Asheville, NC/ Smoky Mountain National Park
Sunset in Smoky Mountain National Park
Fall trips to the Asheville North Carolina area are truly a treat. The colors from the fall leaves are exploding, the mountain bike trails are pristine, and the weather is simply beautiful. I mean, who doesn’t love mountain biking in a flannel?! Fog mixed in with these amazing fall colors adds to the mystical experience these mountains have to offer. Continue reading below to develop an idea for your own 3 to 4 day getaway to this iconic destination.
Where to stay:
We decided to stay in Maggie Valley rather than Ashville itself. We stayed in a cheap hotel called “A Holiday”. It had nice rooms and bathrooms, easy parking, and a firepit that was very nice to use actually. It is also attached to a really good breakfast place called Pop’s Biscuits and Burgers. The hotels are a bit cheaper and it also provides easy access to the Smoky Mountains and all the Asheville area mountain biking. This ended up working really well if your goal is to see both. This also puts you 30 minutes from the Fire Mountain Trail system in Cherokee North Carolina.
Day 1:
Arrive in the area as early as possible. If coming from the east side, this plan works really well, as it adds almost no time to the total driving time heading into Maggie Valley.
Explore the Smoky Mountains!
Head into Gatlinburg and drive the Roaring Fork Motor Trail
This is a very fun and beautiful drive with many places to pull off and hike or take pictures. I recommend the Grotto Falls stop and hike. It is a beautiful hike with a pretty neat waterfall you can walk under. The second stop I recommend is the Reagan Tub Mill.
Head up to Clingsman Dome. This is a very popular location but as soon as you get up top, it is obvious why that is. The view is absolutely incredible! Be sure to bring some chairs and blankets and snacks to enjoy if planning to stay around the parking lot to watch the sunset. A great place to relax and get lost in the moment!
Day 2:
Wake up early and grab breakfast at Pop’s Biscuits and Burgers.
I recommend the Western Omelet and Chocolate Chip Pancake. Absolutely delicious!
Drive 1.5 hours to Dupont to Mountain Bike
I recommend riding Ridgeline if you have never been here before. It is rated as the second-best flow trail in the United States!
Be warned, this is a very popular riding location so parking will be tight. May have to park on road and bike into the trail system a short bit.
Grab lunch at Hawg Wild BBQ and walk across the street to check out The Hub bike shop.
This is a super cool bike shop with amazing mechanics and staff. It has a small tavern connected to it as well for a post ride beer. This is a popular hangout spot after riding in the Pisgah or Dupont because of this. There typically is at least one mobile food truck on site as well.
At this point, we drove back towards Maggie Valley to shoot the sunset at Waterrock Knob. Where this was a fantastic location and a fun short hike, I would recommend not driving back so soon and spending the rest of the day around the Pisgah. Read point 5 to learn more about my recommendation.
It is a fun hike up to the top with stunning views the entire way. The hike is steep at the start but mellows out and is pretty short. A worthwhile short hike if trying to catch the sunset from a cool location but time is short. If you do have more time, continuing on along the hiking trail towards Browning Knob, you will eventually come to a crashed airplane in the woods. I am unaware of the story behind it, but it certainly seems like an interesting hike to check out! We unfortunately did not have time however, so we did not get to see it.
My recommendation however, would be to stay and ride in the Pisgah since you have already driven all the way here. If you goal is to shoot the sunset, I recommend simply driving around the Blue Ridge Parkway and finding a location that is suiting to what you want to capture. Truth be told, all the overlooks are beautiful and fun to be at for sunset. Finding one that faces west will be the key however if interested in shooting the sunset.
Since minimal hiking is involved with this method, bring some hot chocolate, chairs, blankets, and snacks and even perhaps your significant other!
Grab dinner at …. this is a great Italian restaurant that also isn't too expensive. Best part is it is on the way back into Maggie Valley.
Light a fire at the fire pit, grab a beer, and relax. The Bear Waters Brewing Company Heavy Cream Milk Stout is a fantastic local beer!
Day 3:
Wake up early and grab breakfast at Pop’s Biscuits and Burgers.
Pack up the car and get ready to go ride!
Drive to Fire Mountain Trail Head in Cherokee North Carolina. The trail system is tucked away in a weird corner so don’t be alarmed when making some weird turns heading to the parking lot. This is an incredibly fun trial system that is still being expanded and improved upon. They recently added a skills section, but I have not had the opportunity to ride this yet. Did walk down a short portion of the start to get a glimpse of what it looks like and it definitely has some good-sized drops and wood features!
Kessel Run is a must hit trail here (must complete in 12 parsecs though!). The climb to the top (regardless of the route you take) is not terrible at all. This is rated as a black but if riding at speeds in your skill level, you will be totally fine! No gaps or anything crazy like that aside from a mild rock garden at the start.
Grab a quick lunch and hit the road to head home.
We just went to McDonald’s because chicken nuggets and a root beer simply just sounded delicious after riding all morning.
Happy Migrations Everyone!
