2025 Outdoor Adventure & Wellness

2025 Outdoor Adventures in Asheville 

• Blue Ridge Parkway Gets Landmark Status – In Dec., the Blue Ridge Parkway received a National Historic Landmark designation by the National Park Service, the highest federal recognition of a property’s historical, architectural, or archeological significance. The designation announced by the Secretary of the Interior says the Parkway represents a masterwork of landscape architecture and engineering and a symbol of 20th-century conservation efforts.
  •  Post-Helene Update: The 469-mile parkway continues to reopen in phases, following the hurricane. Reopening updates are being tracked here.
• Second Gear Rides Again – The beloved outfitter and consignment shop in Asheville for 20 years, Second Gear, reopened in a new location after losing its floorspace to flooding. Owner Russ Tower and his team worked tirelessly to relaunch the store before the holidays, offering locally made goods and plenty of consignment gear for outdoor adventures in the new year. 

Asheville’s Mountain Bike Scene Rebounds with Exciting Updates | Popular mountain biking destinations, like Bent Creek, have reopened, and exciting new trails — such as the largest Velo pump track in North America —continue to enhance the local scene.

• WNC Bike Fest Makes Its Debut - Pisgah Area SORBA will host the first-ever WNC Bike Fest at Ecusta Brewing, featuring guided rides, bike demos, live music, food, and more. (May 10)
• Beacon Bike Park and Events Lawn – Construction is underway for this transformative project in Swannanoa, slated to open in late summer/early fall 2025. The Beacon Bike Park and Events Lawn will feature a public walking trail, pike park and the largest Velosolutions pump track in North America, as well as a 4,000-capacity outdoor music and events venue, with plans to host world-class concerts, festivals, races, and cultural events. The Beacon aims to become a hub of sustainable community growth, offering housing, commerce, and outdoor markets, symbolizing resilience and renewal as the region rebuilds.
• Trail Upgrade Spotlight – The Greenslick Trail in Bent Creek Experimental Forest, a favorite trail just 20 minutes outside of Asheville, reopened following a full overhaul. The Black Diamond single track route offers riders nearly 800 feet of thrilling descent over two miles.

Heal in Nature | Spending time outdoors is a healing remedy on its own, offering benefits like mental clarity, lowered stress levels, and a stronger immune system. In 2025, visitors can discover new healing practices and experiences to find deeper relaxation, while fully immersed in a natural setting. 

• Forest Bathing with Blue Ghost Fireflies – Last year’s solar eclipse revealed travelers’ pent-up desire to experience natural phenomena. The annual emergence of the region’s blue ghost fireflies is a magical sight, and thanks to Asheville Wellness Tours, the experience can be heightened with a certified forest therapy guide. This rare encounter takes place only eight evenings each year, in late May-early July. Registration opens in February, with dates announced in April.  
• Outdoor Sauna Gets a New Home – North of Asheville, Drip Sauna, a wood-fired sauna and cold plunge experience, just relocated to a new site, atop a forested hill overlooking the French Broad River. Guests have the option of booking community or private sauna sessions. 
• Ayurvedic Spa Expands Services – The spa located on the 100-acre wooded retreat, SoHum Healing Resort, will expand its services to the public this May – spa treatments were previously exclusive to retreat guests. Also this spring, SoHum will add a new serenity retreat that incorporates Ayurvedic practices and a variety of modalities from other healing traditions. 

###

About Asheville

Asheville is where unrivaled natural beauty and bold creative expression meet. Tucked away in the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains, the city is steps away from some of the world’s most biodiverse forests and the tallest peaks in the East. For generations, Asheville has nurtured and inspired a compassionate community that’s deeply rooted and ever evolving – just like the ancient French Broad River that runs through it.