This is my favorite Buncombe County River Park. Even though there are no restroom facilities here,…read morethe beauty and serenity of the location more than make up for it. In addition to the various natural dams and rocks in the River, someone has created a little kiddie pool to keep the little ones from floating downstream to Marshall. The river splits with part of it going down a channel to the right, forming walnut island. That little section of the river is just absolutely gorgeous, and the county maintains an easily traversed path the Full length of the island. It could be the perfect location for a small informal wedding, with the bride coming down the path from around the bend, a natural canopy complete with beautiful gurgling sounds of the river flowing over the rocks. The park is equipped with barbecue grills and picnic tables, although the tables look pretty uncomfortable. I suggest bringing your own canvas or folding chairs & blanket if you're going to be here for a while. There is plenty of gorgeous grass, and the park seems to be pretty well maintained. This morning, I saw two people fly fishing, in their waders, as well as a couple more people fishing from a small boat on the river. Really, an idyllic scene. No one else was in the park for the entire 30 minutes we were there, so if you want a little privacy and a gorgeous spot, Walnut Island River Park is the place to go. At least until it gets discovered by the masses.

Awesome state park with plenty of parking, pull offs to play in the creek, and tons of hiking…read moretrails. Dog and kid friendly, no bathrooms available. Lots of wildflower blooms and creekside hiking. Great spot for a picnic and sunning by the water.

Great park to take kids for easy access to wade and swim in a mountain stream. Has trails. Picnic…read morearea is very limited and located too close to porta-potties. Just go for the water!

Great lake for walking/running, less than impressive for fishing. I fish there a couple of times a…read moreweek. Granted, I've caught some good sized bass (~3 lbs) in the lake, but they're few and far between. Fly fishing will get you a few small bluegill here and there but don't expect a lot of action.

This park was right around the corner from our AirBnB and we passed this park almost daily- we…read moredipped in a few times and then I discovered there is a waterfall down a trail off the side of the park and I was delighted! Obviously a local favorite, especially for morning walks, jogs and getting outside. The kids feeding ducks, a few guys fishing and the playground was always being used, it made every visit fun.

Great Smoky Mountain National Park has been on my bucket list for many years. I was hoping that…read morespring break would be down season at the Park, but the Park was busy!!! We had a fabulous visit to this vast natural wonder. We learned that Park is the largest natural habitat in the continental U.S. The signature "smoky" appearance of the mountains is caused by an evaporation of organic rich moisture released by the vegetation within the Park. We started our visit by stopping at the visitors center to pick up a parking permit ($5/day) and maps ($1). I was glad we picked up maps because there is very little internet connectivity in the park, so we lost our navigation tools. The leaves were not on the trees yet (April) so we had magnificent uninterrupted views of the mountains and skylines. Spring wild flowers were in bloom. And we actually saw a mother bear with two cubs crossing the road. Each day during our visit we explored a different part of the park. We hiked to waterfalls and enjoyed scenic overlooks. We enjoyed exploring historic cabins and cemeteries. Popular sites were crowded and sometimes we had to wait for parking. Plan to arrive early. The park is filled with parking areas to pull off and enjoy the views or hike. Rest areas are available at many of the major sites. Leased dogs are only allowed in camping and parking areas and on two of the many trails. Bring good walking shoes, a hiking stick is helpful, water and sun glasses. You probably need to bring snacks, but keep those secure from wildlife.

ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL!…read more This is my first time coming to the park and it was an amazing sight to see. It is something that I think everyone should experience. I am already wanting to go back to spend a little more time than what I did. We came by here on our way to another place. We were supposed to come back by here but didn't get the chance. So another trip it is!

Great place to bring your dog to swim. Restrooms & changing area. Open to anyone for free! Nice…read moresandy area if it didn't rain heavily which makes the water murky. Families go swimming in warmer months. Beat to go when the sun is out, part of the mountain blocks the afternoon sun and water is colder in the shade. Park is pretty clean, not too many people on weekdays. Lots of rocks after the beach atea and further down people go rafting or canoe oaddle. Nolichucky is beautiful when the water is moving and this is an ideal spot to enjoy the river. About 20 mins from Johnson City/Jonesborough off i26, very easy to get to.

We enjoyed our hike - from car, to falls and back was a little over 3 miles. It is a great hike but…read morebring a walking stick to help navigate some of the rocky areas- you do cross a creek but the rocks were easy to cross without getting wet and were not slippery. On the way down you really tend to enjoy the views - because you aren't focused on getting to the end ;) my husband and I - are out of shape lol but it was not that bad of a hike - our daughter , who is an athlete had no issues - but there is a good 30 ye diff between us ha! I highly recommend spending a few hours enjoying nature ;)

Sooo, not something you should do in the nude, but it felt so good to feel the sun and wind on my…read moreskin. LoL, it was a great trail leading out to the falls and it was nice meeting Barry and Jim.

Completely and utterly agree with Jamie S. Best park I've found in Asheville as of yet!…read moreWooden structures on small "islands" separated by shallow creeks flow through this gorgeous playground. We went on a family adventure to explore Black Mountain and saw this adorable playground. The boys begged to be let out of their seats (even if it was 50 out and melting snow on the ground) to go play. I'm so glad we found time because I will drive the 30 minutes to get to this park again. My toddler apparently loves slides because he went down the Tree House Island slide multiple times. Middle went down to the creek and found out how freezing cold winter creek water is. So many trees, beautiful structures, picnic tables, gazebo. Whoever designed this park is a genius. Even though there is a creek it is easy to keep new walkers away from the edges and occupied elsewhere (mine is so CLUMSY and gives me heart attacks often throughout the day) I cannot wait to visit here during the summer - best splash area ever - and maybe have a few birthday parties.

One of the larger parks in the area and quite fun for the kids, at least according to my 9, 6, and…read more2yr old. Spaced out with plenty of room to run, different playground sets for kids to run between, and even a creek running through the middle that the kids can safely play in!

It's a beautiful spot for swimming, or to launch your kayak from. Great for picnics and it's very…read moreeasy to access and handicap accessible. The con is the putrid smell from the unclean restrooms and the garbage is overflowing. I went up several times with my grandchildren and truly it was not kept up. Such a shame as it is a popular tourist and local destination.

Good place to visit!…read more Duke Energy worked with the city/state/County? to build this beach/Park. Nice parking spots on both sides of the road. Bathrooms located up in the parking area. A nice ramp down all the way to the water. Seriously, you could wheel a wheelchair all the way into the lake. The sand is very nice. And you can easily swim out to and hold onto the barriers. There's a dock off to one side where you can fish off of. We'll thought out and done pretty well. They even have donated life jackets for kids hanging here at the beach! My reasons for 4 instead of 5 stars: Dogs. The path down to the beach was littered with dog poop. On the path, on the side, everywhere! It was gross and unsanitary. Don't know if dogs are allowed on the beach, but they've turned the park area to crap. The beach is quite small. I do believe too small to support all the parking. The beach is very steep. I know it's the mountains, but if you're going to drain the lake and make a beach, a gentler slope to the beach for the little ones would've been preferable. A larger swim area. Some people just want to swim! Maybe another 10 feet out into the lake for swimming, not just waking.

I never met a waterfall that I didn't like. We did a driving tour along Little River in Great Smoky…read moreMountains National Park to see if we could spot some wildlife. The Sinks is a lovely waterfall along the river. There is a small parking lot with about a dozen spaces where we found parking. An observation area is a short walk from parking. A sign describes the area and that the falls were manmade. During the late 1800's the river was used to transport logs/timber to the nearby town of Elkmont. After a storm, flood waters caused a jam in the river. Dynamite was used to restore water flow. The blast resulted in a twist in the river and creation of the waterfall. A set of stone steps leads up a hill, offering lovey views of the falls. There are dozens of waterfalls in the Park. Sinks is one of the few that is drivable, which is great for people that cannot hike. I picked up a Waterfalls map at the visitor center that I found interesting and informative. Parking passes are required to park in the lot. There are no amenities at the falls. Plan 15-30 minutes for a stop and photos.

The Sinks is such a fun outdoor experience! Our boys, ages 11 & 13, loved it! The parking is not…read moregreat though, with only about 15 spots in the parking lot and nowhere else to go. It's super busy in the summer, so just be prepared for that. We had to wait about 15 minutes for someone to leave so we could park. That wouldn't keep us from going back, though.

Safe activities for toddlers in a quiet location. Good variety. Our two year old loved it! Only…read morecomplaint was that there are no landing pads.

The parent that was throwing the ball to their children should know. The castle area is no place to…read morebe throwing the ball. When it hit my daughter and she tossed it to the grass do not tell your child that just called my 4 year old a jerk. This is not a park for "bully" parents to teach your child your bad behavior.