are treated to a catered meal and refreshments in the park's Convention Center. This time of fellowship is followed by interesting programs presented by expert naturalists, authors, and photographers. It is no wonder that these rallies have become a tradition in the lives of those who love Roan Mountain...." Roan Mountain straddles the North Carolina/Tennessee line, and can be approached via Bakersville, a small community a little over an hour north of Asheville. See Toe River Valley for more information on the area.
High Country Hikers "... One of the advantages of being in Western North Carolina is being able to experience the marvelous hiking in the area. Another is socializing with the fascinating people who live and visit here. Our club attempts to capitalize on both of these things by scheduling organized group hikes near Hendersonville, NC. Weather permitting, we hike twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays. Hikes vary from easy 4 or 5-mile events to strenuous 12 or 13-mile treks. Some days more than one hike is offered...."
Mountain to Sea Trail "... 935+ mile trail consisting of footpaths, roads, and state bike routes. This trail started in 1973 when the North Carolina General Assembly passed the North Carolina Trails System Act. FMST's efforts are underway so that one day a complete foot trail will reach across the state, from the Mountains to the Sea...."
Click on each of the dozens of categories to the left to uncover what makes the Asheville area so vital, so intriguing and so, well, UTTERLY BLISSFUL!
Hiking Tips and Guides
Interview with Danny Bernstein, author of "Hiking the Carolina Mountains:
Danny Bernstein's Hiker to Hiker
"... I started the website, Hiker to Hiker, after being active in outdoor groups for many years. I am an avid hiker, an active member of the Carolina Mountain Club (CMC) and a life member of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. I have hiked the whole Appalachian Trail and completed the South Beyond 6000, all the 6,000 foot mountains in the Southern Appalachians. I am now working on the Smokies 900, all the trails in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I have led day hikes, week-end trips, and long vacation trips for the Appalachian Mountain Club. These include excursions to the Smokies, Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, Mt. Greylock in Massachussetts and several trips to Colorado and the Canadian Rockies. I have hiked internationally, including Europe, Australia and New Zealand...."
HikeWNC.info
"... our on-line hiking guidebook for the Mountain region of North Carolina, containing all of the information you need to make your next trip complete...."
Guided Tours
Pure Vida Adventures
"... Guided hiking, backpacking, and waterfall tours near Brevard...Whether your goal is to have a casual tour of many North Carolina waterfalls or to hone your skills in backcountry camping and hiking, your guide has the knowledge and skills to suite your needs. Our local guides are trained in the classroom and in the field and will take you to the areas of interest on or off the beaten path in the forests around Asheville and Brevard...."
Browse AshevilleBliss.com's Bookstore
Discover the Bliss of Hiking the Mountains of Western North Carolina
Hiking the Carolina Mountains by Dannie Bernstein "... The mountains of western North and upstate South Carolina are a hiker's paradise. Rich with human history, they are also home to some of the greatest biological diversity in the world. Hikers here are treated to thousands of miles of trails offering fantastic views, stunning wildflower and fall foliage displays, and gigantic trees in old growth forests.
This guide lists 57 day hikes ranging in length from 2 to 13 miles, with destinations like the waterfalls of Dupont State Forest, the Blue Ridge Parkway's beautiful Craggy Gardens; the ruins of George Vanderbilt's palatial Buck Spring hunting lodge on Mt. Pisgah; and the summit of Cold Mountain. Each entry includes everything you need to know to get out and hike: maps and detailed directions, mileage, elevation gain, trail highlights, fees and hiking regulations, a list of films and novels set in each location, and more...."
50 Hikes in the Mountains of North Carolina "... The Great Smokies and Blue Ridge mountains are the most visited natural areas in the United States. The mountain ranges of North Carolina--from the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains to the southern foothills--offer an abundant variety of terrain, scenery, and wildlife to those who explore them. Distinguished by steep gorges, spectacular waterfalls, lush forests of rhododendron and laurel, and the blue haze that hangs over distant views,..."
100 Hikes in the Great Smokie Mountains ".... You don't have to just hike the Appalachian trail if you visit the Smokey Mountain National Park....and this book proves it. Packed with information about the parks and it's trails and non-trail hiking, it's a good book to pack for that vacation you are taking to the area. For day hikes, overnight hikes, or thru hikes of the area, this is a good resource..."
Hiking the Blue Ridge Parkway"... Hikers and motorists alike can continually refer to the book's mile-by-mile mileage log to overlooks and waysides, entrances and exits, interpretive sites, museums, visitor centers, craft shops, and all the easy 'leg-stretcher' trails that are such an accessible part of a Parkway trip...."
Blue Ridge Parkway by Foot: A Park Ranger's Memoir "... the author's one-of-a-kind backpacking trip along the 469-mile road, along with his observations and recollections regarding the Parkway, the most visited unit of the National Park Service. Beginning with his experience as a summer college intern, the book also covers the twelve years he spent working as a ranger on the Blue Ridge Parkway...."
Hiking North Carolina: A Guide to Nearly 500 of North Carolina's Greatest Hiking Trails "...describes nearly 500 routes from the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Great Smokies—Eastern America’s highest mountains—across the rolling Piedmont, to the Outer Banks archipelago. Choose a challenging backpack adventure on the Appalachian Trail, an easy family ramble on an urban greenway, a trek through a lush subtropical enclave, or a hike to photograph wildflowers and waterfalls...."
Best Hikes of Pisgah National Forest describes 112 national forest trails ranging from a flat, easy 0.5 mile loop to a rugged 12-mile hike one-way through Linville Gorge. The guide is organized around the major hiking areas in the national forest including Black Balsam Knob, Max Patch, Mt. Mitchell, Davidson River Valley, Linville Gorge, and Avery Creek. Each area features an excellent, detailed map copied from a USGS Topo map, driving directions (including landmarks) to the trailheads, and a detailed description of the trail.
Alone in the Appalachians "... The legendary Appalachian Trail, stretching from Georgia to Maine, attracts millions of hikers every year. The International AT, opened in 2000, has added 1,073 km from Maine to Quebec. This addition to Raincoast's popular Journeys series is the tale of writer and photographer Monique Dykstra's adventures while hiking the brand new International Appalachian Trail. She's a city girl who thought hiking was "simply a matter of throwing some clothes and a few granola bars into a pack and heading for the hills."
Two months, 1,073 km, and countless blisters later, she wasn't so sure. This extremely funny narrative includes Dykstra's descriptions of the characters she meets along the trail as well as 50 of her fascinating photographs...."
Always Another Mountain "... This is the author's daily journal as she backpacked the Appalachian Trail in 2004. Hundreds of hikers attempt this challenging trek every year and fewer than one in five succeed. Starting alone from Springer Mountain Georgia in late winter, she faces cold, snow, injury, lightning, heat, three topical storms, and over 2000 miles of rugged terrain before successfully reaching the high summit of Mount Katahdin Maine over six months later...."
North Carolina's Best Wildflower Hikes: The Mountains
