Some of Asheville's most determined travelers show up on paper-thin wings.
Each fall, thousands of monarchs ride the high ridgelines of the Blue Ridge through the Asheville area, midway through a 2,000-mile journey to central Mexico. Catch them among the wildflowers and turning leaves, and you'll see how something so delicate makes an epic trip look easy.
When can you see monarch butterflies near Asheville?
From the middle of September and continuing for several weeks into October, the monarchs make their way through the Great Smoky Mountains along the high-elevation mountain ridges.
Fall color generally begins in the highest elevations in early October. See our guide to fall in the mountains for more ways to experience this magical time in Asheville.
Where are the best places to see monarchs near Asheville?
Locations along the Blue Ridge Parkway, especially the Mount Pisgah area and the Black Balsam areas, are great places to spot these beautiful butterflies. The butterflies can often be seen among the flowers and foliage.
Top locations include:
- Wagon Road Gap parking area (Milepost 412.2)
- Pounding Mill Overlook (Milepost 413.2)
- Cherry Cove Overlook (Milepost 415.7)
- Black Balsam summit (Milepost 420.2)
There is a pull-off at each of these locations with parking. To reach the Black Balsam summit, you must do a short hike on the Art Loeb Trail. See our guide to Black Balsam for more details.
The Orchard at Altapass on the Blue Ridge Parkway (328.3) is another great place to see the butterflies. The Orchard is committed to preserving natural milkweed, the larval host plant for Monarchs. You'll even find a butterfly garden steps from the Orchard shop! Each year, the Orchard also raises Monarchs in terrariums in the Orchard shop, from egg to larva to chrysalis to butterfly, to help support the butterfly population. Some of their tagged butterflies have been found in Mexico!
