Western North Carolina is renowned for world-class hikes to suit all tastes and experience levels. Living in Asheville affords easy day trips to every manner of mountain trail. But what if you just want a quick lunchtime loop or an easy afternoon jaunt without going far? Asheville and the immediate area around it are replete with [...]

To the east of Asheville, stretching out between the mountains of Asheville and Black Mountain, lies the gorgeous Swannanoa River Valley. Through it winds the Swannanoa River, flowing west from its headwaters in Black Mountain and the slopes of Mount Mitchell to eventually become a major tributary of the French Broad River in [...]