We love living in Asheville for a lot of reasons, and near the top of that list is the proximity to amazing trails snaking through the wilderness. Beach and Lindsay both love to get outside and on the trails. Here are a few of their favorite trails for hiking, biking, running, and winter-ing.
Asheville Hiking Trails
Lunch Rocks
A Beach and Lindsay favorite because it’s practically in their backyard. Lunch Rocks is part of the Mountain-to-Sea trail, and at the top, you get to see an amazing view of the Haw Creek valley.
John Rock Hike
John Rock is a great trail because it includes two essentials for a good hike- a waterfall and a view! Located in the Pisgah National Forest, the easily accessible five mile trail has a nice climb so you feel like you’ve exercised without exhausting your whole day.
Pink Beds
Because Pink Beds is easy to get to and easy to do, its great for little hikers. This relatively flat trail is all about water. You’ll see a rare mountain bog, a beaver dam (creating a forest in transition), and one of the main tributaries of the French Broad River.
Winter Hikes
Max Patch Bald
The Max Patch Bald is located on the North Carolina/Tennessee state line. This grassy summit is not the highest mountain in its immediate vicinity, but it is considered by some to be the “crown jewel of the Appalachian Trail.” A breath-taking 360º view awaits the hiker at the top, with views of the Smokies, Mount Pisgah, and Mount Mitchell to the east.
Dupont Waterfalls Tour Hike
On this hike, you’ll visit up to 5 of the 6 major waterfalls in Dupont State Forest. It starts as an easy path to some of the most spectacular waterfalls in the area: Hooker, Triple, and High Falls. Covered picnic shelters with views of the falls make Dupont excellent family outings.
Mountain Biking Trails
Kitsuma
This is a classic must-ride. Right outside Black Mountain, the ride starts with two short but steep climbs. Before you begin the heart-pounding descent to Old Fort, appreciate the Mount Mitchell Backdrop.
Green’s Lick/Ingles Field Gap Loop
Green’s Lick can end fast (30+ mph), but you’ll earn that downhill after a brutal climb. The terrain isn’t overly technical and has some nice flow-y sections. The one caveat there are loose rocks.
Running Trails near Asheville
Shut-In Trail
This is Beach and Lindsay’s favorite running trail. They’re both members of the Jus’ Running Race Team, and most years you can find both of them running the Shut-In Ridge Trail Run. It’s great in sections for day hikes and running, but it is a little long to tackle the whole thing for a day hike.
Did you know George Vanderbilt originally built the trail to link his hunting lodge to the Biltmore Estate?
Art Loeb*
For Lindsay’s 30th birthday, Beach and Lindsay through-ran the entire trail. They started at Camp Daniel Boone and ended at Davidson River campground (most people run 30 miles for their 30th right?). 12-hour birthday runs are on the backburner until their son gets a little older. It’s easily accessible via one of its four sections.
