Blue Ridge Parkway Hiking Trails near Asheville

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 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

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 1/2 Mile hike to Skinny Dip Falls
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