Asheville, North Carolina is a hippie, granola-loving town that loves craft beer and the outdoors. The best day in Asheville is spent outside the city limits on the Blue Ridge Parkway, a scenic highway with breathtaking views of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
A short 15-minute drive outside of Asheville will take you to the Blue Ridge Parkway to discover scenic overlooks, hiking trails, and waterfalls. This guide will take you southwest of downtown Asheville onto the Blue Ridge Parkway for a day in the great outdoors.
But, first, let’s talk about the parkway.
The Blue Ridge Parkway
The Blue Ridge Parkway spans 469 miles from North Carolina to Virginia. It connects Great Smoky Mountains National Park to Shenandoah National Park.
Although it’s not designated as a National Park itself, the parkway is protected by the National Park Service. This protection makes sure its roadways and trails are well-maintained. The section of the Blue Ridge Parkway near Asheville is technically in the Pisgah National Forest.
Asheville is the perfect place to base yourself to explore the Blue Ridge Parkway. It’s the largest city right off the parkway and features other points of interest like great restaurants, the French Broad River, and the Biltmore Estate.
The speed limit on the parkway ranges from 25 to 45 mph, which is perfect for taking it slow on its winding roads and stopping at overlooks. If you drive to the furthest (and highest) point on this guide it will take you about an hour and 15 minutes from downtown Asheville.
Places to stop on the Blue Ridge Parkway
This guide goes in the order of what you’ll see on your drive out to the highest point on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The first stop, Mount Pisgah, is a 40-minute drive from downtown Asheville, but you should stop at the many overlooks along the way.
Mount Pisgah
Mount Pisgah is one of the most recognizable mountains in the region because of a TV tower on the top. Around Mount Pisgah, there are multiple points of interest.
Mount Pisgah Hiking Trail
To reach the summit of Mount Pisgah, you’ll hike 1.3 miles to the top (2.6 miles round trip). The out-and-back trail is moderately challenging, especially when it gets steep toward the summit. At the top, you’ll find a well-maintained deck to enjoy views from.
Pisgah Inn
The Pisgah Inn is a low-key hotel with spectacular views of the Blue Ridge. It has a restaurant and a gift shop you can stop at. In the parking lot, there’s a country store for a more grab-and-go lunch as opposed to the sit-down dining experience at the restaurant. Even if you aren’t hungry, it’s a great place to stop to enjoy the view.
Buck Spring Trailhead
From the parking lot of Pisgah Inn, you’ll find the Buck Spring Trailhead. This short and easy hike will take you to the location of the Vanderbilts’ mountain lodge. Along the way, there are stunning views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. This is technically a 2.5 mile out-and-back trail but if you have two cars someone can park at the Buck Springs Gap overlook to make this a one-way adventure.
Fryingpan Mountain Lookout Tower
Drive a little further down the road from Mount Pisgah to reach the Fryingpan Mountain Lookout Tower. This short 1.5 round trip hike takes you straight to a lookout tower. Climb to the top of the tower for 360 views of the Blue Ridge. You’ll need to park on the side of the road on gravel since there is no official parking lot.
Graveyard Fields
Graveyard Fields has it all: hiking trails, waterfalls, and even huckleberry picking in August. From the parking lot, walk down the steep stairs and paved path to a shallow swimming area. From here, you can go to the lower falls to jump into deeper waters and see the waterfall.
Around Graveyard Fields there are many hiking trails where you can pick huckleberries (basically blueberries) when they’re in season. The trails around Graveyard Fields aren’t well marked, especially around huckleberry bushes. Don’t venture into this area alone because it is easy to get lost.
Sam’s Knob + Black Balsam Knob
For more easy hikes with a view, hike Sam’s Knob or Black Balsam Knob. You can reach these hikes by making a right off the parkway onto Black Balsam Knob Road. Sam’s Knob has more open meadows while Black Balsam has more tree cover. Both hikes lead to bald tops with stunning views.
Devil’s Courthouse
Another quick hike down the parkway is Devil’s Courthouse. It’s only a half mile to the peak but it’s straight up and steep. You’ll be rewarded with expansive views of the mountains and the parkway at the top. The trail itself is paved, making it more approachable for inexperienced hikers.
Richland Balsam Overlook
At the end of our Blue Ridge Tour is the Highest Point on the Blue Ridge Parkway, Richland Balsam Overlook. This is like one of the many overlooks you can stop at but it’s extra special because it’s the highest point for 469 miles.
Bonus spot: Craggy Gardens
Craggy Gardens is a gorgeous place to watch the sunset at on the parkway. It’s not included in the main section of this guide because it’s in the complete opposite direction of everything else (about 40 minutes northeast of downtown Asheville). This is an easy hike with big rewards and is a nice place to hang out as the sun sets. To reach the hike, park at the visitors center or the picnic area. This easy Craggy Gardens hike is not the same as the challenging Craggy Pinnacle hike so make sure you’re in the right place before going down a trail.
Places off the Blue Ridge Parkway
While you’re on the west side of Asheville, there are other great spots off the Blue Ridge Parkway in the Pisgah National Forest that you can visit.
Looking Glass Rock Hike
Looking Glass Rock is the giant bald rock you can see from the many overlooks on the Blue Ridge Parkway. You can hike Looking Glass Rock on a 6.1-mile out-and-back trail. Although the hike is long and challenging, it will reward you with some of the best views around Asheville.
Looking Glass Falls
Looking Glass Falls is a beautiful waterfall that doesn’t require any hiking to visit unless you consider a small set of stairs a hike. Park on the side of the road and head down to admire the falls or jump in for a swim.
Sliding Rock
Sliding Rock is more than a natural wonder, it’s an amusement park attraction. You can physically slide down this slick rock like a giant fair slide. Go for a ride on Sliding Rock and get dumped into the freezing cold water below. Slide at your own risk.
Weather
The Smoky Mountains are known as the Smoky Mountains for a reason. Fog is common on the Blue Ridge Parkway but as quickly as it appears it tends to disappear. If the scenic overlooks are clouded by fog, drive a bit further until you see it clear up.
The Blue Ridge Parkway gets cooler weather than downtown Asheville. Expect it to be at least five degrees cooler, but typically closer to 10. Pack a flannel or light jacket to throw on after your hike.
In the summer, there are often afternoon rain showers in Pisgah National Forest. They don’t last long but you want to be prepared. For a live look at the weather, check out the Pisgah Inn Live Cam. There are actually multiple live cams like this all along the Blue Ridge Parkway that you can find with a Google search.
When to visit
The best times to visit the Blue Ridge Parkway are in the summer and the fall. In the summer, you’ll be able to take advantage of everything the Blue Ridge has to offer from swimming holes and berry picking. If you’re planning a summer trip, August is the best month to go.
Fall is another great time to visit because of the changing of the leaves. The leaves in North Carolina reach their peak autumnal color in November, so plan your fall trip around then.
The Blue Ridge Parkway is open year-round weather permitting. Roads can close during the winter due to snow storms and sheets of ice. For the latest information on road closures, check out the National Park Service website.
Planning a trip to Asheville, North Carolina, or driving the Blue Ridge Parkway? I’ve been over 25 times so I’m happy to answer any questions.
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