The beauty of the natural landscape of Asheville will make you fall in love and make you start to think that a good hike would be a wonderful thing to do. It’s only natural that you will want to get outside and get up close and personal with the flora, the fauna, and the views of mountains, returning home to the comfort and luxury of our Mighty Tree Properties Asheville retreats at the end of your adventure. It can be difficult to find your way around a new place, however, and because we want to ensure that our guests enjoy a full and successful vacation experience, we have created this complete hiking/walking guide to Asheville, showing off our favorite trails and offering up hints and tips that will make your hike feel as simple and charming as a walk in the park!
Your Outfit of the Day
Social media sites like to use that phrase when they show everyone what they are wearing on camera, but your outfit of the day could have some inconvenient circumstances if you didn’t dress appropriately.
The Feet Matter for Asheville Hiking
Your feet are going to bear the burden of this adventure in Asheville, and so we will start from the bottom and work our way up. Comfortable boots or shoes should be well fitting and offer good traction and ankle support, while the socks you wear should be moisture wicking and non-chafing. Nothing destroys the mood on a hike faster than blisters or a fall.
Moisture Wicking is the Name of the Game
As much as you may want to wear your most comfortable pair of jeans, a good hiker knows that the cotton material holds on to water and will add unwanted weight, especially in the case of a sudden rainstorm. North Carolina weather can be unpredictable, so dressing in layers may be the secret to the success of your hike, just as carrying (or tying it around your waist) a rain jacket is most important.
Hats and Sunglasses
The final touch to your outfit, hats and sunglasses, will protect hikers against sun and heat, so even if it doesn’t seem that adding more would help you stay cool on a sultry summer day in North Carolina, we can assure you that blocking the sun’s rays however you can is the best thing you can do!
Safety Matters
Many of the trails we will list below are out in the wilderness, and having enough water or wearing enough sunscreen can be the difference between happy hikers celebrating with a beer and a soak in one of our hot tubs, and worried hikers wondering if they really can drink the rainwater out of cupped leaves like they’ve seen done in the movies. Two quarts of water per person per day is the rule of thumb. The sunscreen—always make sure to reapply throughout the day—will allow you to sleep comfortably each night without feeling pain, and although you could pack a bottle or two in your luggage, any local drugstore, grocery store, or convenience store will sell it. Map, compass, and GPS device are vital, as is studying the trail in advance to get an idea of what you are facing, and if you are hiking alone, notifying someone of where you are hiking and what time you plan to be back. Also, don’t forget snacks and a first aid kit!
The Rules of the Trail
Now that you are presentable, let’s take a few minutes to get to know the rules of the trail. Rules may be boring, but they could keep you from having a miserable time. Some are simple, including yielding the trail to faster hikers, and pack it in, pack it out. There won’t be garbage cans in the wild, and we want to keep North Carolina looking as beautiful as it does today. Which leads us to the next rule, stay on marked trails. Not only could you get lost if you wander off, you could destroy delicate ecosystems that could affect our wilderness areas in all the wrong ways. And finally, you are hiking into the habitat of many different wild animals, so remember that they belong there; you are the interloper, so be sure to keep your distance. That mama doe does look soft, but all animals have a bit of a mama bear in them, and hers could come out if you tried to pet her or her baby. Keep your distance from the wildlife, but feel free to take as many pictures as you want for remembrance!
Mountain to Sea Trail
Now that we have gotten the boring yet important, stuff out of the way, it is time to take a hike, and our first trail, the Mountain to Sea Trail, is perhaps the most popular one out of all that we will discuss today. Covering 4.8 miles of lush North Carolina countryside, this out-and-back trail starts at the Folk Art Center at mile marker 382 on the Blue Ridge Parkway taking hikers on a journey through canopies of trees, meadows filled with wildflowers, and a relatively steep ascent to the midway point of your hike, the Haw Creek Overlook. The signs don’t lead you to the overlook per se, but when you reach the top the overlook will be on your left and all of the beauty of the Asheville landscape will be spread out before you. This hike is considered a moderate one, taking just over two hours to complete (if you don’t lollygag at the top) and offering an elevation gain of 803 feet. Because it is an out and back trail, you will return to the Folk Art Center to get your car.
A Quick Ride Home to Our Weaverville Retreats
You may not notice how tired you are until you climb back into your rental car after completing the Mountain to Sea Trail hike, but when you do, you aren’t going to want to spend a lot of time in traffic. Fortunately our Weaverville retreats are located less than 20 miles away offering so many ways to relax and a bubbling hot tub that will help ease the aches and pains in your muscles. One of the more charming touches you may find in some of our Mighty Tree Properties sanctuaries, are large covered front porches (this is the south, so we should say verandas!) lined with rocking chairs and inviting guests to pour themselves a sweet tea (cold beer, chilled wine?) and sit, rock, and watch the world go by.
Beaver Lake Perimeter Trail Loop
Not everyone likes to climb mountains while hiking, and for many a hike is best enjoyed at a leisurely pace and if you agree with both those thoughts, the Beaver Lake Perimeter Trail Loop may be more your style. Offering multiple access points that include a gravel parking lot off Merrimon Avenue at the east end of the trail and the Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary found at the northwest corner of the lake, the trail is short (under two miles), flat (only a 34-foot gain in elevation), and private. The lake is on private property but there is an agreement between the city and the landowners that allows the public to hike this scenic trail as long as they follow the rules. This isn’t a trail for dogs, riding bikes, or to utilize the lake, it is just for hiking, relaxing, and taking plenty of pictures to remember the good times you had on your hike (stroll?) during your North Carolina adventures.
Rural, Yet Urban
Not all our Asheville accommodations are actually located within the city limits, some may be found in the small towns that border our big city, offering a rural charm and urban appeal, like the town of Leicester. Located just 11 miles outside of the downtown area, the homes we offer there are close enough to Beaver Lake to ensure that your drive home will be a short one. We love the luxurious extras we offer in these larger homes including slipper tubs which will feel heavenly after a day of Asheville hiking, even as the hike was a relatively short one. Summer visitors will appreciate the recuperative powers of a refreshing swim and sore muscles will benefit from a soak in the hot tubs that are open to the stars.
Hawkbill Rock
You knew we couldn’t end our hiking adventures without throwing in at least one difficult trail, and yes, Hawkbill Rock would be it. Located just outside of Swannanoa, another bedroom community, this one located just about 11 miles outside of downtown Asheville, the 3.5-mile long out-and-back trail can be reached via the Craggy Garden Picnic Area. What makes this trail so difficult, you ask? Well, it could be the 1335 feet of elevation gain that is equally taxing when you are descending on your way back to the parking lot. But as you—and if you are staying in one of our pet friendly rentals, your sweet fur baby—walk under the canopy of mature trees, cut across meadows filled with wildflowers, and climb to the peak of Hawkbill Rock to marvel at views that will make you forget all about your aching quads, you may notice that the peace and tranquility of the countryside will heal places in your soul you never knew needed healed. At a steady pace it should take you about 2.5 hours to complete this trail.
Home in a Flash
Even those in the best of shape are going to be relieved to see the parking lot at the end of the Hawkbill Rock hike, but no worries, your Mighty Tree Properties home is just minutes away, and it offers all sorts of ways to relax, recharge, and recuperate, including large hot tubs that you may wish you could just move into for the duration of your stay. The list of luxury amenities in these homes is a long one as fitting for properties that may have as many as 8 bedrooms and room for up to 20 guests. Surrounded by trees and offering mountain views, the peace you will feel after your day in the mountains will be something you never forget.
A Sunset Walk
Hiking is a wonderful way to experience the beauty of the Asheville countryside, but it isn’t the only way. Sometimes the simple joys of a walk around the neighborhood in which your vacation sanctuary is located can be the most beneficial to your well-being, especially when that walk takes place at sunset. The golden light may appear dappled as it shines through the trees that line our streets and as the first colors of red, orange, and purple begin to appear, you may forget the purpose of your adventure on this beautiful evening was to walk. But it’s ok if you stand in place, mesmerized by the display the sun is making, and if you find yourself feeling more. More content, more happy, more present, these feelings are normal feelings that a North Carolina sunset can arouse. And, just as with all the other hikes we have talked about today, your return trip home will be a quick one, especially if you just took a walk around the block.
Home Again
The common denominator to all these hikes and walks is the eagerness you will have to return home to your Asheville retreat, ready to relax in hot tubs, swimming pools, in front of the big screens in home theaters. Our homes are designed to be the best part of your vacation experience and we’ve put the time and effort into making sure each space we offer lives up to its full potential. Whether you are gathered round the dining room table playing Monopoly with the family, are taking turns at the Pacman arcade game trying to get your name on the top of the winners list or are simply sitting in front of the television watching the big game with your favorite beverage in hand, these spaces will feel warm, welcoming, and oh so comfortable. Reserve your favorite today!