Holmes Educational State Forest is a 235 acre educational forest in Henderson County near Hendersonville in the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is a great place to hike or picnic. And you just might learn something. “Whether you’re looking for a strenuous hike, an educational stroll, a night under the stars, or just a picnic lunch…
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Jump Off Rock is a scenic overlook with three hiking trails. The drive is up a mountain through a forested historic community. Admission is free. There are no facilities. Jump Off Rock is a favorite place to watch the sun set. Jump Off Rock is at the top of Jump Off Mountain. It overlooks the…
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At mile marker 422.4, this hike is pretty steep, but is only a half a mile. You can see North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee from the top. This is one of our favorite hikes.
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Your admission includes a self-guided visit to Biltmore House and the Antler Hill Village and Winery, with free Winery tour and tasting. Other tours are at an additional charge. Audio Guide to Biltmore House This 90-minute audio tour gives information about the architecture, design, and artwork as you are guided through the house. Learn more…
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The Andy Cove Trail is one of our favorite trails. We always bring visitors here. The trail is right behind the Ranger Station. It is an easy trail, only .7 miles long. There are some interpretive signs along the way and a little bit of everything to look at. The trail runs along a boardwalk…
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The Pisgah Inn is on the Blue Ridge Parkway east of Asheville. The first Inn opened in the 60s. We’ve been going for as long as I can remember. The drive is lovely no matter what time day or time of year. The restaurant isn’t expensive. And the view is just beautiful. There is also…
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The Blue Ridge Parkway begins in Virginia and ends at U.S. 441 near Cherokee in the in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It goes through Asheville and you can get on the Parkway in a lot of places around here. The closes entrance is only about fifteen minutes from the cabin. The speed limit is…
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When I grew up here, PARI was a secret government thing. It had something to do with watching the Russians. PARI is a former NASA facility. It was established in 1962 to track satellites and monitor manned space flights. Since 1998, PARI has changed focus. It is an active research site and provides STEM educational…
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Mount Pisgah is 5,721 feet high. It marks where Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson and Transylvania counties meet. You can see Mount Pisgah from everywhere around here. It is the mountain with the TV Tower on it. The hike to the top of the mountain is only a mile and a half each way. It starts out…
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There are lots of places to get into Shining Rock Wilderness. At mile marker 420 turn onto FR-816. There are two parking areas. You can take the Art Loeb Trail or the Ivestor Gap Trail from here. The Art Loeb Trail travels through the Shining Rock Wilderness past Shining Rock, then up Cold Mountain. It…
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