Yearning to get out and enjoy all the beautiful autumn scenery? A hike is a perfect way to properly take advantage of the leaf changing season here in Asheville. The Blue Ridge Mountains boast thousands of hiking trails, and here are a select few for your personal enjoyment:
Mt. Pisgah: This popular 3-mile roundtrip hiking trail to the 5,721-foot summit is a bit strenuous. Milepost 407
Fryingpan Tower: This 1.5-mile roundtrip hike to the historic Fryingpan Tower offers a fabulous view. Milepost 408
Graveyard Fields: This trail got its name from tree stumps and the surrounding trees that resemble grave stones. The trail is about four miles. Milepost 419
Devil’s Courthouse: This short but strenuous 0.5-mile trail to the peak is sinister in both appearance and legend. Milepost 422
Richland Balsam: A 1.5-mile loop trail to the top of the highest summit along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Milepost 431
Rattlesnake Lodge: The rock foundations of Rattlesnake Lodge (a 2.8-mile roundtrip hike) was enjoyed by many in the early 1900s. Milepost 375
Craggy Gardens: Craggy Gardens is a 1.5-mile roundtrip hike to the top, and offers an exceptional panoramic view that is hard to beat. Milepost 364
DuPont Forest Waterfalls: The 10,000-acre North Carolina state forest is home to 900 miles of hiking trails, and boasts three impressive water falls (Hooker Falls, Triple Falls and High Falls) on a moderate 3-mile hike.
Three of my personal favorites are the Bent Creek Lake Loop, a 1.5 mile trail that takes about an hour; DuPont Forest Waterfalls: a 3-mile hike that boasts three impressive water falls (Hooker Falls, Triple Falls and High Falls), and the Davidson River Area, a popular area for all sorts of outdoor recreation.
A few safety rules for admiring the leaf changing season:
1) Don’t travel alone.
2) Know where you are going.
3) Take basic gear (i.e. first aid kit, lighter, aspirin, etc.).
4) Take water and a snack.
5) Take regular breaks and pace yourself.
Stay on the trail.
