Visitors to the area will discover that Asheville possesses a majestic vista of the surrounding…read moremountains, but a pretty unimpressive river. There are other stretches of the French Broad that are more aesthetically pleasing, but around here, it's a brown snake that doesn't seem impressive. If you pass through the city without stopping here, you're not missing anything given the profligate majestic clear waterfalls in the mountains nearby. However, there is a decent pedestrian infrastructure built up around this bridge, and several restrooms, launch facilities for watercraft, and other useful features. For the more casual or local user, it's at least a waterfront that has been well developed for public use.

What a lovely and well maintained park. We specifically stopped by to use the dog park and we're so…read moreglad we did. Quick hint- if you GPS the actual dog park, you will be taken down a side road and directed to climb down through some overgrowth. Take the normal park entrance and follow the paved path to the dog park entrance. This park is beautiful with huge shade giving maple trees and a wide, well paved path. The dog park was pretty empty on Thursday afternoon due to the rainy weather. However our other visitors who were very welcoming and had very friendly dogs. Stopped by again today, before road-tripping home, and it was just as fun. Lots more visitors and other dogs to play with or just chase. Our dog was even greeted by one of the Thursday people. Just a nice place to spend some time. The area is well kept and they have a good amount of supplies to keep it picked up.

This is awesome park here in Asheville North Carolina. My wife and kids had a great time here we…read moreweren't expecting much when we pulled up I was like man there's 1000 people here they had walking paths everywhere they have basketball courts playgrounds and ice hockey rink type place it's not ice hockey but a roller rink thing where people are playing hockey they had basketball goals everywhere they had all kinds of things the head of memorial for a speedway that people were just riding their bikes and rollerskating and everything around this was an awesome awesome place that I wish we had here in Louisville

Excellent park for many toddler-friendly activities. The playground is huge and has varying levels…read morefor all ages. My 18-month old loved the swings, wooden plane and slides. I really appreciated the extra long stroller-friendly trails. Many of the paths were paved but even the dirt paths worked well with our stroller. The views of the river and nature were lovely. Lot's of parking with easy in-and-out spots. You do have to take the ramp by the parking lot across the path to get to the interior playground. It's a bit of a longer trip but overall not cumbersome.

Blue Ridge Parkway is such an incredibly beautiful drive and well worth taking a few minutes out of…read morethe way to enjoy this lovely detour. It should be a crime that the government wants to privatize all national parks and it's a shame that we may not be able to enjoy this stunning area of the United States much longer. Take the long way during your roadtrip and drive through the Blue Ridge Parkway with the windows down, you will not be disappointed! The fresh air and calming scenery is healing to the soul! There are plenty of overlooks, as well. Take your time, enjoy the ride!

The Blue Ridge Parkway spans several hundred miles long and a good chunk of it was unfortunately…read moreclosed when we came through due to hurricane damage but we were able to do a few hours on the road from the edge of the Smoky Mountains NP all the way to Asheville and it was GORGEOUS. The open stretch was in higher elevations (hence not impacted by the hurricane) which meant we had some really spectacular views of the mountains and terrain. It really was wonderful. There are a ton of scenic overlooks and a few maintained spots where you can pull over and enjoy a picnic or use the facilities (they're barebones restrooms but they have them) but aside from that amenities are few and far between so be sure to pack some food, drinks, and make sure your tank is full of gas so you can enjoy the views and explore stress free! The only trouble was there wasn't a lot of information available on what we'd find on the parkway (meaning what stretch was closed, what was open, must see overlooks, hiking trails, etc) as the visitors centers were closed and the Smoky Mountain NP visitor center we stopped into didn't have any brochures or maps or anything. Luckily once we got onto the parkway we were able to find a scenic overview with some signage that had a map so we took a picture of that and was helpful. The good news is is that I believe right after our trip they reopened another large stretch of the Parkway northeast for Asheville (which I believe has has all the amazing waterfalls) so we'll have to come back another time to enjoy all those views!

Pack Square Park in Downtown Asheville is a nice park. There is a large area of green space and in…read morethe warmer months is a splash fountain. The park has seating if you want to take in the scenery. There are restrooms nearby at the pavilion. The amphitheater is home to events throughout the year. If you go closer to the courthouse, you will see the Veterans Memorial.

While close to many of Asheville's restaurants and other attractions, this area is usually rather…read morequiet. It does contain a memorial, an amphitheater, and a few restrooms (which I find are often closed). There is some nice grassy space to sit if one doesn't have the ability to get out into the countryside.

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 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.

The Thomas Dambo Troll Exhibit brought me back to NC for the first time in decades. And the team at…read morethe Arboretum, and the grounds as well as the exhibit did not disappoint. Made it there on New Year's Day. Bright and early. Did get lost trying to follow GPS so map it as it reads on the website. Siri thinks she knows better and I ended up in the boonies without service. Backtracked and when I had cell service again, followed instructions and got there without a hitch. The staff, mainly in the Welcome Center was great. So friendly. Knowledgeable. Genuinely pleasant. Not only providing instructions on the exhibit but shared a few stories about the process. It was cold but the walk and sun, when it came out, helped me to not freeze. In fact, by the halfway point, I had removed my outer layer. I mentioned this because it wasn't all paved paths - eventually after you pass through the garden directly outside the Welcome Center - you wander onto the packed trail. Glad I got there early as by the time I left, the parking lot was filled up fast and cars were lining up at the entrance to the park. I didn't check out anything else at the Arboretum but judging from what I did see, it's a beautiful area and exhibit. If I happen to make a return visit, it'll definitely be when it's warmer weather.

We went there later in the day but still had plenty of time to walk the red trail. Not a lot is…read moreblooming at this time of year but it was still a really nice walk. It is a dog friendly place so I feel like it is a great place for locals to come with their pups. There was even a family taking advantage of the "golden hour" lighting for family photos. We sat for a bit on one of the many benches available along the trails to take in the mountain view. And a large area dedicated for families and children with natural things to climb on and through. They have children's nature programs available as well. I would definitely go back again! And they are part of the reciprocal program with other Gardens & Arboretums around the country!!

Lovey trail alongside a relaxing stream. Several benches scattered throughout the trail, random…read morepicnic tables, a few fire rings, a sandy beach halfway down the trail, port-o-potty even further down the trail towards the end, and only 12 minutes from home within Asheville. Dog friendly with doggy bag dispensary at both ends of trail, every dog I personally passed by was on a leash and the consistent foot traffic was friendly. Found on yelp. Charming

This is a nice short little trail. It is busy almost year-round. I like to bike on it as part of my…read moreusual route. Dogs are supposed to be on leash, but rarely are so be warned of that.

(review specifically about Friday nights at the park) The…read morepark is a simple open space, but on Friday evenings around 5 pm it comes alive. Locals gather with their drums and the whole place fills with rhythm, creativity, and that unmistakable Asheville spirit. The sense of community is amazing. It was recommended to me by a local who said, "You should check it out--it's good for the soul." She was absolutely right. It really is.

The drum circle on Friday nights is pure noise. It's an abomination. Mind numbing and awful. The…read moredroning of the same rhythms for over an hour makes one psychotic. Just the single worst thing i've ever heard.

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.

this was a cute little park! there's a greenway attached to it as well as a big baseball field…read more there are clean public bathrooms as well!

This is an extremely clean park that serves as an end/start for the Glenn's Creek Greenway. We…read moreweren't here with our toddler, but I noted that she would LOVE the playground surrounded by soft mulch and sand pit for playing. Pack the hats and sunscreen for the littles, though. There is no shade over their play space! The restrooms were clean and stocked. A very nice spot to spend some time in the fresh air!