yes, trails are never crowded, at least not past the first mile. Many times I can bike 20 miles and never see another soul.

The city of Asheville will not be noticeably crowded ,either, however, the hotel prices will be insane and difficult to find at the last minute. October and early Nov. is absolutely peak tourist season because of the leaf change.

The Parkway will have more traffic than usual, but after all, you're not trying to get anywhere in a hurry (or you better not be taking that route).

Thanks, Litespeed Chic. I guess that $44 hotel room will not be available! Perhaps earlier would be better, after all, as we can't afford "insane". Work schedule may dictate when we can visit. In any case, I won't wait until the last minute to figure this out!