Transportation and Meeting place: Transportation is provided from the meeting place at a free public parking lot at 162 Craven St, Asheville, NC 28806. This is called the “Emma Rd and Hazel Mill Public Parking lot.” (Guests may drive and park, or take a taxi/Uber/Lyft to the meeting location). You will find your guide and tour vehicle in this spot near the bridge (see picture below). You will be riding in one of our Ford Expedition SUVs. We do our best to give you a comfortable riding experience, so you can be hands-free and have the opportunity to take in all the sights, while being somewhat limited in vehicle size permitted on the forest roads. Our clean, well-maintained vehicles have varying seat heights and leg room, and are always climate-controlled!
Tour time: Meet your guide and fellow hikers at the start time available on the calendar, or listed in your confirmation e-mail. Start times for this tour vary seasonally, but are always in the early afternoon! Tours last about 4 hours long.
Difficulty: Easy to moderate forest and summit walks, around 2 miles total. Expect some uneven terrain and slight trail inclines.
Required footwear: Sturdy tennis shoes or hiking boots, rubber outsoles (recommended).
Recommended clothing: Rainwear (either rain jacket or poncho); multiple layers (for windy days and higher elevation).
Recommended personal items: Water and snacks, Ziploc or dry bag (to protect items, such as small electronics, from rain), a bag to dispose of any potential litter items (such as food wrappers).
What’s provided: Hiking poles, poncho in case of light rain, and breathtaking summit views (weather-permitting)!
Winter tours note: The Blue Ridge Parkway is closed with inclement weather in winter months (usually late-Nov to early-March). During these times, we may modify the tour location to another easy-to-moderate summit hike.
This is a public group tour and you will be with other parties, for a maximum of 5 people. For an experience with just your party, check out our Private Tours.
Tips: Never required but always appreciated!
See below for FULL tour description, and more important information!