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Hello to all as I am new to the forum. I hope I am not asking something that has been covered a lot, but my wife and I are coming to Asheville for 2 nights and then over to Gatlingburg for 3 nights in mid October. I know Gatlinburg very well, but this will be our first time in the Asheville area. I don't think I want to make the run up Mount Mitchell or go to the Biltmore, but I am wondering could anyone suggest some scenic places to go around the Asheville area?
I drove the BRP all the way from Cherokee to the outskirts of Asheville last Fall so I saw most of the sights along the Parkway. Would Chimney Rock, the Batcave and Lake Lure area be a good excursion? And how about Hendersonville or Burnsville? Also Black Mountain. We hope to walk around downtown a bit, but mostly we want to drive and sight see.
One last question, in case we do decide to make the run up Mount Mitchell, is the drive to the top any more nerve wracking than the one to Clingman's Dome? Is the road to the top narrow and without guardrails? I love the mountains, but get a bit shaky on the high roads.
Hello to all as I am new to the forum. I hope I am not asking something that has been covered a lot, but my wife and I are coming to Asheville for 2 nights and then over to Gatlingburg for 3 nights in mid October. I know Gatlinburg very well, but this will be our first time in the Asheville area. I don't think I want to make the run up Mount Mitchell or go to the Biltmore, but I am wondering could anyone suggest some scenic places to go around the Asheville area?
I drove the BRP all the way from Cherokee to the outskirts of Asheville last Fall so I saw most of the sights along the Parkway. Would Chimney Rock, the Batcave and Lake Lure area be a good excursion? And how about Hendersonville or Burnsville? Also Black Mountain. We hope to walk around downtown a bit, but mostly we want to drive and sight see.
One last question, in case we do decide to make the run up Mount Mitchell, is the drive to the top any more nerve wracking than the one to Clingman's Dome? Is the road to the top narrow and without guardrails? I love the mountains, but get a bit shaky on the high roads.
Thanks,
PastorDW
Wow, hate to tell you, but if you miss the new observation tower at Mt. Mitchell you have missed some of the best views you'll see in the Asheville area!
PLEASE reconsider and do the drive there! The road is not scary or nerve wracking at all. A few pics to temp you on this site: Mt. Mitchell North Carolina Visitor Guide
Chimney Rock is also worth seeing, though I think parts of it may be closed right now for some repair to trails, so check on that with them before you make the trip.
You might enjoy a boat ride on Lake Lure, they are fun and scenic. The Beach at Lake Lure (http://lakelure.com/tours/index.php - broken link)
Black Mountain is tiny, it won't take too long to walk the little downtown, so you could take hwy 9 heading south from there and be in Lake Lure in no time. Then head back to Asheville by hwy 64, a really pretty ride, and yes, you can stop in Bat Cave going that direction
-Hope you have hotel reservations. It's peak travel season there, for the Fall colors, so many hotels could be booked (not sure if the rates are higher than usual) and many attractions crowded.
-Did I miss any mention of the Biltmore Estate? Worth a visit. Not cheap (ask your hotel about any discounts available), but still very enjoyable, both the home and the grounds. We enjoyed staying at the Inn on Biltmore Estates on our last visit, but there are less expensive options.
-An interesting contrast is the small, unpretentious Carl Sandburg home in Flat Rock, run by the National Park Service. Tours of the home, and adjacent farm, were interesting. About $10, I think. Hendersonville has a historic downtown, but also a fair amount of traffic.
-Not much of anything in Bat Cave that I could see. Tiny town with some shops. We bought some blackberry jelly in one store and a hat in another. The cave itself is administered by the Nature Conservancy, we were told, with guided tours just once in a while. The drive from Asheville to B.C. (not on the interstate) was scenic.
-We went up Chimney Rock in late August. The elevator was closed for renovations but the stairs were open. We huffed and puffed to the top of Chimney Rock (we're out of shape) but not to the summit above it. We did not have time to go on any of the other trails in the park. Did not go to Lake Lure. Lots of vacation homes there, I believe.
-Lots of nice walks, and waterfalls, in the state (national?) forests near Brevard.
-You might see if there are any shows taking place at the Dorothy Wortham Theatre in Asheville or the Flat Rock Playhouse in, not surprisingly, Flat Rock. I think there's a music school, with performances, in Brevard.
-Not sure if there will still be apple festivals going on in the area. Web sites for the counties and towns in the area should have info. Now, go reserve your hotel!
We were there in April '09, and I loved just walking the downtown area. They have fun street art, and there are interesting shops displaying unique items, Thomas Wolfe's mother's boarding house is interesting if you like restored residences, and the Mellow Mushroom pizza place nearby serves great pizza -- take the outdoor seating if the weather is nice.
If you have the chance while you are there, the nearby town of Waynesville is also a nice visit, as is the walk around Junaluski Lake just outside Waynesville.
It's an easy walk to several waterfalls in DuPont State Forest near Brevard.
I think the Bethel community in Haywood County near Canton and Waynesville has gorgeous scenery. Every year, they have a Cold Mountain Tour. You could visit spots that are featured on the tour on your own:
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