ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — While Asheville is famous for its beautiful autumn colors on the Blue Ridge Parkway and chilly mountain watering holes during lush green summer, hiking is a year-round pastime around these parts.
Here are five winter hikes to take to warm you up during the coldest months of the year:
1. Rattlesnake Lodge – >4 miles round-trip
Rattlesnake Lodge is an old summer estate built by the Ambler family at the turn of the 20th century. While later destroyed by a fire in the 1920s, the grounds of Rattlesnake Lodge have retained a few charred artifacts to the grandeur it once housed.
The hike itself is an easy, fun ascent into the woods. Marked by many switchbacks and a gradual rise into the trees, the culmination of the hike at Rattlesnake Lodge sees a large, fallen tree perfect for climbing over and sharing a few handfuls of trailmix.
2. Looking Glass Falls – >1 mile round-trip
It would be hard to find a more beautiful cascade of water in winter than Looking Glass Falls. The 60-foot waterfall is a misty, easily accessible delight in Pisgah National Forest.
Just a few miles down the road in Pisgah and a short trail to the bottom once arrived, Looking Glass is one spot you won’t want to look past this winter.
3. Black Balsam Knob – ~1.5 mile round-trip
Black Balsam Knob is located about an hour south of Asheville, but the drive is worth it for the panoramic views along the grassy hike. Black Balsam is a bald, a vast, open expanse with craggy grass, incredible views and large boulders.
The hike is right along the Art Loeb Trail, so if Black Balsam captures your hiking spirit, there’s even more left to explore.
4. Rough Ridge – >2 miles round-trip
Despite its harsh-sounding name, Rough Ridge is anything but when it comes to its hike. Located on the Blue Ridge Parkway to the northeast of Asheville, the trail lopes upward on a well-maintained series of wooden stairs and rhododendron eaves to a beautiful pile of sight-seeing rocks.
There are several stops along the way to rest and take in the views, and the frequently trafficked trail may even feature friends who can snap a photo for you.
5. Montford
City hikers, take notice: the Montford neighborhood right outside of downtown Asheville is a beautiful spot to stroll. With its accessible parking, several parks and hundreds of unique homes, it’s a sight-seeing spectacle just a few neighborhoods away.
Hiking need not be an endeavor. What it’s really all about is getting outside and tackling a few hills, whether it’s deep in the woods or along the sidewalks of Asheville.
Happy trails.