Asheville Inn-based Hiking Tour
Asheville, NC
5.0 (24 reviews)Trip Highlights
- Amazing Hikes
- Hand-picked Downtown Asheville Restaurants
- BIG Appalachian Views
- Mountain Summits
- Diverse Forests, Streams & Ecosystems
- Stunning Waterfalls
- Accommodations in Asheville
Description
Our Asheville Inn-based Hiking Tour allows you to experience unforgettable hikes in the breathtaking Blue Ridge mountains around the artsy city of Asheville, North Carolina. Each night you’ll see the best of the city as we dine at hand-picked downtown Asheville restaurants. You’ll challenge yourself on hikes to diverse forests, waterfalls, unique geological features, stunning viewpoints and more.
This Appalachian hiking vacation offers plenty of big mountain views, including time spent in Linville Gorge, NC and on the famous Blue Ridge Parkway. We’ve meticulously hand-picked the Asheville hotel and hikes to make your trip as unique and memorable as possible! This tour includes two nights of premier lodging, all local transportation, sensational hikes, trail snacks and meals, trekking poles, and daypacks.
Wildland Trekking is a permitee of the USFS, Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests
$525 Single Supplement
The single supplement guarantees your own room. If you would like to forego the single supplement, you can request to be paired with a roommate of the same gender. If we are unsuccessful in pairing you with a roommate, the single supplement will apply.
DIFFICULTY LEVEL 3
Scale of 1-5. 1 is least difficult; 5 is most difficult
This trip travels long, rougher trails that are rocky and rooty. Designated Wilderness trails do not see a lot of maintenance but provide fantastic, quality hiking. Day 2 has some exposure but can be avoided. Day 3 will have the longest miles but half the day is hiking along an old railroad bed.
Hiking Distances:
6-10 mi
Backpack Weight:
10-15 pounds
Terrain:
Moderately Rugged
Max Daily Elev. ↑↓:
2000 ft
Heights Exposure:
Light
PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF THIS TRIP
- Hiking uphill or downhill with a 10-15 pound backpack for 6-8 hours
- Maintaining balance and footing on moderately rugged terrain
SOLITUDE LEVEL 2
1 least solitude, 5 most solitude
We rate this Appalachia hike a solitude. You can expect as much as an hour of solitude at a time while hiking.
MINIMUM OF 2 GUESTS
If a trip does not reach the minimum number of guests, you may choose to transfer to another trip date or another trip, be refunded your payments in full, or you may have the choice to pay a supplemental fee to run the trip with fewer guests. We make the final determination for these trips 4-6 weeks before the departure date, and notify guests of changes and options immediately.
Private Trips
Travel in perfect company by booking a private trip exclusively for your group!
Our sliding scale for private trips is based on the final number of guests in your group. Rates are per person and do not include sales tax, national park fees or guide gratuity. The final rate is based on the actual number of guests on the trip and may adjust based on cancellations or additions.
Please Note: you can also enjoy a private trip at our normal scheduled rates by filling any empty tour to capacity. However, if group members drop from the tour those spots will automatically become available on our website for instant booking. By purchasing a private trip at the rates listed below, your trip will remain exclusive to your group regardless of cancellations.
Private Rates FOr This Trip
- 2 People: Rate x 2.5
- 3 People: Rate x 2
- 4 People: Rate x 1.5
- 5+ People: Rate x 1.15
*all rates are per person and single supplements apply
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Itinerary
Day 1
- Shuttle to Trailhead: 1.5 hours
- Hiking Mileage: 8 miles
- Elevation Gain/Loss: 1,400 feet
Today we head out of Asheville on our way to a lesser known gem in the Nantahala National Forest, Panthertown Valley. This amazing area has a tremendous amount to offer: waterfalls, pristine mountain creeks, towering cliffs, lush forests, wildlife, and spectacular views. No wonder it gets the nickname of “The Yosemite of the East”! Our loop hike in this unique Appalachian valley brings us to multiple waterfalls and cliffs, with splendid views of the surrounding area.
Day 2
- Shuttle to Trailhead: ~1 hour
- Hiking Mileage: 6.4 miles
- Elevation Gain/Loss: ~1,650 feet
After breakfast at our hotel, today’s objective is to summit of one of the most iconic landmarks in the region: Looking Glass Rock. Looking Glass is also one of the most fantastic hikes in the Pisgah National Forest. The hike is a fun, challenging one that rewards our efforts with stunning views. We’ll enjoy an amazing picnic lunch prepared by your guide on the summit.
After lunch we’ll descend back to our vehicle and head to the spectacular roadside waterfall, Looking Glass Falls, to shoot pictures and dip our feet. After the waterfall, we drive back to Asheville by way of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Along the way we will stop at some roadside overlook areas for even more sweeping views of the surrounding mountains.
After showering up, our evening will be filled with a walk through downtown Asheville and another special Appalachian dinner. After we eat you are welcome to explore the downtown area as long as you would like, just remember our best and longest hike starts tomorrow morning!
Day 3
- Shuttle to Trailhead: 1 hour
- Hiking Mileage: 10 miles
- Elevation Gain/Loss: 1,300 feet
- Shuttle to Asheville: 1 hour
To start the last day of our Appalachian adventure we’ll again enjoy a fantastic breakfast, then head to today’s trailhead just off the Blue Ridge Parkway. You’ll enjoy some great views along the drive before we begin our hike to the summit of one of the most unique geological features in the region: Shining Rock. The hike to the summit starts out along the Art Loeb Trail and takes us over multiple mountain summits and saddles. After reaching the summit our efforts are rewarded by huge, sweeping views and a picnic lunch prepared by your guide along the anomalous, white quartzite cliff bands that cap Shining Rock. This remarkable area sparkles in the sunlight and will be one you won’t forget.
After enjoying our lunch-with-a-view, we’ll descend back to our vehicle by way of the Ivestor Gap Trail for some different views and a bit easier hiking. Our short journey home back to Asheville brings us to the end of our memorable 3 days of outstanding hiking and exploration.
Please Note: We always do everything in our power to follow the set itinerary, however it can change occasionally based on temporary access restrictions, weather, lodging availability, guest ability/injury, natural events like fires and flooding, and other potential causes. Normal terms and conditions apply to trips with itinerary changes.
TRIP DATES & BOOKING
AVAILABLE TO BOOK
This trip is available and bookable online! Click on the date to register now or contact us online to book through our award-winning customer service team!
GOING FAST
This trip has 1 or 2 spots remaining and is bookable online! Click on the date to book now or contact us online to book through customer service.
REQUEST A RESERVATION
This trip is exclusively booked through customer service due to logistics with lodging, permits, staffing, availability, or something else. Please contact us online or call us at 800-715-HIKE (4453) to request a reservation.
Don't see your dates? Call us! We may be able to add new trip dates.
800-715-HIKE (4453)Trip Details
What's Included
- 2 nights of double occupancy lodging in downtown Asheville, NC (single occupancy requires an additional single supplement)
- Meals from breakfast the first day through lunch the final day
- Use of our day pack and trekking poles
- Trained hiking guide(s) with years of personal wilderness and hiking experience, medical certifications, and a passion for leading people into breathtaking landscapes. See Guide Bios.
- Transportation for the duration of the tour originating and concluding in Asheville, NC
- Emergency equipment including a company-issued first-aid kit and communication device (InReach Explorer or satellite phone)
What's Not Included
- Clothes, raingear, and footwear (see recommendations)
- Sunscreen, toiletries and personal items
- Water bottles and a headlamp or flashlight
- Alcoholic beverages
- Guide gratuity (industry recommendation is 10-20% of trip cost)
Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about what to pack.
Meals: What to Expect
This tour features a combination of restaurant/lodge breakfasts and dinners, and picnic lunches prepared by your guide.
We regularly accommodate vegan, vegetarian, kosher and non-gluten diets and will make adjustments for food allergies. These and other special dietary requests may require an additional fee.
Gear We Provide
We provide all group gear which includes the following:
- Deuter or Osprey backpacks
- Leki trekking poles
- Company-issued first-aid kit
- Emergency communication device(s)
Guest Packing List
When you register for this tour you’ll receive access to a printable, downloadable trip information packet with a detailed packing list specific to this trip (click here to see it now). All trips require a sturdy pair of hiking shoes or hiking boots, rain gear, a recommended clothing system, a headlamp or flashlight, a hydration system (water bottles and/or bladder) and other items specific to each trip.
Trip Logistics
How Do I Register?
Reserve your spot today! In the Trip Dates & Booking section of this page, the green and red dates are bookable online by simply clicking on the date, and blue dates must be booked through our customer service team for a variety of possible reasons. To email our customer service team, you can click here to get the ball rolling. Our adventure consultants will confirm availability, and if you’re ready to register we’ll email you a link to a registration profile. You’ll have 72 hours to complete your profile (and that of any dependents) and pay the deposit.
Feel free to call us for more info – we’re here 7 days a week!
Where Do We Meet?
You will meet your guide and group at the Doubletree by Hilton Asheville Downtown for an orientation meeting at 5:00 PM the evening before the trip begins. We’re happy to give you a ride to this meeting if you’re not staying at the Doubletree. Your guide will then pick you up the next morning for transport to the trailhead. For Private Great Smoky Mountains Tours your guide can meet you at any hotel in Asheville at an agreed upon time.
Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about flights, shuttles, recommended lodging and more.
Travel to Asheville, NC
All North Carolina trips begin and end from Asheville, North Carolina. Asheville has an airport served by Allegiant Air, Delta, United, and US Airways. One can also fly into Greenville, South Carolina or Charlotte, North Carolina and drive to Asheville. It is a 1.5-hour drive from Greenville to Asheville and a 2-hour drive from Charlotte on good roads.
FROM ASHEVILLE AIRPORT (AVL)
Asheville Airport Express (http://www.ashevilleairportexpress.com, 828-231-1053) and Harry’s Car Service run (828-774-8178) shuttles to and from downtown. Also a number of taxis are usually available on the curb in the Arrivals area.
FROM GREENVILLE/CHARLOTTE (CLT)
Asheville Airport Express also runs daily vans from Charlotte and Greenville to Asheville.
CAR RENTALS
Avis: 800-331-1212; Hertz 800-654- 3131; National: 800-227-7368; Thrifty: 800-367-2277; Alamo: 800-327-9633
Start/End Times
This tour begins between 6:00 and 7:00 AM on Day 1. Your guide will give you the exact pick-up time for Day 1 at the orientation meeting. We will drop you off at your hotel on the final day normally before 5 PM (this time is not guaranteed, as a variety of circumstances can influence our exact return time).
Safety Precautions
Your safety is our top priority. Our hiking tours are led by professional hiking guides, all of whom are wilderness-certified first responders or EMT’s, each with years of guiding and wilderness experience. Guides adhere to standardized risk management protocols in case of any potential or actual incident, and all tours carry an emergency communication device and comprehensive first-aid kit. Additionally we have a “24/7” system through which guides or guests can reach Wildland support personnel at any time.
If you have any further questions about safety, please contact us at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) for more information.
Essential Eligibility Criteria
Essential Eligibility Criteria (“EEC”) have been specifically identified to help you understand the skills and abilities necessary to participate on each Wildland trip, and they apply uniformly to all potential trip participants, irrespective of the presence or absence of any disability.
Once you identify a trip in which you may be interested, please carefully review the EEC and itinerary details. If after reviewing the EEC that apply to your desired trip, you determine you need an accommodation in order to meet the EEC, please contact us prior to registering to discuss your requested accommodation.
The EEC exist for your own safety and the safety and enjoyment of all participants. If you are unable to meet the EEC for the trip, with or without an accommodation, you are not eligible for that trip. If you register and arrive for a trip for which you do not meet the EEC, you will be disqualified from participation on the trip and will be dismissed or evacuated from the trip without a refund.
Guides Working Parameters
Guides are required to take 8 hours off each 24-hour period to sleep, recuperate, take personal/down time…etc. uninterrupted for a minimum of 8 hours each night. We ask guests to respect these requirements and to not interrupt guides’ off time and sleep time unless there is a true emergency.
Age Restrictions
Age restrictions on this trip are as follows:
- 12 and older to join scheduled tours (mixed groups)
- 5 and older to join private tours, with final approval and specific logistical requirements (such as porter or stock assist) determined on a case by case basis
Weather in The Appalachians
The weather in the Appalachian Mountains varies greatly by time of year. To be fully prepared, please follow the recommended clothing list closely (this list comes as part of your trip packet when you register). Read below for average high and low temperatures in for low elevations in the Appalachian Mountains:
| Average Temperatures (Fahrenheit) | ||||||
|
Month
|
Low Elev
|
High Elev
|
||||
|
hi
|
low
|
hi
|
low
|
|||
|
January
|
51°
|
28°
|
35°
|
19°
|
||
|
February
|
54°
|
29°
|
35°
|
18°
|
||
|
March
|
61°
|
34°
|
39°
|
24°
|
||
|
April
|
71°
|
42°
|
49°
|
34°
|
||
|
May
|
79°
|
50°
|
57°
|
43°
|
||
|
June
|
86°
|
58°
|
63°
|
49°
|
||
|
July
|
88°
|
59°
|
65°
|
53°
|
||
|
August
|
87°
|
60°
|
64°
|
52°
|
||
|
September
|
83°
|
55°
|
60°
|
47°
|
||
|
October
|
73°
|
43°
|
53°
|
38°
|
||
|
November
|
61°
|
33°
|
42°
|
28°
|
||
|
December
|
52°
|
28°
|
37°
|
21°
|
||
Accommodations
DoubleTree by Hilton Asheville Downtown
2 NIGHTS
The DoubleTree by Hilton Asheville Downtown is arguably the signature hotel in Asheville. With stunning views of the surrounding mountains and situated in perfect walking distance to many iconic Appalachian restaurants and breweries, it’s a perfect location for our Blue Ridge adventure.
(pool, views)
* These exact accommodations are not guaranteed. In some instances alternative accommodations of similar quality and location may be used.
Trip Reviews
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Andrea N
BEST hike in the Smokies!
Awesome tour! Our guide Kyle was superb, the hotel and meals were great, and the hikes were absolutely gorgeous! Despite some rain and cold, I enjoyed every minute!! This was my third trip with Wildland and as usual it was fantastic. Highly recommend this hiking tour!
Nina R
Incredible
The guides made the trip incredible. Their attention to detail and exceptional service truly made our vacation memorable and enjoyable. We appreciated their extensive knowledge of the area and the extra effort they put into ensuring our safety and comfort throughout the trip. Their passion for the outdoors and how they shared it with us were truly inspiring. We are so grateful to have had the opportunity to explore the beautiful Appalachian landscape with Kyle and Grace. Their professionalism, patience, and kindness did not go unnoticed; we will always remember this trip fondly.
Amira S
Magnificent
The trail was magnificent! the guide Kyle Felts was competent and pleasant to hike with.
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