7 Accessible Trails in the Asheville Area
By David Thompson
While many trails in and around Asheville offer stunning views and serene environments, accessibility for all ensures everyone can enjoy these natural wonders. Here are seven accessible trails and outside spaces that cater to outdoor enthusiasts of all abilities.
The French Broad Greenway
With paved walkways and ADA parking, the French Broad Greenway — spanning 2.4 miles out-and-back — offers easy travel from its beginning at Hominy Park in West Asheville through the western banks of the French Broad River and into Carrier Park.
Lake Julian Park
This 300-acre public lake in South Asheville has an expansive and accessible walking trail around the lake and a playground with a wheelchair-accessible swing. It's a great place for birthday parties or a day by the lake. A pontoon boat offers free educational tours for Buncombe County residents with disabilities, senior residents, and students.
Lake Julian is also home to a monthly (March through September) drum circle, one of the best Independence Day fireworks displays in the area, and an amazing drive thru Festival of Lights Christmas lights display in the winter. When you visit, be sure to bring a few quarters for the duck food dispensers!
Reed Creek Greenway
This short but sweet multi-use path connects downtown Asheville and the University of North Carolina Asheville campus. The paved path parallels the riparian corridor of Reed Creek on one side and the neighborhoods of Broadway Avenue on the other.
The southern end of the path starts near the intersection of Magnolia Ave and Young Street in the Pine Points neighborhood. It reaches north about .75 miles before reaching the Botanical Gardens at Asheville. Here, you can tour the campus and gardens before continuing on Reed Creek through Mullen Park.
The North Carolina Arboretum
Home to 65 acres of cultivated gardens, trails, and pathways, the North Carolina Arboretum allows visitors to borrow wheelchairs at no charge, ensuring freedom of movement for all. The Education Center, Baker Exhibit Center, and main garden areas are wheelchair-accessible, and the facility also provides a complimentary Caregiver’s Pass to those serving as helpers to a person with a disability. Check out this Accessibility Map before heading to the Arboretum.
The Arboretum showcases native wildflowers, pollinators, and formal gardens as well as its renowned Bonsai Exhibition Garden, which displays up to 50 bonsai specimens at any given time.
Charles D. Owen Park
The figure-eight walking trail at Charles D. Owen Park gives visitors an accessible journey next to the Swannanoa River and around two large fishing ponds. The trail offers picturesque views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and the playground has a wheelchair-accessible swing!
WNC Nature Center
The 42-acre wildlife park features award-winning exhibits that are home to 60 species of wild and domestic animals and hundreds of species of plants. All the species you’ll see are native to the Asheville area and the Southern Appalachian Mountains.
The WNC Nature Center is ADA-compliant, and all paths except the Trillium Nature Trail are paved or easily walkable. A trip to the Nature Center includes ADA parking and sensory sensitivity zones. Please say hello to the Red Pandas for us. They are the cutest!
Take a 360-degree tour of the WNC Nature Center, here!
Mount Mitchell State Park
The highest elevation point east of the Mississippi River (6,684-feet) at Mount Mitchell Start Park is accessible to all courtesy of a .25 mile paved trail that takes you from the parking area to the observation deck for a 360-degree panoramic view. Reach the state park by way of a stunning drive heading east up the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Pro Tip: Stop at the Craggy Gardens parking lot on your way to Mount Mitchell. You can enjoy an incredible view without having to hit the trail.
