A Weekend in Asheville

Back in early September, we had the opportunity to spend a long weekend in Asheville, NC.  Colin had a work meeting on a Monday and the weekend had a promising forecast, so we decided to make a last minute trip as a family.  Thankfully, there were a few airbnb rentals available that seemed nice and were reasonably priced.

After work on Friday, we packed up the car and made the 4 hour journey west on I-40 without any problems.  Our airbnb rental had a key lock box, which was perfect for our late arrival.  The small 3 bedroom house was cozy, but not crowded, with only one other person staying there that weekend.  All that really matters is that there was enough room for Darwin's bed on the floor and for us to sleep in the bed. We didn't chat much with the owner's father (who was staying with his daughter for an extended period of time) until the last day.

Saturday morning we were up very early thanks to our morning dog Darwin. We had plans to drive to several waterfalls in the Brevard area of the Pisgah National Forest, but spent a leisurely morning in Asheville before setting out.  We found a food co-op close to our airbnb rental and made our way to a store that was essentially Whole Foods with its own name (Greenlife Grocery) to have breakfast, then wandered through some neighborhoods in the area of Asheville between the main downtown area and the Grove Park Inn, and finally stopped to check out a festival at the Habitat for Humanity Restore that wound up being an anniversary celebration.  There was a bunch of free food that nourished us before we set out to the mountains.

Around noon, we made our way from Asheville towards Brevard and entered the Pisgah National Forest on route 276.  I had mapped out a route into the forest that included several waterfalls and a couple of hikes.  We decided to hike the first trail on our route, John Rock Trail, which we thought was going to be 1.8 miles, but was actually closer to 3 miles.  The hike was fairly easy, rising only about 800 feet to the summit of John Rock and the views were pretty.  After having hiked in New Zealand, Washington, Oregon and California, it's hard to call the North Carolina mountains impressive, but it was certainly a very nice view.

Colin and Darwin enjoying the view from the top of John Rock

After our hike, we got back in the car and drove two miles farther into the national forest to Looking Glass Falls, an impressive, 45-foot waterfall just off the side of the road.  The falls were visible from the road, but we descended the 30 or so steps down to the water and put our feet in.  Darwin seemed to enjoy the water, which was fairly cool and I was surprised at how many people were actually swimming in the plunge pool below the falls.

Colin's newest favorite picture of Darwin, 

with Looking Glass Falls in the background

Just one mile from Looking Glass Falls, we arrived at the trailhead for a hike that led us to another waterfall called Moore Cove Falls.  The very easy 1.4 mile out-and-back hike brought us to a waterfall that was beautiful in the sun's rays.  While the water was not as forceful as Looking Glass, the spot was a peaceful retreat in the middle of the woods.  Unfortunately, we were not the only ones enjoying the view, so we didn't linger too long.

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Moore Cove Falls with a mid-afternoon sun

I really wanted to see Sliding Rock since I had heard such great things about it, so when we came upon the sign for it one mile beyond Moore Head Falls on Highway 276, I was glad we could stop to check it out.  The forest service charges $1-2 per car, and most people were leaving when we arrived.  The many teenagers enjoying the slide made it look like tons of fun and I was a little bummed that I couldn't participate. I didn't want to risk any injuries with a bun in the oven.  After Colin told me how cold the water was on his trip down the slide, I was grateful to have an excuse!  While it may have been fun, I'm just not a fan of freezing cold water.

Colin braving the cold water on Sliding Rock

The last waterfall on my list, Skinny Dip Falls, took us about 10 miles off the loop back to Asheville, but I wanted to check it out since the reviews made it sound like it was worth the trip.  Instead of heading north (back to Asheville) at the intersection of Highway 276 and the Blue Ridge Parkway, we drove about 5 miles south to mile marker 417.  Before hiking the mile into the waterfall and while enjoying a lovely view from the Parkway, we decided to have a second lunch/snack of sardines, chips, and apples that we had purchased at the food co-op.  Darwin also enjoyed his dinner (and a little of ours too).

View from the car at mile marker 417 on the Blue Ridge Parkway

The mile hike to the cascading waterfalls was super easy and we were at the falls in no time.  With the light getting lower in the sky, I didn't get great photos, but I ended up going back on Monday when Colin was at his meeting, so there is a photo of one of the falls farther down this post.  The falls reminded me of an area in Vermont called Triple Buckets, where people would jump from the rocks into one of three deep pools.  These cascades may not have been as deep, but did have a few pools that looked perfect for swimming.  

From Skinny Dip Falls, we drove the 40 minutes back to Asheville on the winding Blue Ridge Parkway, going through lots of tunnels on the way.  It was already dinner time when we got back, but I needed a shower before setting out. With our late arrival into downtown and our inability to choose a restaurant, it was pretty late for us to have dinner when we were finally seated at the Italian restaurant called Modesto (around 9pm). I didn't bring my good camera and had to rely on my phone, but it served the purpose.  We ended up splitting a salad and having a few bites of the chicken parm pasta dish, with plans to save the rest for Sunday, but ended up giving our leftovers to a man on the street who asked us for food.  While we frequently refuse to give individuals on the street money, Colin always gives food if we have some and people ask. In fact, Colin will actually offer people our food (leftover or food we just purchased to eat), and many times it is refused.

Our shared salad

 Eggplant Parm

I think we were all exhausted when we arrived back at the house. Even Darwin, who is frequently restless, was passed out all night.  Thankfully, being tired meant we all got to sleep in a little later on Sunday morning.

Our main adventures were all planned for Saturday, so on Sunday we did much more relaxing. After a light breakfast at the house and some chatting with the airbnb host's dad, we set out to enjoy the day in Asheville. We started out at the dog park and then made our way downtown to the Organic Festival going on in Pack Square.  There were a bunch of dogs at the dog park and they were all very friendly, and I was somewhat disappointed that the Organic Festival included only a handful of tents, one stage, and didn't allow us to walk around with Darwin.  Colin and I took turns checking out the single block of vendors while the other sat on the perimeter with Darwin.  

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Darwin meeting some Asheville dogs at the dog park

The weather threatened rain most of the afternoon, but we were lucky to enjoy our meal outside at Salsa's Mexican Restaurant.  Thankfully, I had my camera ready when the meals came out so I could document how beautiful each plate was.  Both of our meals were delicious, but I would say that my slow-roasted pork empanada was a little bit better.  In our usual fashion, we shared both meals, and I did enjoy Colin's burrito that was filled with shrimp and steak and included french fries and cheese.  The only thing we didn't really enjoy was the rice, which Darwin was glad to have.  Colin also gave him some tortilla chips.

Slow-Roasted Pork Empanada with rice, beans, and salsa

"The Asheville" burrito with shrimp, steak, fries, and cheese

On Sunday night we stayed at the Crowne Plaza, located just outside of the downtown area.  It was nice to have a big, spacious place to put our things and Darwin enjoyed laying on the second bed while we relaxed and watched some football.  The hotel, while not right in downtown, had a really nice outdoor area with hang gliding, a walking path, and outdoor pool.  The only down side was that someone complained about Darwin's bark, even though he barked twice to alert us that people were in the hallway.  Thankfully, we only received a warning.

On our last day in Asheville, while Colin attended his meeting for most of the workday, Darwin and I went to hike Mt. Pisgah and enjoy Skinny Dip Falls.  We made our way back onto the Blue Ridge Parkway and hiked up to the top of the "mountain" in the morning and then enjoyed our lunch on the rocks at the falls.  The weather cooperated all day, though there were some spotty dark clouds around all day.  

Looking up at Mt. Pisgah from the Blue Ridge Parkway

View back down to the the Blue Ridge Parkway from Mt. Pisgah

Enjoying lunch with our feet in the water at Skinny Dip Falls

When Colin's day was done and before heading back home, we made one last stop at French Broad Chocolates to pick up dessert for the road.  I stayed in the car while Colin went in and I was very surprised that my chocoholic husband opted for a carrot cake at a chocolate factory!  It was very rich and tasty and didn't last long into the 4-hour drive.

It's always nice to be home after traveling, especially after having Darwin stay in the same room with us, but I will say we had a wonderful weekend in Asheville.  While the rain threatened most of Sunday and part of Monday, it never actually rained.  And, we were able to enjoy beautiful clear skies on Saturday while hiking and exploring lots of waterfalls. I really wanted Colin to see the beauty and enjoy the amazing food the Asheville area has to offer and I think after our long weekend there, he now appreciates it much more than he has in the past.

What do you think is the best thing about the Asheville area?