Hiking

pink beds trail

Hiking the mountains of Western North Carolina

When early settlers cleared this rare Appalachian bog that sits just below the Blue Ridge Escarpment for farming, an unforseen side effect was the multitude of pink wildflowers that flourished, visible from nearby mountainsides. The farms are long gone but the mountain laurels and rhododendrons that gave this area its name continue to light up the valley in the spring.

Length: 5 miles
Elevation Gain: 208 feet
Trail Type: Loop
Skill Level: Easy
Duration: 2-4 hours

Directions from Asheville

  1. Travel west on Patton Ave., which is also 19/23 S.
  2. Continue on 19/23 S when Patton Ave. becomes Smokey Park Hwy.
  3. Turn left on Pisgah Hwy., which is also 151 S.
  4. Stay on 151 S until you reach the Blue Ridge Parkway.
  5. Turn right to go south on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
  6. After 6.2 miles, turn left on 276 S.
  7. The Pink Beds trailhead will be on your left.

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