Classic Day Hikes between Asheville and Brevard, NC

Classic hikes in the Pisgah Ranger District showcasing pristine waterfalls, high mountain peaks, and sweeping vistas.

Brendon Voelker

Images

20180313_141703.jpg
Sam Knob

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20180313_141659.jpg
Sam Knob

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20180201_104153.jpg

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20180201_100407.jpg
Mountains to Sea Trail

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20171018_093147.jpg
Tennent Mountain

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20170216_140347.jpg

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20190722_120044.jpg

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

12.jpg

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20190722_120004.jpg

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20190722_124805.jpg

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20190722_130426.jpg

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20190722_125629.jpg

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20190722_124621.jpg

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20190722_125042.jpg

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20181012_095402.jpg
Mount Pisgah

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20190319_180502.jpg
Mount Pisgah

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20181012_095430.jpg
Mount Pisgah

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20181012_101216 (1).jpg
View from the parking lot

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20170301_100129.jpg

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20170301_100741.jpg

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

29808146663_a579a18bbe_o.jpg

by Niemand für Polyphemus

Creative Commons: Attribution
16513302732_4149130ba2_o.jpg
20190412_134235.jpg
Slate Rock

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20190412_134239.jpg
Slate Rock

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20190412_132817.jpg
Trail Junction

by Brendon Voelker

20190412_131902.jpg

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20190412_134244.jpg
Slate Rock

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20190412_134251.jpg
Slate Rock

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20190328_111151.jpg

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20190328_104004.jpg

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20190328_102628.jpg

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20190328_110419.jpg

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20190611_121449.jpg

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20190611_114236.jpg

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20190611_110707.jpg

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20190611_123636.jpg
English Chapel Methodist Church

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20190707_084636.jpg

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20190707_084829.jpg

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20190707_084624.jpg

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

2016-05-06 11.43.56-1.jpg
View from the top of Looking Glass Rock

by Greg Heil

2016-05-06 10.38.28.jpg

by Greg Heil

2016-05-06 11.17.50-1.jpg

by Greg Heil

2016-05-06 10.38.24.jpg
Deep forest

by Greg Heil

2016-05-06 10.38.22.jpg

by Greg Heil

20190504_110054.jpg

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20190504_105249.jpg
John Rock

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20190504_105253.jpg
John Rock

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20190504_110934.jpg

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20190504_104941.jpg

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20190504_094944.jpg

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20190504_110934.jpg

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20190504_100603.jpg

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20190504_094813.jpg

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20190627_144101.jpg
Daniel Ridge Falls

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20190627_142603.jpg

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20190627_143042.jpg

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20190627_142556.jpg

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20171031_160001.jpg

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20181106_095958.jpg

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20181106_100002.jpg

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20171017_093212.jpg

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20190721_114550.jpg

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

3.jpg

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

2.jpg

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

4.jpg

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

1.jpg

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

5.jpg

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

20190804_081846.jpg
Fryingpan Fire Tower, Viewed from the Blue Ridge Parkway

by Brendon Voelker

Licence Free

Description

Pisgah National Forest is the oldest of its kind in the eastern United States and home to some of the best hikes in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The forest is divided into three districts: Pisgah, Appalachian, and Grandfather. While each corner is loaded with incredible hikes, the Pisgah Ranger District is located southwest of Asheville and is frequented by visitors in Brevard. Some of these hikes originate closer to Brevard, while others can be found higher in the mountains along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

If you’ve never been to Pisgah, start with Looking Glass Rock or John Rock. Both begin less than 20 minutes from Brevard and offer incredible views from exposed slickrock vistas. Each should take less than 3 hours and showcase two of the most iconic vistas in the forest. The silhouette of Looking Glass Rock often makes its way into publications or guidebooks, and is even the front cover of a local map.

If you have younger children along for the ride, pay a visit to the historic Pink Beds Picnic Area. The Cradle of Forestry in America is adjacent to it and offers several exhibits and easier hikes. The Pink Beds Loop is just 5 miles total and is considered one of the easier and attainable hikes in the forest.

Heading deeper into the forest, hikes like Slate Rock and Cedar Rock provide incredible views of the Balsam Range, but at a cost. Both trudge deep into the forest and include significant elevation change and remote settings. Cedar Rock has two steep rock faces that require you to utilize fixed ropes to navigate the slope.

If you’ve hit all the local classics, check out Sycamore Cove, Coontree Loop, or Turkey Pen. Lesser visited than others, they offer an experience of their own and all include a nearby river or stream to jump in along the way.

If you make your way up to the Blue Ridge Parkway, Sam Knob and Black Balsam are two iconic hikes in the Great Balsam Range with incredible panoramic views from nearly 6,000’. Skinny Dip Falls, Graveyard Fields, and Devil’s Courthouse are just a short drive away and offer phenomenal high-mountain hikes with minimal effort involved.

The final two pieces to the puzzle are best enjoyed at sunset or sunrise. Fryingpan Mountain offers incredible views from its namesake fire tower, and Mount Pisgah offers sweeping views of the entire Pisgah Ranger District from an observation deck atop its summit.

Adventures

Mount Pisgah

A popular hike providing spectacular views from the summit of Mount Pisgah.

Fryingpan Mountain

A short hike to a historic fire tower with breathtaking panoramic views.

Turkey Pen Loop

An hike in Turkey Pen pairing an old roadbed to a technical ridgetop traverse.

Coontree Loop

A short hike originating at a picnic area along the Davidson River.

Looking Glass Rock

Hike to one of the most impressive viewpoints in Pisgah National Forest.

John Rock

A classic route from the fish hatchery with phenomenal views from John Rock.

Cedar Rock Mountain

An adventurous and incredibly challenging hike requiring the use of fixed ropes to ascend Cedar Rock Mountain.

Pink Beds Loop

A beautiful, family-friendly hike through the historic Pink Beds Valley.