Top 10 Fast Hikes on the Parkway
Enjoy the Blue Ridge Parkway by exploring some of its many hiking trails near Asheville. 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 & Easy 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
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 |