Craggy Gardens Best Hike

• Difficulty: Easy
• Total Length: 1.4 mi
• Trail Tread Condition: Some Obstacles
• Climb: Climbs Moderately
• Total Elevation Gain: 200 ft
• Trails/Roads Used: Craggy Gardens, Mountains to Sea
• Hike Configuration: Out-and-back
• Starting point: Craggy Gardens Visitor Center
• How to Get There: From Asheville, take the Blue Ridge Parkway north 18 miles past the Folk Art Center. Pass the road to the picnic area, and after about 3 miles park at the Visitor Center. The trail starts on the left side of the parking lot behind the rock wall.
  Directions on Google Maps

Craggy Pinnacle, as seen from the Parkway just south of the Visitor Center.

This trail actually travels from the Visitor Center, through a trail shelter at Craggy Flats, to the Craggy Gardens Picnic Area below in Bearpen Gap. The section of trail from the Visitor Center to the flats near the trail shelter is a short, self-guiding nature trail that travels uphill through a forest of stunted, twisted high-elevation mountain ash, birch, beech, and finally through a heath bald. Shortly after leaving the parking area, you'll reach the intersection with the Mountains to Sea/Douglas Falls trail. Bear left here, uphill. You're now walking the famous Mountains to Sea Trail, which stretches from the Blue Ridge to the Outer Banks! The sign at the beginning states that it is a 20 minute hike out to the shelter and back, but you'll want to take more time than that and explore all that is to be found in the spectacular environment around you.

Along the way, signs point out elements of the high-elevation environment and identify some of the plants and animals you may encounter. You'll pass under tunnels of tall, twisted Rhododendron and you'll pass a small spring along the way as well. At the end is the old trail shelter, built from Chestnut logs - a species long since relegated to stubby sprouts from dying root systems, due to an introduced blight. From the shelter, you can go left - uphill - and explore the Gardens - with their grassy, open meadows, and secret hiding places under the Rhododendrons. There are great views from up here, especially of Craggy Pinnacle to your north. A couple of pleasant little paths wind through the meadows, eventually reaching a nice overlook if you go all the way to the top. And speaking of the Rhododendrons, they put on a spectacular display of purple flowers in late June, along with the blooms of mountain laurel which come soon after and the fruit of the Blueberry bushes in later summer. This is an excellent family hike with spectacular views and plenty to explore and learn along the way!

Other Gardens Area Hikes:
If you continue on the trail under the shelter and down the other side (Mountains to Sea Trail), you will reach the Craggy Gardens picnic area shortly on a moderately steep trail. The trees are a bit taller on this trail and include birch, beech, and oak. If you are able to use a vehicle shuttle, you could start at the Visitor Center and end down at the Picnic Area for an easy hike. Or, for a more moderate workout, start at the Picnic Area and end at the Visitor Center. Going this way would involve a climb of about 450'.