Spectacular views. Words do it no justice. Just a note, you better have a higher lift vehicle to…read moreget there. It's about 4 miles past Falls parking lot, it's gravel, rutty and pretty rough.

Gorgeous spot near Lineville, Table Rock, Grandfather, etc.! We took our engagement photos at…read moreWiseman's View on a beautiful September afternoon at sunset. It's the perfect spot for photos because... A) It's an easy stroll from the parking lot, i.e. you're not going to get hot and sweaty hiking to your photo shoot location. B) It's almost always 15-degrees cooler here than in Charlotte. Again, avoiding the whole hot and sweaty thing. C) The views are unrivaled. Sweeping from all angels, on a clear day you can see for miles and miles from one of the several outcrops/overlooks.

Easy hike and access to beautiful Roaring Fork Falls, NC. We went in October at peak leaf season…read moreand it was just magnificent. The falls were a delight although a bit slippery. It's a great hike for beginners.

We got caught in the rain so we couldn't stay long but this is a great, super easy, hike for the…read morewhole family. Pretty flat gravel trail until the end. Then some rooty declines to get to the base of the waterfall. Long streaming falls are beautiful! There's a pool at the bottom that kids can play around in, slide down short rocks and swim if they're short enough. Water depth was about knee-high on a 5'2" adult. There are a few spots to crouch down and picnic too.

What a gorgeous park, even in the winter time…read more Since it's winter when I visited, I can't review all of the incredible summer time water sports but I know this park can get busy then. Winter was in incredible time to visit, easy parking, a chance to chat with the staff at the visitor center, and walk around. The lake is beautiful. I've heard that this area did get some hurricane/ storm damage but everything needed to drive around is up and running! Make a plan to visit next time you're nearby. It's about 1 hour drive from downtown Asheville.

This has the look of one of those parks formed around a dam. Don't get me wrong; I'm all for…read morehydroelectric power, but artificial lakes always feel like they're lacking a certain mystique. This park had an impressive visitor center and restrooms were open even after it closed, though neighboring water fountains were not functioning on a hot summer day. The trail I selected was rugged and had occasional waterside views, most notably on a footbridge that offered a mountain vista. Cell service was not great for me, and while I'd hoped to do a zoom meeting on the run I had to return to more urban areas. But if you actually want to get unplugged, the people on boats here appeared to be having a good time.

Great views but don't hike this if you're out of shape or inexperienced hikers. Part of our party…read morehad a hard time keeping up, and we didn't get to hike the whole way up. But it was still beautiful as you had a view from lake James all the way up the mountain.

I think this should be Shortoff Mountain Trail (which starts at the end of Wolf Pit Road). From…read morewhat I could find, there's no such thing as Wolf Pit Trail. This hike starts out fairly steep. It cuts off to the right (follow the sign) and then there's a series of switchbacks to the top of the mountain. It merges with the mountains to sea trail and then levels out after a bit. There are great views of Lake James and the mountains on the whole hike up. Once we got to the top, we continued on for a while past a pond to some more views of Table Rock. I thought the initial views at the summit were the best though. The estimates I saw for the hike were 4-5 miles, so I'm not quite sure exactly how long it was. The parking situation is pretty terrible. There's not really any good spots, but everyone kind of makes their own. I can't imagine how bad this would be in the summer. This is a great, not too strenuous hike with good views throughout.

We did not camp here, but we visited to hike the 1 mile trail to see Crabtree Falls. It was magical…read moreand highly recommended! The trails were well manicured and the scenery along the way was absolutely beautiful. The falls were amazing! CRABTREE FALLS The falls are wide and about 70ft high. You can walk right up to the base of the falls on either side. The river at the bottom of the falls is not deep and not too dangerous. You can walk across the river at the base of the falls on the wet stones, but you will get your feet wet, as will as water spray on your clothes hair. Just be careful you don't slip on the wet rocks and fall! There is also a wooden bridge over the river which provides a safer crossing so the falls can be enjoyed from both sides. You MUST cross to other side to view the "money shot" of the falls...get your camera out and get busy with those selfies! THE TRAIL You park your car by the Crabtree Falls campground where the trail starts. It's a 1 mile walk to the falls. It's moderate level difficulty and not recommended for those that have difficulty walking on flat surfaces. The trail is NOT flat. T trail is manicured and supplied with many wooden walkways, and engineered stairs, but there are ample trip hazards, such as roots and slippery rocks. Part of the the path actual passes through some mountain streams that flow down to the river. They are a beautiful part of the walk but also wet and slippery. There is an amphitheater at the start of the walk which makes for a great photo opportunity. The trail appears to include lighting from the start to the amphitheater to support evening performances. I am sure they would be a magical experience. There are many beautiful nature views along the way, tree canopies and tree "tunnels" covering some of the path. There are stairs made from stone found in the area. It really is a nice walk. Once you reach the falls you can choose whether to continue on the same direction to loop back to the campground on a 1.7mile return, or to return back the way you came for a 1mile hike. The 1.7 mile return is categorized as strenuous on the signs. We didn't take it so can't comment, but be aware. The hike to the falls is downhill, although surprisingly not very noticeable until you walk back. You definitely sweat more on the return journey!

We had a great hike down to the falls with our dog. The sights were beautiful! I would recommend…read moregood footwear for this walk and be prepared for some steep inclines and declines, including down rocky walkways. Also, as we continued past the falls to finish the loop, there was a marker which we followed and basically had to crawl up the side of the mountain (which obviously wasn't the right way but it did have a path so we kept pushing forward). Thankfully it connected to the trail and we were back in business We enjoyed the beautiful, cool weather as we made our way through a mossy, lush forest. The water fountain at the start/end of path wasn't working which was a bummer but we had more water in the car. Pack accordingly.

Guides Matt and Jason gave my two boys and me a first class fishing experience. They worked hard…read moreto get us in all of the right holes on the Catawba River, which allowed us to catch more than 50 trout on our trip. They skillfully taught technique, patiently fixed tangles, and brought a great Western Carolina mountain vibe to the whole experience. I'll gladly fish with The Catawba Angler next time I'm in town. A+ experience.

Catawba angler guide Matt Evans took my brother and me on half day trip floating the French Broad…read morenear Ashland. Matt was the consummate guide. He knew the river well and got us onto a bunch of 'honey holes' where the fish were hungry. I am not an experienced angler but Matt was very patient. This was no small accomplishment given all the mistakes made. He set us up with just the right lures, quickly handing us alternative rods already set up when the conditions changed. I caught more fish with Mike than in my last 10 outings combined. This is a life-long memory. We'll be back!

Hubs and I took a camping trip to the mountains a few weeks ago so we experienced the little town…read moreof Old Fort. Old Fort is known as the "gateway to the mountains" and is about 30 minutes from the Blue Ridge parkway and Asheville. It has beautiful scenery and campgrounds to stay while you are visiting. It is also the home of many hiking and biking trails through the mountains. Before you get into town, do yourself a favor and stock up on your groceries and adult beverages. Not sure if it is a town or county law but there is no alcohol in sight!! We had to drive about 15 miles to stock up on beer and wine. Also, the local grocery store (guess you can call it that) Frisbee's Galaxy, is not helpful for anything. The meats did not look good, they offered little to nothing on our list, and it was dirty and understaffed. That is for another yelp review but you get the jist. Take care of all of your shopping needs before your arrival to Old Fort. Old Fort is definitely your quaint getaway from the hustle bustle of big city life and has an adorable little downtown but appears to have suffered from the bad economy like so many other little towns.

We have a vacation home on Gateway Mountain, just on the outskirts of Old Fort. Old Fort is a…read morequaint little old mountain town with, honestly, not much to offer in the way of vacationing. However, to pass through or to make a quick stop, it's a beautiful old town that still retains its charm from decades ago. It's a dry town, so if you come to eat at one of the very few restaurants, don't expect to have any alcohol. Every Friday night at 7:00pm they have free live bluegrass music at the Old Fort Mountain Music building across from the fire station on Main St. Don't expect anything fancy - all the locals come out to entertain and to be entertained. It's still a fun and interesting experience. There's a wonderful hike up to Catawba Falls, with beautiful up-close views of the waterfall; it's about an hour and a half roundtrip hike. You can also check out Andrew's Geyser, on the other side of town. The shops in town don't have much to offer for anyone other then the locals and there really isn't a downtown with "shopping". If you're looking to shop - even for groceries - I suggest you make a stop into Black Mountain. Old Fort is about 20 minutes from Black Mountain and Marion, 30 minutes from Asheville and Lake Lure/Chimney Rock, and 45 minutes from Hendersonville. All in all, if you're looking for a short stop in an old town that's retained it's quaint, mountain charm, then Old Fort has a few attractions for you. But if you're looking for a vacation spot, this isn't it. Regardless, you'll never meet friendlier or warmer people then the good folks of Old Fort!

Talk about a fun rafting experience!! My husband and I brought our 10 year old sons and my parents…read moreon the whitewater rafting adventure yesterday. It was mine and the kids first time. The class II and III rapids were the perfect size for us. It was slightly challenging in a few places but nothing terribly difficult. It was absolutely exhilarating! Our guide Eric was incredible! He was super knowledgeable and really seemed to know the river very well. We all felt really lucky to have him as a guide. After watching a few other color rafts/companies get stuck continuously, we knew we chose the right people for this adventure. 10/10 will definitely be back again. Things we were glad to have... glasses chords.

We had so much fun ebiking in Banff last summer that i thought it would be fun to do in Asheville…read moretoo. I booked the easy ebike ride which was a 12 mile bike ride into Tennessee. We had a 2pm start (1:30pm arrival) and were the only people registered so private ebike tour for us. TJ was our guide and he was training someone so we ended up with 2 guides, which was great. Both of them were very knowledgable about Asheville, nature (i learned what poison ivy looks like) and biking. It took me a few minutes to get my ebike bearings, but then were off. The first part of the ride was on gravel, which was a little tricky, but it was all good when we hit the road. It also started raining and we got pretty wet...i couldn't decide if the rain made the ride miserable or more fun. Maybe both! The biking itself wasn't too hard and honestly we probably could have done it on regular bikes and gotten a workout, but i do find ebiking super fun. We stopped a few times, which helped with our sore butts and learned about the area. A few hours later we said goodbye to our new friends and headed back to Asheville (about an hour away). They also offer many other activities like white water rafting so recommended if you're looking for a little adventure.

You guys, I can't say enough good things about this place! I really do hope that if your in the…read moreblack mountain area and love camping that you will consider checking sky island retreat out! They took us in like family! I have never felt so welcomed and loved camping somewhere. When we came back from the Super on Sat and they made a Spaghetti dinner buffet style for everyone here on site. Then today we raced this am and came back to homemade breakfast buffet. We were able to use the showers before heading home and it's past checkout time. The cabins are super cute and everyone is so nice! These 3 sisters have owned this place since 1980's and once you have been here you are family! You have options of camping, cabins and RV's on a 50 acre lot! Beautiful views from the top of the mountain that are breathtaking

I can't say enough great things about my guide Craig and the fantastic experience I had kayak bass…read morefishing with him. His knowledge of bass fishing, kayak fishing, and the local environment, coupled with his natural teaching ability was the perfect balance of learning and fun. We caught loads of spotted bass and some largemouth while getting some exercise and experiencing the serenity of the natural environment. The equipment provided was top notch and in perfect working order, which is not always the case with other kayak fishing guides. I will definitely use them again the next time I am in Asheville. Don't hesitate call them now, they book up fast!

Obviously, there are numerous people, including this website owner who do NOT understand what a…read morePLACE is ! A place is a particular portion of space , a LOCATION ! A BUSINESS is NOT a LOCATION ! You can not fish inside a building. You will not have room to cast your line ! A PLACE to FISH is like a certain spot on the river, or a small lake or a creek. It is much better to fish in those types of locations than inside a fly and tackle shop or a barbecue restaurant. Yes those are great places to go, to find fishing equipment, to hire a fishing guild or to eat some awesome barbecue. But, alas it is very poor fishing in those stores.