Choose Your Base Camp
Hiking Near Asheville, NC
Asheville sits within an hour of the Blue Ridge Parkway, Pisgah National Forest, and DuPont State Forest — the densest run of classic summits and waterfalls in Western North Carolina.
If you only pick one base for a first trip to the mountains, make it Asheville. The city is the hub where I-40 and I-26 cross, so day trips fan out in every direction: the Parkway climbs straight out of town toward Craggy Gardens and Mount Mitchell, Pisgah's waterfalls and the Art Loeb Trail are 40 minutes south, and DuPont State Forest is under an hour.
You also get the things a trailhead town usually doesn't — late dinners, gear shops, a brewery on every block, and lodging in every price range — which makes it an easy sell for a group that isn't all hikers.
Trails near Asheville
Black Balsam Knob NC – Scenic Bald Hike Near Asheville
Craggy Gardens NC – Scenic Parkway Hike Near Asheville
Graveyard Fields NC – Waterfalls and Scenic Hike on the Blue Ridge Parkway
Looking Glass Falls NC – Easy Waterfall Near Asheville
Max Patch – Panoramic Bald Summit
Moore Cove Falls NC – Family Friendly Waterfall Hike Near Asheville
Mount Pisgah NC – Scenic Mountain Hike Near AshevilleWhere to camp
Lake Powhatan (Bent Creek)
Forest Service campground inside the Bent Creek Experimental Forest, ten minutes from downtown with a lake, a swimming area, and direct access to the Bent Creek trail network.
North Mills River
Quiet riverside sites in the Pisgah District, about 30 minutes south, well placed for the Mills River and Trace Ridge trails.
Asheville East / West KOA
Full-hookup RV and cabin sites on either side of the city for anyone who wants a shower house and a short drive to town.
Getting there & when to go
Getting there
About two hours west of Charlotte on I-40, two hours from Knoxville, and a little over three from Atlanta. Asheville Regional Airport (AVL) is 15 minutes south of downtown.
Best season
Trails are good year-round. Rhododendron peaks in June, fall color runs the first three weeks of October and draws crowds on the Parkway, and winter clears the views on the higher summits.
Want the full picture before you drive?
Browse every WNC trail