Blue Ridge Parkway Hiking Trails near Asheville

Top 10 Quick Hikes on the Parkway for 2010 Celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the Blue Ridge Parkway by exploring some of its 100 hiking trails. There’s a big variety of hikes, ranging from easy strolls to strenuous climbs. Since finding the perfect day hike that offers plenty of mountain scenery can be a challenge, we created the Top 10 Quick Parkway Hikes. All of these hiking trails are easy to find and less than four miles, while providing plenty of reward for all fitness levels. For a full page guide with photos of each hike, click the links. These hikes are located at various spots along a 120-mile stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway near Asheville, starting from the north near Grandfather Mountain and working south: 1. Rough Ridge: This unique hike offers plenty of viewpoints and a wooden boardwalk over fragile vegetation. The one-mile climb to the summit features many rock outcrops and views of Grandfather Mountain. Milepost 303 2. Beacon Heights: This one-mile roundtrip hike has a big pay-off with spectacular views from a smooth rock face. Milepost 305 3. Linville Falls: See five viewpoints of the most photographed waterfall in North Carolina via two trails that begin at the Visitors’ Center. Milepost 316 4. Crabtree Falls: A 2.5-mile easy loop trail takes you to a beautiful 70-foot waterfall. Milepost 340 5. Mt. Mitchell: The best hike at Mount Mitchell is the Deep Gap Trail to Mt. Craig (the second highest peak in Eastern USA). The two-mile roundtrip hike through a lush forest includes a good bit of climbing, but it is not overly strenuous. Milepost 355 6. Craggy Gardens: There are two great, easy hikes here. The 1.5-roundtrip trail to the top of Craggy Pinnacle Trail provides exceptional 360-degree mountain views. The Craggy Gardens Trail crosses a rhododendron bald. Milepost 364 7. Mt. Pisgah: The popular three-mile roundtrip trail to the 5,721-foot summit is strenuous. Milepost 407 8. Graveyard Fields: This very popular hiking spot features two waterfalls in a mild-high valley filled with wildflowers and surrounded by Blue Ridge Mountains with 6,000-foot peaks. Milepost 419 Get hiking updates on Facebook! 9. Black Balsam Knob: For sweeping 360-degree views that lasts for miles along a trail, roam the bald mountaintops. Milepost 420 10. Devil's Courthouse: This short but strenuous trail climbs a half mile to the peak for panoramic views from the 5,720-foot peak. Milepost 422 Top 10 Stops Along the Blue Ridge Parkway for 2010

Hiking Trails on the Blue Ridge Parkway: Complete List
Stop at any of these mileposts on the Blue Ridge Parkway in the Asheville, North Carolina, area for a hike. Many of this hikes are along the 193-section of the Mountains to Sea Trail. Click links for more details!

Milepost 297 Price Lake Loop Trail (loop around Price Lake) 2.3 miles
302.8 Rough Ridge 1/3 mile to wonderful views on a boardwalk atop a rocky ridge. Tanawha Trail.
304.4 Linn Cove Viaduct Visitor Center and Tanawha Trail.
305.2 Beacon Heights Trail, one mile roundtrip with panoramic views from a rock face mountaintop. Tanawha Trail.
308.2 Flat Rock Trail (self-guidling loop) 0.63 Easy
316.4 Linville Falls Trail: A trail through rare virgin forest. Balcony views of the Falls and the incredibly carved gorge. Labeled trail aids. 0.8 mile Moderate
316.4 Linville Gorge Trail: View of lower Falls. 0.5 Strenuous. Read more about Linville Gorge.
316.4 Duggers Creek Trail: Loop to view of Duggers Falls. 0.25 Easy
316.5 Linville River Bridge Trail: Leg stretcher to view of unusual bridge. 0.1 Easy
320.8 Chestoa View Trail: 30-minute loop to vista. 0.6 Easy
339.5 Crabtree Falls Loop Trail: Loop to view of Falls.  2.6 Strenuous
344.1 Woods Mountain Trail: USFS trail. 10.6  Moderate/Strenuous
350.4 Green Knob Lookout Tower. A lookout tower with 360 degree views is a 1/2 mile hike. Moderate/Strenuous
351.9 Deep Gap Trail: USFS trail. 0.2 Easy
355.0 Bald Knob Ridge Trail: USFS Trail. Virgin red spruce and Fraser fir. 2.8 Easy
355.4 Mt. Mitchell State Park & Mt. Craig
359.8 Big Butt Trail: Trail continues on USFS lands. Nice wildflower displays just a short distance off the Parkway. 6.2 Strenuous
361.2 Glassmine Falls: Just a few steps out of the parking area to a view of Falls. 0.05 Moderate
364.2 Craggy Pinnacle Trail: To panoramic view. 0.7 Moderate
364.6 Craggy Gardens Trail: First portion is self-guiding nature trail. Beautiful displays of Catawba Rhododendron bloom in June. 0.8 Moderate
374.4 Rattlesnake Lodge Trail: Woodland walk to old homestead site, now just walls and foundations.  0.5 Moderate
382.0 Mountain-to-Sea Trail: MTS Trail (from Folk Art Center to Milepost 365 spring wildflowers and views; parallels parkway; many accesses). The Mountains to the Sea Trail is a work in progress that will eventually cross North Carolina from west to east. Many sections, including most of the mountain portions, are finished. 7.5 Moderate
393.7 Shut-In Trail/MTS Trail: Bent Creek-Walnut Cove  3.1 Strenuous
396.4 Shut-In Trail/MTS Trail: Walnut Cove-Sleepy Gap.  1.7 Moderate
397.3 Grassy Knob Trail: Steep trail to USFS area. 0.9 Strenuous
397.3 Shut-In Trail/MTS Trail: Sleepy Gap-Chestnut Cove. 0.7 Moderate
398.3 Shut-In Trail/MTS Trail: Chestnut Cove-Bent Creek Gap. 2.8 Strenuous
400.3 Shut-In Trail/MTS Trail: Bent Creek Gap-Beaver Dam Gap. 1.9 Moderate
401.7 Shut-In Trail/MTS Trail: Beaver Dam Gap-Stoney Bald. 0.9 Moderate
402.6 Shut-In Trail/MTS Trail: Stoney Bald-Big Ridge. 1.2 Strenuous
403.6 Shut-In Trail/MTS Trail: Big Ridge-Mills River Valley. 1.1 Moderate/Strenuous
404.5 Shut-In Trail/MTS Trail: Mills River Valley-Elk Pasture Gap. 1.2 Strenuous
405.5 Shut-In Trail/MTS Trail: Elk Pasture Gap-Mt. Pisgah. 1.7 Strenuous
407.6 Mt. Pisgah Trail: 360 degree summit view from 5721 ft. mountain. 1.3 Moderate/Strenuous
407.6 Buck Springs Trail: Pisgah Lodge to view. 1.06 Easy/Moderate
408.5 Frying Pan Mountain Trail: To Big Bald. Good wildflower area. Continue on FR 450 to the fire tower for views. 2 Moderate/Strenuous
417.0 East Fork Trail: USFS trail access to Shining Rock WildernessTrail System. 0.1 Easy/Moderate
418.8 Graveyard Fields Loop Trail: Loop by a stream with several waterfalls.  2.3 Moderate
419.4 John Rock Trail: Leg stretcher to view. 0.1 Easy
420.2 Black Balsam Bald
422.4 Devil's Courthouse Trail: Panoramic summit view.  0.4 Moderate/Strenuous
427.6 Bear Pen Gap Trail: Access to Mountains-to-Sea Trail. 0.2 Easy
431.0 Richland Balsam Trail: Self-guiding loop through spruce-fir forest near the highest point on the Parkway. 1.5 Moderate
433.8 Roy Taylor Overlook Trail Paved trail to overlook. 0.1 Easy
451.2 Waterrock Knob Trail: Summit view. 1.2 Moderate/Strenuous

Top Pick Hiking Book: Hiking the Blue Ridge Parkway
by Randy Johnson
The Blue Ridge Parkway provides access to many great hiking trails, and this book covers all the Parkway's trails and hikes just off the road as well. This bestselling book—just out in an updated 2010 2nd edition for the 75th anniversary of the Parkway—features lots of photos and finely-detailed maps that you won't find in other guides. Also check out Randy's other newly updated Parkway book, Best Easy Day Hikes Blue Ridge Parkway, with 34 of the best easier trails for novice hikers and families. He's also author of Hiking North Carolina. Visit his Web site.

Blue Ridge Parkway 75th Anniversary & History