Smokies to Blue Ridge Week

Arrive in Gatlinburg — Smokies base

Two nights in Gatlinburg first. Check in to a cabin with mountain views. Walk the strip for one night, then ignore it for the rest of the trip.

Tip

Cell service dies on much of the Blue Ridge Parkway

Download offline maps before entering Cherokee, NC. The Parkway has no cell service for 40-mile stretches. The NPS app has offline Parkway maps that work without a signal.

Morning Excursion

Half Day

Appalachian Trail day hike from Newfound Gap

Newfound Gap sits at 5,046 feet on the state border. Walk north on the AT toward Charlie's Bunion (8.2 miles round trip) for the highest ridge views in the park.

6h~$0

Full Day

Cades Cove and Abrams Falls

Start the loop at sunrise for the best wildlife odds. Black bears are common in spring. Abrams Falls adds 2.5 miles of trail. Pack lunch and spend the full day in the cove.

7h~$0

Drive to Asheville via the Blue Ridge Parkway

Enter the Parkway at Cherokee, NC and drive the full 70 miles to Asheville. No commercial trucks, no billboards — just switchbacks and views. Stop at every overlook for the first hour. It's worth it.

Evening

Meal

Asheville dinner on Lexington Ave

Lexington Ave Brewery (LAB) for craft beer, Tupelo Honey for Southern brunch classics, or Cúrate for Spanish tapas. Asheville has one of the best restaurant scenes in the Southeast.

~$40

Asheville — full day in town

River Arts District murals in the morning, River Arts District studios in the afternoon, downtown craft beer crawl in the evening. Asheville has more breweries per capita than any US city.

Afternoon Excursion

Half Day

Biltmore Estate

America's largest private home. The 8,000-acre estate includes the mansion, gardens, winery, and farmstead. Budget 4-5 hours. Book in advance — it sells out on fall weekends.

5h~$80

Hot Springs, NC mineral baths

Drive an hour north to Hot Springs on the French Broad River. Natural 100F springs, riverside soaking pools, and the Appalachian Trail running through the center of town.

Afternoon Excursion

Half Day

Whitewater rafting the French Broad

Class II-III rapids through a steep river gorge. Half-day trips run March-October. Good for beginners. Several outfitters in Hot Springs offer guided trips starting at $45/person.

3h 30m~$45

Brevard and Pisgah National Forest departure

Drive back toward Gatlinburg via Brevard (waterfalls capital of the East) and Pisgah National Forest. Looking Glass Falls is 60 feet of free waterfall right off the highway.