Looking for inspiration for a new bike ride, hike, climbing spot, running trail or paddling trip? Look no further… The Adventure Collective’s outdoor adventure guides to Asheville, Boone, Brevard, Charleston, Chattanooga and The Smokies has an adventure for everyone. Explore our recommendations below or hone in on a specific category or destination in the sidebar links.
Nolichucky River – Class II, III, IV: Passing through remote wilderness, the Nolichucky combines the best of both for adventure and nature lovers. The free-flowing river runs strongest in the spring, traveling through a remote gorge on the full-day paddle. Challenge the Nolichucky’s...
Fly Fishing In Valle Crucis: Fishing in the small town of Valle Crucis is a great option that is close to Boone and good for a fun afternoon of fly fishing for mostly stocked trout that include a good mix of Rainbow Trout and Brown Trout. The clear, swift flowing water of the Watauga...
Bearwallow Mountain (Asheville): The hike up Bearwallow Mountain is a strenuous two-mile round trip hike with over 500 feet in elevation gain. The mostly grassy summit of Bearwallow Mountain stands at 4,232 feet above sea level and is the highest peak in the Bearwallow Highlands Range...
Are you ready to take the family on an adventure they won’t soon forget? If so, check out a few of our picks for best family adventures in the Boone area. We’ve got everything from ziplining to nature hikes to picnics by a beautiful river. What more can you ask for? Valle...
The French Broad River offers all of the aspects that make for a great day on the river. The water is warm and the huge boulders and rugged terrain create a spectacular backdrop. The rapids are definitely big enough to satisfy the adventure side of paddling, but they are also...
True to its name, the French Broad River winds boldly along the southern edge of this Recreation Zone. In the heart of the zone lies Paint Creek, where fishing, wading, and picnicking are popular activities. Water-based opportunities also include driving along scenic Brush Creek or warm...
The easiest of the park’s nature trails make nice walks. The Spruce-Fir Self-Guiding Nature Trail is a half-mile wander through a mossy, high elevation Canadian Zone forest at the park’s highest elevations. It’s very level and easy, but you will need to stride along sections of single...
For a longer but still gradual walk, Big Creek is great as an out and back waterfall hike of 4 miles. Take a left up the gated road just back from the picnic area parking. The old railroad grade rises easily its entire length along one of the park’s most scenic streams. At 1.4 miles...
This 2-mile greenway style path between Gatlinburg and the Sugarlands Visitor Center is a great walk, run or bike ride. The path winds along the West Prong of the Little Pigeon River beside Newfound Gap Road. It passes under the Gatlinburg Bypass and crosses the river at one point. You’ll...
One of the park’s best walks combines two separate experiences. The 1.5-mile ORT leads from the Mountain Farm Museum, at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center, to the town of Cherokee–or from Cherokee to the farm. Hiking either way (or out and back for a 3-mile trip) offers a major dose of...
Float the Lower Pigeon (N 35.8191, W -83.1568): Downstream of the river’s typical rafting section, the Pigeon’s calmer stretches offer perfect introductory whitewater for children as young as three years old. In between mild Class I and II rapids, calm stretches allow for swimming and...
Paddle Fontana Lake: With 240 miles of shoreline, 90 percent of which is owned and protected by the National Park Service or US Forest Service, Fontana Lake is a fantastic place for flat-water paddling. Portions of the 29-mile lake offer unobstructed views of the Smoky’s highest peak...
With your hands as your paddles, there’s no way to get closer to the water than tubing. Tube rental companies border Great Smoky Mountains National Park, offering rides to put-ins or easy directions to the one-mile walk upstream. Deep Creek offers two sections — the narrower whitewater of...
With its higher center of gravity, canoeing whitewater can seem more daunting than kayaking or rafting, but it was in canoes that the first adventurers took on the Smoky Mountains’ rapids. Whether you try out the newer sit-in-the-center solo whitewater canoes or a traditional two-seater...
Cliffside Lake Recreation Area & Van Hook Glade Campground Van Hook Glade Campground is approximately four miles from the heart of Highlands, NC in Nantahala National Forest and very close to Franklin, NC. This small, secluded campground is directly across the street from the...
South Mountains State Park: Nestled deep in the woods, South Mountains State Park is the perfect place to enjoy nature. Here you can see a majestic mountain range peeking out from the gently rolling landscape of the piedmont. The park includes elevations up to 3,000 feet, a waterfall...
Richmond Hill Park (Mountain Biking, Disc Golf, Dog Friendly): Located just minutes from downtown Asheville, Richmond Hill Park offers disc golfers and mountain bikers in Asheville an easy opportunity to get outdoors and into the woods. The park offers more than three miles (with plans to...
Ready to kick back, relax and take in the scenic beauty of the mountains from the seat of your boat? If the answer is yes, then the Biltmore Estate section of the French Broad River Paddle Trail may be just what you’re after. When it comes to a relaxing summer adventure...
When thinking of the lazy days of summer, who can resist bobbing down the river on an inner tube? The Brevard area has a couple of great options for some floatin’ fun either on the French Broad River with a trip through Headwater Outfitters or on the Davidson River with rental tubes...
Sliding Rock in Brevard is an incredible adventure that is consistently ranked as one of the best swimming holes in the U.S. and, as a result, draws big crowds during summer months. We can’t blame them though, as the sloping waterfall creates a natural waterslide that is a lot...