Craggy Pinnacle Trail is located just outside of Asheville, NC and right on the Blue Ridge Parkway at MP364.4. Craggy Gardens is a popular area for visitors and those traveling the Parkway, because of the gift shop, picnic area, and views. You'll want to drive past the visitor center for the Pinnacle trail.

The pinnacle trail is moderate because of the climb up, but only 1.4 miles round trip. The hike begins in the parking area and takes you up to the observation deck at the top for incredible 360-degree views of the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains.  

The view during all season are incredible, but they are an exception in the summer when the Rhododendron are blooming, and during the Fall with peak colors.

Even better? The observation area at the top provides both incredible sunrise and sunset views.

Located outside of Asheville, at MP422.4, it's difficult to miss, as you can see in the photo above. Devil's Courthouse is a popular stopping point on the Parkway, but most visitors enjoy the views from the parking area. You can hike to the top.

The trail up is only 1/2 mile up (1 mile round-trip), but it's one of the steepest 1/2 miles you'll climb. As a result we give this trail a strenuous rating, but the views from the top are well worth it.

The trail is paved for about half its length, then becomes gravel as you approach the top.

The location and trail gets its name from Cherokee legend, which says the Devil holds court in the caves below the rocky faced mountain.

The trailhead for Cat Gap Trail is near Looking Glass Falls, at the old Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education, off Service Road 475 (Fish Hatchery Road).

Hiking along this loop, with a short excursion, will take you to three really nice waterfalls, and along a really nice creek-side hike through beautiful Pisgah National Forest.

The hike is easy to moderate, and is 1.8 miles round-trip to the first waterfall, about 2 miles round-trip if you visit the first and second waterfalls, and 5.5 miles round-trip to the 3rd.

Black Balsam Knob is located off the Blue Ridge Parkway at MP420 on Black Balsam Rd. This hike is moderately difficult, and because it's an out-and-back trail, you can adjust its length as needed. The trail is along the famous Art Loeb Trail, which goes through the area.

The hike starts off in a beautiful forest area and climbs upwards to the bald ridge line to Black Balsam.  The views once you break the tree-line are incredible. Along the way, you'll walk along grassy trails, and climb rocks as you make your way up to the knob. 

The top offers incredible 360-degree and long-distance views, plus a plaque commemorating Art Loeb.

One of our favorite hikes, Sam's Knob Trail, is located off the Blue Ridge Parkway, on Black Balsam Rd at MP420. You'll drive all the way to the end and park for the trailhead. The trail is moderate, because of the incline up to Sam's knob. If you do the full loop, it's 3.5 miles round-trip.

The hike begins next to the restrooms, and starts on a forested ridge-line, then down a long flight of wooden stairs into a beautiful meadow full of flowers, and surrounded by mountains. The meadow is stunning and our favorite part of the trail.

Past the meadow, take a right and start your climb up Sam's Knob; the views from the top are stunning. On a clear day, you can see the Great Smoky Mountains.

Also on the Blue Ridge Parkway, at MP418.5 is Graveyard Fields, named for the fallen trees from a storm and fire that were covered in moss, and resembled grave stones many years ago.

Graveyard Fields has 2 primary waterfalls and offers several hiking trails. The most popular being Upper and Lower Falls (also called first and second falls). Lower Falls is the shorter of the two moderate hikes and the most beautiful waterfall.

Graveyard Fields provides for a beautiful hike because of the unique vegetation that grows there, including blueberries.

Lower Falls is absolutely stunning and very photogenic. This area makes for a great family hike because of the distance and easy access to water, waterfalls, and swimming.

This is one of our favorite areas to hike, and we have spent many a summer day at lower falls with our kids both enjoying the falls and swimming hole below it.

Located near Looking Glass Falls and Sliding Rock, and south of Asheville is the trailhead and waterfall, Moore Cove Falls.

The trailhead begins from a small parking area right off Highway 276. This trail is 1.4 miles round-trip and of moderate difficulty. The hike out to the falls is very nice, and Moore Cove Falls itself is definitely worth the hike and visit.

Even though Moore Cove Falls isn't a strong flowing waterfall, it is beautiful, and has the unique feature of allowing visitors to stand under it.

Moore Cove Falls is a very popular hike year-round, so expect lots of people. We recommend visiting early.

About an hour from Asheville, in Pisgah National Forest, is Max Patch. From the top of Max Patch, you can enjoy breathtaking views in every direction, and its trails also link up with the Appalachian Trail.

Max Patch mountain was once a pasture for cows, and is clear of trees and provides incredible 360-degree views at 4,600 feet in elevation. The trail up is moderate, and about 1.5 miles round-trip. The bald at the top makes for a great picnic location and place for the kids to run and play.

The sunsets and sunrises at Max Patch are exceptional.

Dupont State Forest is located south of Asheville, near Brevard, NC and is the home to several hiking trails and waterfalls.

The Dupont State Forest Waterfalls trail, will take you to three exquisite waterfalls AND the filming locations for The Hunger Games.

The trail begins at the Hooker Falls parking area, where you can hike down to Hooker Falls, a beautiful waterfall, and also a filming scene for the Last of the Mohicans. 

From there, you can hike up to Triple Falls, famous as the film location for The Hunger Games, and then onto High Falls, which has a beautiful covered bridge across the top.

The trail is just a few miles round-trip, and moderate.   

One of the most popular hikes and waterfalls in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Crabtree Falls Trail, is a fantastic hike to an absolutely stunning waterfall. The trailhead and parking area is located north of Asheville on the Blue Ridge Parkway at MP339.5.

The round-trip distance is around 2.5 miles, but varies depending on if you are out and back, or take the longer loop. The difficulty is moderate and the hike itself is really nice, and well maintained.

The waterfall itself is one of the most beautiful in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Rainbow Falls is near Highlands, NC, south of Asheville in Gorges State Park. The huge 150-foot waterfall earns its name from the rainbow frequently visible to those approaching along the trail.

The trail is 3.0 miles out and back, but you can hike a little further and visit Turtleback Falls as well, a popular swimming hole.  

One of the most iconic scenes on the Blue Ridge Parkway, south of Asheville, is the view of Looking Glass Rock from Looking Glass Rock Overview at MP417.  

Many don't realize that you can hike to both the bottom of the rock and to the top as well. To hike to the top, you can hike up Looking Glass Rock Trail.

The trail is 6.2 miles round-trip, and strenuous. The hike will take you to the top of this famous bald faced mountain, for incredible views of Pisgah National Forest and the Blue Ridge Mountains.