meab

we're thinking of a last minute visit to the asheville area with our 2 small children to get a taste of autumn (we live in florida, so no "fall"!!!). we hoped to see the leaves, do some short hikes, go apple picking, that sort of thing.

the big question: is the last week of october too late for foliage? on the visitnc website, it looks like things might be past peak. also, with an upcoming cold front and some rain (from weather.com), i'm wondering if any leaves will be left.

obviously, i don't expect anyone to have a crystal ball, but i dont' want to drive all that way and have it be too cold for hiking and no leaves on the trees it's also pretty last-minute at this point, so i'd have some hotel issues to get around as well, but if it's still worth our time, i want to try and make it.

if anyone has any input, it's greatly appreciated. thanks!!!

stevebarr

Hi...I live about 45 minutes south of Asheville, and the leaf change has really not even started here yet. Still lots of green on the trees.

Fall tends to linger here. It can take weeks for the colors to trickle down from the higher elevations to the foothills. So, if you got to Asheville and the colors had already passed, you could head towards the valleys where they would probably still be going strong.

If that happens, head towards Hendersonville or even down to Polk County, near the SC border, to catch a glimpse of autumn glory.

Also...there are plenty of great short hikes to take the kids on just off of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Even if the colors have diminished, it is still awesome year-round.

You don't mention the ages of the children. If I knew how old they were, I could suggest a few appropriate hikes or great places to visit.

meab

thanks for the reply. the kids are ages 5 and 2. we planned on going to chimney rock one day, since it seemed pretty kid-friendly. also, i read about some waterfall hikes in the brevard area that seemed easy enough. more suggestions are always welcome!!!!

i was just a little worried about it being too cold (we are floridians, remember!), and "past peak".

we were also looking for a place for the kids to do pony rides (they have to be much bigger for regular horseback riding), and possibly also some gem mining, although certainly not anything too serious!!!

my daughter just did a chapter on apples at school and is very eager to go apple picking - i thought the orchard at altapass might be good?

so again, all suggestions are welcome. big thanks in advance!

meab

bumping

stevebarr

I just heard that this coming weekend there is expected to be a cold snap with arctic air dropping into the area. Not sure how long that will last, but it will definitely get cold in the higher elevations. Still, a nice leisurely drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway will give you beautiful views of the mountains.

There are lots of waterfalls all over near Brevard, and many are accessible from your car so you don't have to take the little ones for really lengthy hikes.

If you go to Chimney Rock, there will be lots for them to see and do. Many times, on weekends, they have activities planned for children. When you park, you walk into a tunnel in the rock that leads you to an elevator that was dug out of the mountain, and it takes you up to their gift shop and snack area. You can stroll right out to the top of Chimney Rock from that point and on a good day you'll have views that stretch for 40 miles or more.

The hike up to the top trail is a bit strenuous for many people, you go up a series of steps that are rather steep, and then follow a very narrow trail along the ridge to the top of the waterfall. With little ones along, you might have to carry the two year-old part of the way, and you should keep them very, very close to you at all times because there are some steep drop-offs just off the trail in places. But, there are also plenty of safe places to play and trails to explore.

If it rains, or you get done early at Chimney Rock, you might want to take your family to
KidSenses Interactive Museum in nearby Rutherfordton. It's a hands-on place that encourages the kids to play and explore. Here's a link:

http://www.kidsenses.com/

There's a neat little place to pan for gems nearby. Follow 221 North from Rutherfordton to Thermal City Gold Mine. They are open until November 30. Here's their site:

http://www.huntforgold.com/

If you are driving north of Asheville on the Blue Ridge Parkway, you may want to take the children sluicing for gems at this location:

http://www.gemmountain.com/

Here's a link to "pick your own" apple orchards in Henderson County, which is just south of Asheville off of Route 26, and is famous for its apples.

http://www.historichendersonville.or...e_orchards.htm

Come prepared for cold weather as well as warm. As they say in Asheville, "If you don't like the weather, wait a minute."

There are also lots of great little places in and around Asheville to take your young ones. For short hikes, Pisgah National Forest near Brevard has lots of little short walks just off the road with neat streams, mossy forests and lots of rocks. Stop in at the Ranger Station for a free map of the trails.

Believe me, if you get good weather and want to play outside, you will not run out of great places to roam around and enjoy the natural beauty of this area.

stevebarr

OOPS! I almost forgot to answer your question about pony rides. Since you are considering Chimney Rock, you'll be right in the Lake Lure area. There's a nearby stables that has rides for kids. It would probably take you ten or fifteen minutes maximum to get from Chimney Rock to the stables. Here's their link:

http://www.riversideridingstables.com/

The folks who run it are VERY friendly, and the surrounding scenery is impressive. Call ahead of time to arrange a visit.

Have fun!

meab

thanks for all of those links. i found the riverside riding stables online as well, and better than pony rides, it looks like you can take a child on a horse with you for a regular trail ride, as well as have the option for a pony ride just for them. i'm glad you had a good opinion of them. i'll try contacting them as soon as we get our other plans solidified.

thanks also for the gem mining locations and the kidsenses place. i think you're right - we definitely won't run out of things to do!!!

i really appreciate all of your input! thanks again!

stevebarr

My pleasure. I hope you have a great time.

With kids that age, it will all be amazing to them. While you're in the Chimney Rock/Bat Cave/Lake Lure area (they all are kind of clustered together there)....you can stroll down to the banks of the river right behind the shops and the children will love it.

I think you'll find that just a few days is too short of an amount of time for this area, but you're giving the little ones memories that will last a lifetime.

Enjoy!

meab

thanks for that encouragement. i'm getting nervous about the weather being too cold or rainy, although i know most times those predictions are not right! and sometimes, it makes the trip into more of an adventure if things dont' go quite how you planned it. i really hope this works out for us. you're right though - just a few days doesn't look like enough time!!! thanks again!

Texasnole

The response you have gotten is great...but it depends on where you live in Florida.

If you live in North or Northwest Florida you should go to Altanta, to Gainesville, to Dillard, GA, then to Franklin, NC, then east to Highlands, Cashiers, to Brevard, and then to Asheville. Great waterfalls on that route. The pick up the Blue Ridge Parkway and go as far North on it as your travel time permits.

If you are coming from South Florida, you can up I-95 to Charleston and cut across that way, or you can go on I-75 to Atlanta and follow the directions above.

I've been doing this junket off and on for 40 years, and its always great.

Don't miss the Biltmore House in Asheville. It's astounding for children of all ages,,,,,all the way to 85

And drop that Floridians stuff....it never gets that cold in North Carolina this time of the year. Buy a sweater!

leahinsc

Ok, being an Ashevillian as well as an aunt to 6 nieces and nephews I will disagree with the statement about Biltmore being good for kids. B -O-R-I-N-G (for kids) as my young nieces would say, with the possible exception of the grounds and getting to throw stones in the lake. Take them instead to the WNC Nature Center not far off the Blue Ridge Parkway to see the animals or to Health Adventure in downtown Asheville to see all the cool hands on displays about our health and bodies but don't take them to the Biltmore. PS. Our leaves are turning at the higher elevations along the Blue Ridge Parkway, just barest hints of color near Asheville so we are still far from peak.

bmillersc

You've gotten some great tips...stevebarr set you up right! KidSenses in Rutherfordton is a fun kids museum for a couple hours of diversion for them (my 2-yr old loves it), and the leaves should be peaking in that area in late October as well. Another option that should have good color in late October would be Dupont State Forest near Hendersonville...loads of hiking, kid-friendly, and easy to get to.

We're heading up to hike Whiteside Mountain this Saturday morning...that cold snap should make it an eye-opener, but the colors up there should be glorious this weekend (3000-4500 foot elevation).

stevebarr

Lots of great, easy-to-get-to waterfalls in the Dupont State Forest, too! Definitely add that to your growing list of "must do" activities.

ncgrrl

Wow, what wonderful suggestions for this trip.

If your kids are small (sounds like it) they might not like Biltmore House because they can't run around and act like kids. They would need to use their indoor voices and keep hands to themselves.

And what do you mean it doesn't get cold in Florida? If it's cold to you, it's cold -- don't depend on the given temperature.

If your driving, just pack lots of layers into the car. Jacket/sweaters/throw blankets etc. always can be a pillow for a sleeping child.

meab

thanks for all the input. i'll add dupont s.f. onto the list (which is getting quite long at this point!!! but that's a good thing.)

i briefly considered the biltmore estate, but given the length of our trip and the ages of our children, i think we'll all be happier doing more outdoorsy/active type things. maybe on a future trip though. a few years back we were in newport RI with our daughter (who was only 18months at the time). we skipped the mansions there, and have never thought twice about "missing" them. instead, we did the entire cliffwalk, and it was great. i think we'll take a similar approach with the asheville area.

about being cold, i don't mean to sounds too obsessive or crazy over it. DH and i are fine with cool/cold weather. again, it's the kids. if they're cold and miserable, then we're all miserable. i'll be taking ncgrrl's advice with layering, and hopefully it's not rainy. a few weeks ago, it felt "cold" out one morning - then i checked, and it was about 72 degrees. we all have different tolerances for the temperature. down here, 75 in the day is nearly considered jeans and sweater weather!

stevebarr

If you are out and about near the DuPont forest, definitely take a ride through Pisgah National Forest. There are plenty of beautiful places to pull over along the way. You'll find little areas with picnic tables along the road, right next to a nice babbling brook.

You can stop at Looking Glass Falls, which is right beside the road and walk to the bottom on the new stairs they just finished building.

You can also get onto the Blue Ridge Parkway and go south until you reach a very large scenic overlook called Graveyard Fields, which the kids would love if the weather is nice. It's pretty just standing in the parking lot, but if you follow the trail down the right side of the parking area (with handrails and stairs at first) you'll go through a stretch of giant mountain rhodendrons that will make the kids feel like they are tiny little bugs. The trail is paved for a short distance, then turns to rock and dirt. It will take you to a small wooden bridge that goes over a stream. (DO NOT let the children stray here....to the right of the bridge just a short distance is the top of the waterfall.) To the left, you can wander along the stream or follow the trails out into the valley, which is quite pretty and not difficult to hike.

If you cross the bridge and follow the trails to your right, you will see a set of wooden stairs with a deck at the bottom, which takes you to the base of the waterfall.

It's a wondrous place, easily accessible, and the base of the waterfalls is only a few tenths of a mile from your car!

Enjoy!

starrsville

Just heard on the TV that this year's colors are the best in years in N GA and NC. Peak is now and through the next few days. If you are headed up next weekend, you will be hitting the end of the color - but it should be pretty good at the lower elevations.

I wasn't going up this weekend - too much going on. But, I think I'll have to drive up on Sunday and spend the night.

There's a chill in the air - but the high will still be in the 70's in Atlanta today. Pack a sweatshirt (or buy one up here) and come on up!

Litespeed_Chick

I'm posting this for next year.

October 28th was peak around Asheville. Oct. 21 was great as well, but still lots of green. By Nov 4th, the leaves were largely gone, but down the mtn. in Greenville, SC, they were still at peak.

marthag

Litespeed....thanks for the update on Fall '06 colors. I'm trying to select the date for my October 2007 visit to Asheville and you just made my job so much easier.