I'll leave the breweries to everyone else, but Craggy Gardens (Blue Ridge Parkway access) is a very nice robust hike.
I am going to Asheville with four friends in early May. We like hiking and beer, so Asheville seemed like a perfect spot.
Our Airbnb is in Montford.
We have hiked in the Whites and Adirondacks for many years. Our plan is to do 2 longish hiking days (probably 15-22 miles) and one shorter day (say 8-12). Does anyone have any favorite hikes in this area that we should check out? (We'd go as far as SMNP one day, but I'd rather not drive too much every day.)
We will be there 4 nights, so have a lot of time to check out breweries. I have started to do some research, but there are too many to choose from! I'd love to get the top 3 or 5 or 7 that we should hit.
I know there was a past Asheville thread and there is a beer thread, so apologies for creating a new one.
Thanks,
Slim
I'll leave the breweries to everyone else, but Craggy Gardens (Blue Ridge Parkway access) is a very nice robust hike.
Q "Why do you like Duke, you didn't even go there." A "Because my art school didn't have a basketball team."
I live on the east side of town and we enjoy hiking Bearwallow which on the way to Lake Lure. Not too strenuous/long of a hike and some great views from the cow pasture at the top. There's a ton of trails off the BRP.
As for the breweries, there's really no places to avoid. You'll probably want to hit up the South Slope in downtown to get the most breweries/mile in town. Mrs Surprise and I also enjoy 5 Walnut, a small wine bar in downtown (they have some local beers too) to people watch. They have live music there some evenings. Asheville Club on Haywood in downtown is also a great place to watch people.
Close to your Montford place I'd recommend visiting Little Jumbo, a nice little cocktail bar, and checking out Nine Mile for some good eats.
PM me - I have piles of ideas.
Q "Why do you like Duke, you didn't even go there." A "Because my art school didn't have a basketball team."
There are two possible hikes related to Craggy, each originating in different places. One is about 1/2 mile past the visitor center (heading north) and through a short tunnel. There is a parking lot on the left usually with plenty of room except on nice summer days. The hike there is short and I wouldn't call it robust. I've encountered wedding parties in full white gowns and tuxes going up the trail with a photographer. However, the view from the top is spectacular and something you might consider as a sort of dessert after a more involved hike. I can see why couples would want to have their wedding photos taken there.
A second hike at Craggy originates from the picnic area, the entrance of which is about two miles before you reach the visitor center (coming from Asheville). This is a longer hike, but again, I wouldn't call it strenuous. There also aren't too many vistas along the trail. The best part of this hike is that in the late summer there are large fields of blueberry bushes at the top loaded with ripe fruit. Of course, you have to compete with the bears for the berries.
Most hikers go for hikes that end in waterfalls. For many years one of the best was Graveyard Fields (about an hour south on the parkway), with both upper and lower falls. Sadly, it is so popular and over used that the trails have become rutted in some places three to four feet deep. Nobody goes there anymore, it's too crowded. DuPont Forest (near Brevard) is a great place for waterfalls. However, the trails may not challenge you as much as you might like as they are wide and graded for wheelchairs.
If you have time, you might want to look at a guide book. There are several that specialize in the NC mountains. This is one of several that focus on waterfalls: https://www.amazon.com/Hiking-Waterf...6&unfiltered=1
As for beer, I hesitate to get started. Realize that, depending on the week, there are around 50 breweries in the Asheville area. As some close, others open. This means that the average beer you'll find is quite good, especially if you like hoppy beer (I don't) as about half the breweries tout their "hoppyness."
My favorite brewery is Cursus Keme https://cursuskeme.com/. (here's a review: https://mountainx.com/food/carolina-...-in-asheville/) Unfortunately, it is hard to find and unless you are determined to go there, it probably isn't worth the effort.
Downtown, which is near Montfort, you'll have access to plenty of options. One place I suggest is to go to the old S&W cafeteria building. It has a very nice art deco facade (https://swmarketavl.com/) and inside is a food court and Highland brewery's downtown taproom. Their beer is as good as any, especially their small batches, which you can only get at the taproom. If you like the "big boy" brewers, New Belgium has a nice view of the French Broad river.
OK, it's 6:00. Time to stop and open a beer. Hope this helps.
Last edited by SlimSlowSlider; 03-17-2024 at 10:46 PM. Reason: clarification
Once hiking and breweries were mentioned together I just had to look up brewery hikes on the interwebs. It turns out that they are a thing, or multiple things around the country.
Here's one I found in western NC.
Lived in Asheville for a year and a half. This is what I have sent others:
I do more of the live music scene and downtown breweries as a way to experience the city.
Music:
Jack of Woods 4-6 Appalachian mtn music/country. Venue is right downtown and a cool spot
Asheville Music Hall right downtown as well.
New Belgium on the river in the River Arts District
I would do this pretty much every Friday 5:30‐7:30. Free music and the prettiest brewery hangout spot in town. They will have food trucks. I like seeing people's kids and dogs running around too.
Pritchard Park 6-9 famous Asheville Drum Circle. Cool to see.
RAD Brewing River arts district Blues music usually. They are in a cool spot in the woods on outskirts of river arts district
Asheville is a beer town. You can find wine and upscale cocktails. Chenist, Sovereign Remedies and some of the fancier restaurants on Broadway are great places to get wine/cocktails. Curate and Chai Pani are the most famous restaurants. Both are amazing. I like Barleys, 12 Bones in River Arts District. But some of the best food is at the breweries with their food or associated food trucks. Huge fan of White Duck Tacos, especially in the river arts district.
I LOVE shopping downtown and soaking up the vibe. There is an endless supply of shops. But my absolute favorite area is the River Arts District which feels like a completely different town. TONS of artisans and better if you have a car. It CAN be walked...wesr comfortable shoes.
You can wander from brewery to brewery and get a feel for the city. Green Man (upstairs especially), Bens Tune-up (dive beer bar), Wicked Weed (on Broadway), Wicked Weed Funkatorium (on the South Slope downtown), Hi Wire, Burial, Archetype (South Slope), Wedge (River Arts District) are my favorite places
I'm just going to reply directly to ClemmonsDevil's post, because he already tapped many of the places I would have recommended. I will reiterate the ones he listed that are my faves:
Jack of the Wood - good beer list, nice pub grub, usually you can catch some authentic bluegrass - reminds me of the Asheville I fell in love with 30 years ago
New Belgium - great brewery. great business to support too - they aren't worker owned anymore, but they do right by their people. Revolving food truck schedule means a great variety of grub
Pritchard Park Drum Circle - If you're in town on a Friday and haven't been, it's a treat
Curate is more of a "dining experience" than just dinner. My serious foodie friends love it to death. It's pricey and difficult to get a table unless you make a reservation several weeks in advance, but it's absolutely worth it. James Beard winners... great food. Exemplary service. amazing wine list
Barley's is another great old school Asheville haunt. I spent a lot of time and money there long ago. They do good food, but the main thing is a wicked beer tap variety and a lovely upstairs with pool tables and darts
Definitely wander around downtown - spend most of a day popping in and out of places, even if you aren't staying downtown. You'll find all manner of great shops and corner markets and watering holes.
My favorite Asheville Breweries - Wedge (Iron Rail IPA), Burial (everything), Dirty Jacks (Green Man's taphouse across the street from the brewery)
Not mentioned by ClemmonsDevil:
Ukiah Smokehouse - really good pan-Japanese BBQ place... on the edge of downtown near the Orange Peel Music Venue
Grey Eagle - music spot between downtown and the river. good tacos and pretty reliable place for fun music seven days
North End of Town (that's where I live)
- Asheville Pizza and Brewery - good pizza, movie theater, Shiva IPA and Ninja Porter
- Outside Brewing - tiny nanobrewery hidden in a strip mall only open a few days a week. Super tasty hole in the wall spot
- Zillacoah Brewery - right on the French Broad River, great Filipino food truck, tasty brews, great views of the water
- Riverside Rhapsody - this is my "home" brewery. I live very close. Incredibly nice people, very good brews from porter to pale ale. Grateful Dead theme, good music
- Iron and Oak - amazing BBQ, try the ribs and thank me later. They are out back of Riverside, which makes for a very symbiotic relationship between the two
- Salt Faced Mule (actually up in Weaverville) - okay beer, okay food, but they have minigolf!
As far as hiking... "15-22 miles" is "longish?" Wow, you're much more of a stud that myself.
Check out the Art Loeb Trail. The Mountains to Sea Trail. Shining Rock. If you wanted to go a little further in the car, there's a great trail in the Cataloochee part of the Smokies - the Boogerman Trail - about an 8 mile loop. Might want to double check whether the bridges are rebuilt or if you'll be doing creek crossings. The cool thing there is you may see elk.
If you are interested in meeting up for a beer, drop me a PM. If I'm in town, I will definitely make a point of grabbing a pint with a DBR fellow.
Let's go Duke!
Cursus Keme is reachable using Google Maps! Just don't give up when you get to the end of the parking lot. It's through the gate at the (chain link?) fence. You can see the old green metal building maybe 100 yards further along. My wife and I stop in when we're in Asheville. Very good beer and a neat experience. The Hillman Beer location on Sweeten Creek Rd. near Biltmore has good brews and burgers, too.
Man, if your Mom made you wear that color when you were a baby, and you're still wearing it, it's time to grow up!
My son works at White Labs Brewing Co. in Asheville. I highly recommend this establishment for their food and for their beverages. Also, they're located about 5 minutes away from Montford. https://whitelabsbrewingco.com/
Absolutely true. I guess the first time I tried to find it, I got to the kudzu covered fence that obscured the building and assumed I had somehow taken several wrong turns. The sign is tiny and usually covered by vines. It's in an old industrial area, where you just can't imagine any retail establishment existing. Before the brewery, it used to be a diesel repair shop for large trucks. Once I actually made inside the fence the first thing I saw was a large site sculpture covered with kudzu. After staring at it for a while I finally noticed the stack of an 18 wheeler cab sticking up above the foliage. Sadly, it has since been towed away.
Listen to killerleft and set your GPS the next time you visit Asheville. You'll be glad you did.
Also, just about a mile south of Hillman's on Sweeten Creek is an outpost of 7-Clans brewery, a native American brewery located in Canton. The serve an excellent Amber Ale and Blonde Ale in addition to the ever present IPAs.