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Local Family Adventure Expert : Second Gear 444 Haywood Rd , Asheville , NC ( 828 ) 258-0757 || secondgearwnc . com
Asheville Dog Friendly Expert : Prestige Subaru 585 Tunnel Rd , Asheville , NC ( 888 ) 854-4293 || prestigesubaru . com
Fish the French Broad ( Asheville ): RiverLink operates 10 public access points along the French Broad River in Buncombe County . Drop a line at the Bent Creek River Park just south of town or the Hominy Creek River Park in West Asheville or head up Riverside Drive and fish among the class II rapids of the Ledges Whitewater Park where numerous rocks and ledges create great fishing options .
Directions : Since there are 10 public access points we suggest going to advguides . com or downloading our free map for more info . To hit the Hominy Creek River Park , head south on McDowell St ./ US 25 S for 1.7 miles . Merge on to I-40 W for 3.5 miles . Take Exit 47 for NC 191 towards West Asheville for 0.2 miles . Turn right at Brevard Rd ./ NC 191 for 0.3 miles . Turn left onto Shelburne Rd and left on Hominy Creek Rd .— the park will be on your left .
Skinny Dip Falls ( Parkway South MP 417 ): This three-tiered waterfall along the Yellowstone Prong drops a total of 30 feet through a rocky bend in an ice-cold mountain stream . The short hike is easy to do with kids and the numerous pools and places to explore make for a fun day . Directions from Asheville : Take 1-240W to I-26 E to Exit 33 . Take a left on to NC 191 for 2 miles and turn right onto the Blue Ridge Parkway . Head south on the Parkway ( right turn ) and drive 30 + miles to the Looking Glass Rock Overlook , milepost 417 . The trail begins on the other side of the road . Follow the trail about 400 feet to the Mountains to Sea trail and turn left to falls .
Explore The Cradle of Forestry ( Pisgah National Forest ): This is a great destination for families looking to combine historical education with their adventure . Make a day-long adventure out of it by beginning the day with a family-friendly tour of the Cradle of Forestry before heading out to one of the many nearby hikes in the area . We recommend the Pink Beds Loop , a 5-mile hike that traverses a beautiful high-elevation bog and offers great scenery . Afterwards , head up U . S . 276 to the Blue Ridge Parkway to get a view of the 500,000-acre national forest from above . Other nearby options include taking the 3-mile hike to the summit of Mt . Pisgah where a lookout tower offers spectacular views of the surrounding area , including
nearby Asheville . Directions from Asheville : Take the Blue Ridge Parkway south for around 18 miles to mile marker 412 to exit onto U . S . 276 toward Brevard . The Cradle of Forestry is located roughly five miles down U . S . 276 on the left and charges a $ 5 admission fee for visitors .
Raft the French Broad River ( Asheville ): The French
Broad River flows provides some excellent whitewater rafting and float opportunities as it makes its way North from Asheville . While the river is calm as it cuts around downtown Asheville , it becomes a fun and exciting whitewater destination as it nears the town of Hot Springs . Run a 5 mile half-day trip for an experience chocked full of class II-III rapids such as Pinball , S-Turn , and Stack House or go for an 8 mile full day trip and tackle the famous class IV Frank Bell ’ s rapid . Directions from Asheville : We recommend hooking up with French Broad Adventures ( see page 13 for details ).
Azalea Park ( Asheville ): Azalea Park along the Swannanoa
River in East Asheville has several dog friendly options . The real gems of the park are the Swannanoa River and great mountain views . There is a trail that runs along the river that is ideal for a flat , easy walk with your dog . The hidden gems of the park are the numerous river “ beaches .” To access the beaches and other river spots , drive past the soccer fields , park on the right side of the road and head down to the river to explore the access points . If Fido needs some social time , then head to the dog park about 1 / 4 mile past the park .
Directions from Asheville : Take I-240 E to Exit 8 . Left on Fairview Rd ., right on Swannanoa River Rd ./ Hwy . 81 — pass the golf course on the left — right on Gashes Creek Rd . Continue straight onto Azalea Rd . to the park on the right .
Explore Montreat Trails ( Black Mountain ): The trail system above Montreat College boasts over 20 miles of hiking trails on 2500 pristine acres . A suggested 5 mile moderate hike with access to water would be the Greybeard Trail to Pot Cove Gap to the Trestle Trail to Walker ’ s Knob ( 4780 feet ) back down Greybeard . With so many trails to choose from we suggest stopping at the Montreat Conference Center to pick up a trail map .
Directions from Asheville : Take I-240 E to I-40 E to Exit 64 ( Black Mountain ), Turn left off exit and continue on Hwy 9 through Black Mountain through the stone entrance into Montreat . The Montreat Conference Center will be 1 mile on your left .
Lover ’ s Leap Trail ( Hot Springs ): The steep hike on the
Lover ’ s Leap Loop follows the Appalachian Trail from downtown Hot Springs , along the French Broad River , and climbs the ridge to Lover ’ s Leap rock overlooking the river and the surrounding mountains . Take Lover ’ s Leap Trail back down the ridge for a 2-mile loop . Directions from Asheville : Take 1-26 W / US 19 / 23 N to Weaverville then US 25 / US 70 W to Hot Springs . If you park in town , head north on Bridge Street and cross the bridge over the French Broad River . Be sure to follow the white Appalachian Trail blazes . After crossing the bridge , step over the guard rail and follow the path to the street below . Continue to head up river following the AT blazes until the trail takes a sharp turn up the mountain .
Bent Creek Trail Run ( Asheville ): Combine the 2.1- mile Wolf Branch and the 0.6-mile Ledford Trail to create a seamless single-track run across streambeds and through pine and fern forests . Bent Creek is an endless outdoor paradise so grab a map and add some other trails for a longer run or hike with your dog . Directions from Asheville : Take I-240 W to I-26 E and get off on Exit 2 , NC 191 . Turn left and head south on NC 191 for 2 miles . Turn right at the stoplight onto Bent Creek Ranch Road and travel about 2 miles . We like the parking lot off 479 ( dirt road ) just past the Hardtimes trailhead parking .