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.
Ridgeline Mountain Biking Trail: This incredible trail is as close to riding a roller coaster on two wheels as you can get! Start at Lake Imaging Parking area in Dupont State Forest and head through the gate up the forest road. Take the second left up Jim Branch Trail and get your...
Bass Lake Running Trails (Blowing Rock): Head out to Bass Lake if you’re looking to get in some exercise and explore relatively flat terrain near Boone. There is a .08-mile loop around the lake that is easy. For a little for adventure on some steeper terrain, try the 3-mile side...
Clingmans Dome – Easy to Moderate (N 35.5545, W -83.4950): Clingmans Dome is the highest peak in the Smokies and Tennessee–6,642 feet. The view is astounding when the weather’s good. Start early–later in the day the parking area gets crowded and the air gets hazier. A few trails...
Oconaluftee River Trail (N 35.5131, W – 83.3066): 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...
Gatlinburg Trail (N 35.7034, W – 83.5160): 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...
Spruce-Fir Self-Guiding Nature Trail (N 35.6795, W -83.5312): 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...
Big Creek Trail (N 35.7518, W – 83.1097): 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...
Chimney Tops – Strenuous (N 35.6357, W -83.4699): This 4-mile roundtrip hike is a true peak experience. Great views and exhilarating exposure are both found at the top of this rocky summit. This hike is not easy, but it’s one of the park’s easiest high adventure hikes. Head up the...
Appalachian Trail – Strenuous (N 35.6110, W -83.4248): Everybody wants to try the storied Georgia-to-Maine footpath. From Newfound Gap, the trail heads east to fabulous views at The Jump-Off and craggy Charlie’s Bunion. Head up the AT to start this 6.5-mile out-and-back hike to the...
Grotto Falls Trail – Moderate (N 35.6804, W -83.4626): The 2.6 mile roundtrip hike to Grotto Falls is fun because the trail swings behind and below the cascade. Llama teams regularly use this trail (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) to resupply LeConte Lodge so you might see them going...
Alum Cave (Great Smoky Mountains): Moderate to Strenuous (N 35.6288, W -83.4508): Tennessee’s LeConte Lodge is the East’s highest overnight hostel and a stay is great fun. Many people take this shortest trail to the hut, but there’s a great view half way up and much to see...
Cross Country Ski The Viaduct (Boone Winter Adventures; Blue Ridge Parkway): In the winter, when snow blankets the mountains and valleys of the High Country, there are few places more beautiful to take in the view than the Blue Ridge Parkway near Grandfather Mountain. What makes the...
Audubon Swamp Garden (Magnolia Plantation and Gardens): By the time most visitors to Magnolia Plantation have walked the ornate gardens, navigated the topiary maze, and played in the petting zoo, they breeze by the Audubon Swamp Garden on their way out the gate. But the 60-acre...
Edisto Beach State Park (Edisto Island): Perhaps S.C.’s finest coastal state park, trails at Edisto include a 1.7 mile walk to Spanish Mount, a Native American shell mound dated to 2,000 B.C. Half-mile loops circle the maritime forest and marshland, where deer, osprey, and bobcat abound...
Hike To Crabtree Falls: Hikers and waterfall lovers wanting a moderate to strenous hike should add the beautiful 2.5-mile Crabtree Falls hike to their list. This is a fairly difficult hike with some sections featuring steep inclines and rocky terrain. Generally speaking, most hikers...
Wilson Creek Trails: Part of the 500,000-acre Pisgah National Forest, the Wilson Creek area is a destination unto itself for outdoor adventure sports. With fantastic vistas, ridges more than 4000 feet high, whitewater rapids and trails that travel to spectacular waterfalls, Wilson Creek...
Bent Creek Mountain Bike Trails: Over 30 miles of mountain bike trails make Bent Creek the go-to spot for Asheville locals looking to get in some fun, flowy miles during the work week or on weekends. Whether looking for long gravel routes for training or seeking out steep technical...
Deep Creek Trail (Bryson City): This is a great place to walk, run or mountain bike near Bryson City. Head off up the level road grade along the wide, green, and pristine Deep Creek. Soon the sound of the stream rises to a higher pitch and as you amble up to 5 benches on the riverside...
I’on Swamp Trail (Francis Marion National Forest): This easy, 2 mile loop follows the abandoned rice-field dykes along the remnants of Witheywood Plantation. The narrow causeways pass through bald cypress wetlands and swamp, providing close sightings of alligators and a multitude of...
Canoe the Sequatchie (Sequatchie Valley): About 30 miles north of Chattanooga is the gentle Sequatchie River. The river winds southward through the valley, criss-crossed by old bridges and lined with hardwood stands. For a gentle float with plenty of opportunities to get wet, we suggest...