10 Outdoor Activities To Do In Asheville N.C.

Practically any outdoor activity can be enjoyed in Asheville, N.C., thanks to over a million acres of easily accessible national forests. Additionally, the French Broad River flows right through Asheville’s River Arts District, and plenty of waterfalls cascade down the Blue Ridge Mountains to form swimming holes and even a few rapids for whitewater rafting. In the winter, several ski areas sit less than an hour from Asheville. Read on to find 10 outdoor activities to do in Asheville.

Bellyaking

Never heard of bellyaking? That’s because it was invented in Asheville back in 2012 but has caught on more in the last few years. This sport takes kayaking and flips it quite literally as paddlers lay on their bellies and use their arms—many opt to also use webbed flow gloves—and paddle face-first on rivers, lakes, and even oceans as bellyak rental locations continue to pop up in ocean towns.

Kayaking

Not ready to try bellyaking? Try kayaking the French Broad River or Lake James for nice, easy paddling experiences. Or, turn it up a notch and head to Big Creek or Green River’s challenging Narrows, which has been credited as molding the sport and establishing Asheville “as a central hub of the whitewater kayaking industry,” according to silver medalist Chris Gragtmans. Learners should check out the Nantahala Outdoor Center, which also offers canoeing and paddleboarding.

Whitewater rafting

If whitewater kayaking isn’t for you, traditional whitewater rafting opportunities exist at six different rivers, from easy rapids along the French Broad and North Toe River to more challenging rapids at Pigeon and Tuckasegee rivers. The most popular, in part due to the Nantahala Outdoor Center, is the Nantahala River, which takes paddlers down eight miles of the river across class II and III rapids.

Hiking

Hiking may just be the most popular outdoor activity to do in Asheville thanks to thousands of trails for every ability level. Drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway and look for trailheads peeking out behind milepost markers, go on a waterfall hunt, or be rewarded atop summits with incredible sunsets. Many areas are dog-friendly and offer primitive camping as well, and two famous long hikes, the 1,200-mile Mountains-to-Sea and 2,200-mile Appalachian Trail, can also be accessed from Asheville.

Cycling

Road biking and mountain biking are big deals in Asheville. Many bikers utilizing the Blue Ridge Parkways to get their road miles in, while others take advantage of the paved river path at the Biltmore Estate. Both Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests have plenty of mountain biking trails, including the popular Bent Creek Experimental Forest. RootsRated has even said, “Some of the country’s most epic mountain biking is carved into the steep hillsides surrounding Asheville,” so plan your biking trip pronto.

Ziplining

Along with epic biking opportunities, the Asheville area is also home to the fastest, steepest ziplining in America at The Gorge. During your three-hour tour, expect 11 trips flying between the trees, three rappels, and even a 1,000-foot drop as you fly over the Green River Gorge. On clear days, zipliners can also catch glimpses of Linville Gorge, Lake James, and perhaps even Grandfather Mountain.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BW0rBHPgKEO/?taken-at=250578088

Camping

With tons of campgrounds and primitive spots, camping is the preferred way to be a weekend warrior in Asheville. Camp at Oskar Blues for their Burning Can festival or to take part in a running event in the woods, or find a river, waterfall, or gorge campsite to call home for a spell within the one million acres of national forest at Pisgah or Nantahala. Whether you prefer car camping or backpacking in, Western North Carolina has it.

Tubing

During summer months, colorful tubes dot the French Broad River nearly every day, especially on the weekends. Floating the day away with a few friends and a cooler equates to a great way to get up close with nature without having to work too hard for this beautiful reward. Deep Creek, Green River, and Catawba River are also popular tubing spots.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BCYZQJmDhKa/?taken-at=1029367430

Swimming

With hundreds of waterfalls waiting to be explored around Asheville, it’s no surprise that the plethora of cool watering holes attracts thousands of people each year. Kids love Sliding Rock, an all-natural, 60-foot waterslide that dumps into a small pool, while kids at heart may prefer the rope swing at Hooker Falls or the jump off rocks at Bust Your Butt Falls or Skinny Dip Falls. For lake swimming, Lake Lure and Lake James provide sand and beautiful views.

Skiing

Lastly, an outdoor adventure in Asheville isn’t confined to warmer weather. Six ski areas exist in North Carolina, and all are less than two hours from Asheville. Together, these ski resorts provide over 100 trails and acres of fun typically from late November through February.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bd77uX5hLqO/?taken-by=skisugar

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.