ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Asheville residents have a new place to hike, run or ride a mountain bike without leaving the city.

The first trail in the AVL Unpaved initiative is now open at Azalea Park, giving outdoor enthusiasts a new way to explore the wooded hillsides of East Asheville.

The 3,600-foot natural-surface trail begins near the Azalea Pond dock and offers views of the pond, Hemphill Knob and Little Cedar Mountain. The city describes it as moderately difficult and open to hikers, runners and cyclists.

The trail is at Azalea Park, 498 Azalea Road.

The City of Asheville gave the go-ahead to open the trail during the week of Oct. 19, according to Mike Sule, executive director of Asheville on Bikes. The organization announced Thursday, Oct. 29, that the trail was open to the public.

Elevated Trail Design LLC designed and built the trail.

It’s the first completed section of a much bigger effort to bring natural-surface trails to neighborhoods throughout Asheville. The idea is to connect those trails to existing greenways, sidewalks, bike lanes and public transit so residents can enjoy the outdoors without having to drive somewhere else.

“Removing barriers to outdoor participation is central to our work,” Sule said in a statement published on the Asheville on Bikes website.

The goal, he said, is to create experiences similar to those at Bent Creek in more parts of Asheville, making trails and green spaces easier for residents to reach.

A project years in the making

The idea behind AVL Unpaved dates to 2019, but getting the first trail built took years of planning, fundraising and coordination with the city.

The initiative is led by the AVL Unpaved Alliance, a partnership of Asheville on Bikes, Connect Buncombe and Pisgah Area SORBA.

On July 29, 2025, Asheville City Council unanimously authorized the city manager to enter into an agreement with the alliance to build and maintain trails at Azalea Park and along the French Broad River in West Asheville.

The agreement was finalized in December 2025.

Tropical Storm Helene also slowed the project. According to the city’s timeline, work was paused from fall 2024 through spring 2025 as Asheville dealt with the storm’s aftermath.

The opening comes as the city continues working to restore parks and recreational areas damaged by the storm.

“As we recover from Helene and build back our riverfront parks, may this trail serve as an example of what’s possible,” Sule wrote in an Oct. 26 Facebook post.

The project is supported by tourism funding and private donations.

The Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority originally awarded $188,355 to Asheville on Bikes for the first phase of AVL Unpaved. Connect Buncombe also previously announced a $20,000 commitment to the initiative.

Under the agreement with the city, the alliance will maintain the trails for three years, with an option to extend that arrangement another three years. The city would then take over maintenance.

What’s next for AVL Unpaved?

With the Azalea Park trail open, attention is turning to the next planned section along the French Broad River in West Asheville.

The French Broad River West Trail would run near the existing paved greenway and French Broad River Park.

City permitting records for 98 Desota St. provide a closer look at the project. Plans describe a proposed natural-surface trail approximately 6,679 feet long, or about 1.27 miles, with an average width of 3 feet.

An early assistance review associated with the project has been closed, but that does not mean construction has been approved.

According to the city’s AVL Unpaved project page, Elevated Trail Design has begun marking the proposed route near French Broad River Park and is working to obtain the necessary permits.

Construction is planned for fall 2026, pending those approvals. A specific start date has not been announced.

French Broad River Park remains closed because of extensive damage from Tropical Storm Helene. The park’s closure is separate from the permitting process for the proposed trail.

There are also longer-term plans to connect the Azalea Park area with the future Swannanoa River Greenway and Hellbender Regional Trail. Those connections are not part of the newly opened trail and do not yet have confirmed completion dates.

For now, visitors can get a taste of the AVL Unpaved vision at Azalea Park, where the first stretch of trail is ready to explore.

Trail maps and project updates are available on the City of Asheville’s AVL Unpaved page and the Asheville on Bikes website.