1 Arboretum Explorer Loop
A TRICKLING CREEK TRAVLES THROUGH A RHODODENDRON FOREST.
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GPS TRAILHEAD COORDINATES: N35° 30.052' W 82° 35.940'
DISTANCE & CONFIGURATION: 4.4-mile loop
HIKING TIME: 3 hours
HIGHLIGHTS: The North Carolina Arboretum’s well-maintained trails and Visitor Education Center
ELEVATION: 2,014 feet at trailhead to 2,291 feet on Owl Ridge Trail
ACCESS: The NC Arboretum is open April–October 8 a.m.–9 p.m. and November–March 8 a.m.–7 p.m.; there is an $8 parking fee or $30 for commercial vehicles.
MAPS: USGS Bent Creek and Skyland
FACILITIES: Portable toilet at the trailhead parking lot; restrooms at the Visitor Education Center and Baker Exhibit Center
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: Yes, at several buildings, including the Visitor Education Center and Baker Exhibit Center
COMMENTS: Visit the arboretum’s website to coordinate your trip with a workshop or seminar.
CONTACTS: North Carolina Arboretum (828) 665-2492; ncarboretum.org
Overview
Located in Southwest Asheville near the banks of the French Broad River, the North Carolina Arboretum offers miles of beautifully maintained and gently graded trails that are well suited for young and old hikers. This walking route traces the perimeter of the arboretum on scenic trails and dirt roads. The highlight of the expedition comes near the end of the trek, when the path arrives at the stunning gardens and sculptures that surround the Visitor Education Center and Baker Exhibit Center.
Route Details
Even with all the free trails that surround Asheville, the $8 parking fee to access the trails and exhibits at the NC Arboretum is well worth it. And after one visit, you will most likely want to upgrade to an affordable yearly pass that allows you to access the property year-round. This route not only showcases some of the best hiking trails in the arboretum, but also passes directly beside some of the arboretum’s most popular gardens and attractions.
To begin the hike from the gatehouse trailhead, locate the wooden information kiosk at the west end of the parking lot and then turn south and hike on the smooth, wide dirt path known as Hardtimes Road. This roadbed will take you gradually uphill through a hardwood forest that is usually filled with noisy squirrels and native birds such as the white-breasted nuthatch or wood thrush.
After hiking 0.8 miles, you will come to a wooden bench and a trail intersection. Turn right (southwest) onto Owl Ridge Trail. Owl Ridge Trail offers a moderately rolling journey along the southern boundary of the arboretum. At mile 1.7 you will pass a gated dirt road on your right; in another 200 yards you will pass an additional gated maintenance road on your left. Continue past both roads on Owl Ridge Trail to where it dead-ends at Rocky Cove Road. Turn right on Rocky Cove Road and enjoy a gentle downhill that leads to Bent Creek.
When you arrive at Bent Creek turn left (southwest) to briefly hike on Bent Creek Gap Road. Pass Wolf Branch Road on your left and then take a right onto the Carolina Mountain Trail. The narrow dirt path now leads you through a rhododendron thicket and beside a small stream. After crossing the stream, the trail intersects Wolf Branch Road and continues amid a hardwood forest of beech, hickory, and sourwood trees.
At mile 2.8 you will notice a spur trail on your left. This path leads to the nearby Production Greenhouse. If you are interested in seeing the seedlings that will one day be a part of the expansive outdoor gardens at the arboretum—or perhaps checking out a collection of tropical bonsai trees—then you may want to consider making the short side trip. (The greenhouse is open to visitors Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–2 p.m.)
Regardless of whether or not you detour to the greenhouse, you will not be able to miss the next attraction. After hiking a cumulative 3.3 miles, the Carolina Mountain Trail terminates at the back side of the Visitor Education Center. Travel around to the right of the building. From there you can access the crafts, exhibits, and café inside the education center or you can tour the outdoor gardens and sculptures.
The next 0.3 miles of the hike take place in an outdoor museum. From the Visitor Education Center, travel east beside the Bonsai Garden entrance and then along the grand promenade that connects the Visitor Education Center with the Baker Exhibit Center. On your journey you will pass the Stream Garden, Quilt Garden, and Heritage Garden to your left. All three gardens share both an aesthetic and educational purpose: the Stream Garden shows native plants that grow near water, the Quilt Garden highlights the area’s Appalachian craft heritage with flowerbeds that represent quilts, and the Heritage Garden uses medicinal herbs to adorn rock ruins. Take your time exploring the gardens, and at the end of the paved walkway consider turning left to explore the traveling exhibits at the Baker Exhibit Center.
When you are ready to return to the beauty of the natural forest, take the dirt path at the east end of the promenade and follow it into the woods. At mile 3.6 you will arrive at a four-way intersection. Continue straight on Wesley Branch Trail through several patches of dense mountain laurel to its terminus at Bent Creek Road. Take a right on Bent Creek Road and then an immediate left onto Old Mill Trail. Follow Old Mill Trail 0.3 miles back to the start of Hardtimes Road at the gatehouse parking lot and trailhead.
Directions
From downtown Asheville, travel I-26 south to Exit 33. Turn left off the exit onto NC 191. Travel 2.1 miles on NC 191 to a traffic light. At the traffic light turn right toward the NC Arboretum and Blue Ridge Parkway and then take another right onto Frederick Law Olmsted Way. After passing through the gatehouse, the trailhead and parking lot will be on your left.
From South Asheville, take the Blue Ridge Parkway to mile marker 393 and exit right toward the NC Arboretum. Take your first left onto Frederick Law Olmsted Way. After passing through the gatehouse, the trailhead and parking lot will be on your left.