FAQ

If you have a half day to spend with us, we recommend the Waterfalls and Blue Ridge Parkway Tour with hotel pick-up, so you can capture the highlights of western North Carolina, including the iconic Blue Ridge Parkway, Sliding Rock, Looking Glass Falls, and “secret” hidden waterfalls. For those who have just a few hours to spend with us, we recommend the still very scenic Guided Waterfall Hike, which does not include transportation but shows off an iconic mountain trail, Appalachian trout stream and stunning waterfall – all guided by a seasoned storyteller and naturalist.

We’ve spent weeks planning the best combination of panoramic views, waterfalls and storytelling so that your time on this tour is worth every dollar! We let guests sit back and take in the views while we manage the driving and logistics. Most of Pisgah National Forest does not have cell phone reception, so we find guests are thankful they hired us to provide a stress-free and safe excursion, visiting the most scenic sites in Pisgah National Forest in only a half-day!

This shorter tour gets raving TripAdvisor reviews, since you experience a gorgeous trail with an experienced naturalist, awesome storytelling and a stunning 150-foot waterfall in just 2 hours! Our insight on nature and history truly bring the forests to life. On this tour, kids are FREE and leashed dogs welcome!

We’ve guided a range of Private Tours, from custom Blue Ridge Parkway nature tours to 6-mile Appalachian Trail hikes. We’ve arranged tours for a few wildlife photographers to 50 guests visiting Asheville for a corporate retreat! Private Tours are fully customizable, including picnic items, transportation and tour timing. We recommend that families with kids or groups of friends book a Private Tour, since we can then cater to a range of hiking abilities, offer a picnic lunch and accommodate your preferred itinerary.

Both the Waterfalls and Blue Ridge Parkway tour and Guided Waterfall Hike have trails rated easy to moderate, and both include about 2.5 miles of leisurely hiking, roundtrip. There are moderate inclines on both tours, with some uneven footing requiring sturdy tennis shoes. For Private Tours, we can reduce or increase the hiking length and difficulty.

We pick up guests from their downtown Asheville hotel for the Waterfalls and Blue Ridge Parkway Tour. For guests staying outside of downtown Asheville, you can also meet us at the DOWNTOWN PennyCup Coffee at 39 South Market Street, where you can grab breakfast before we pick you up! Guests can use Uber/Lyft to arrive at the DOWNTOWN PennyCup Coffee.

Private Tours include transportation from within about 20 minutes of downtown Asheville, including from the Biltmore Estate.

The Guided Waterfall Hike is the only tour that does not include transportation, but we meet guests at an (easy to find) McDonalds about 25 minutes east of Asheville. Some guests use Uber/Lyft to arrive at this location and BE SURE TO NOTIFY the driver when to return for pick-up!

We recommend bringing your camera and sense of adventure! Definitely wear sturdy tennis shoes or hiking shoes. Pisgah National Forest is technically rainforest, so the trails can be wet or muddy. We provide waters, snacks, hiking poles, and ponchos (in case of rain). We recommend dressing in layers, including a light coat but heavier coat in cooler months, since temperatures drop 8° F traveling up the Blue Ridge Parkway in the morning. We are in the sun for short periods, so a hat and sunscreen may be needed. Insect repellant is not necessary. Guests should bring their own EpiPen, as we cannot legally carry these. For those interested in swimming on a Private Tour, bring your swimsuit and towel!

Leashed dogs are allowed on the Guided Waterfall Hike. With advanced notice, we allow small dogs in carrying cases to travel in the vehicle on the Waterfalls and Blue Ridge Parkway Tour.

Kids are FREE on the Guided Waterfall Hike! Kids are discounted on the Waterfalls and Blue Ridge Parkway Tour. Unfortunately, we cannot provide car seats for children.

Please call us to receive your 10% military discount.

The very best scenery and trails are at least 45 minutes from Asheville, but we entertain guests with wildlife and historic artifacts, photos and stories. We pick up guests downtown around 8:45 am and hop on the Blue Ridge Parkway in about 12 minutes. We then hike and stop for stunning panoramic views after 20 minutes, once we have ascended the mountains to over 4,000 feet elevation. After a short restroom break and sometimes second stop with different mountain views, we drive 15 minutes to the “Land of the Waterfalls” to visit 3 scenic waterfalls and hike around 2.5 miles. We spend at least 2.5 hours hiking and exploring the best of Pisgah National Forest.

Since the Blue Ridge Parkway is a mountainous road, we recommend that guests prone to motion sickness take Dramamine 1 hour before the start of the tour.

For Private Tours, we can add a second guide in case some members of your party wish to stay near the vehicle or hike a shorter distance. Guests can still visit top destinations located very close to the vehicle. We can also arrange Private Tours with little to no hiking but great storytelling and sightseeing. On the Waterfalls and Blue Ridge Parkway Tour, we are unable to leave guests behind to stay near the vehicle.

We have white, vinyl-upholstered 12-passenger Ford E-350 van, with big windows, heat and air conditioning. Look for the Asheville Hiking Tours logo on the van doors when we pick you up. 

Tour groups are small and intimate! Our Waterfalls and Blue Ridge Parkway Tour accommodates up to 8 guests. Our Guided Waterfall Hike has a maximum of 10 guests. Our 12-passenger van can hold larger parties for Private Tours. We also accommodate larger Private Tours by providing up to 6 guides per tour. With multiple guides leading staggered groups, we can accommodate over 50 guests on a single tour!

We have specific hiking, waterfall and Blue Ridge Parkway tours designed for very large groups, even for charter buses! Please call us to plan your scenic tour. We can provide up to 6 guides per tour. With multiple guides leading staggered groups, we can accommodate over 50 guests on a single tour!

Our tours offer a unique experiential learning opportunity in Appalachian forests. We find that students of all ages feel relaxed and free in nature, which promotes bonding and fun learning! We would be thrilled to design a special, custom excursion for your group.

Most places we visit have cell phone reception only at the very beginning and very end of the tour.

Tour schedules can vary, depending on weather and punctuality, and most sites we visit lack cell phone reception.  Therefore, we cannot meet guests part-way through the tour.

We usually make weather calls the morning of the tour, since mountain weather is not easily predicted. Guests tend to have a great time even in the rain, as the forest canopy breaks the rainfall, and the precipitation makes waterfalls extra stunning! We are happy to provide ponchos, but please wear appropriate footwear for rain (we do not recommend permeable or white shoes). In case we have heavy rain the morning of the tour, we let guests decide if they’d still like to join the tour, and we can provide a full refund. In case of lightning or thunder, your guide will contact you to cancel the tour.

Customers will receive a full refund if you give us at least 72 hours’ notice of cancellation. Customers will also receive a full refund in case of operator cancellation due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances. Contact us by phone to cancel or inquire about a cancellation. No-shows will be charged the full price.