Leaf season in western NC- come on, kids, get your hiking boots on!

Image by Carolina Mornings via Flickr

What better way to enjoy autumn than to explore the wonders of leaf season in Asheville, NC! From the middle of October into November the mountains are teeming with vibrant seasonal colors. Plan a family trip to stay with Carolina Mornings in one of our beautiful Asheville vacation rentals, and get out to enjoy the wondrous sights these mountains have to offer! Get the kids all layered and ready if it's nippy and get your hiking boots on!
Warren Wilson College is a short distance from downtown Asheville and the school offers quite a few hiking trails. The area surrounding is beautiful in it's foliage, much of it adorned with the school's own farm animals. Take a minute after the hike to explore Warren Wilson's farm!
Take a quick and scenic drive out to Black Mountain to enjoy the lovely trails at Montreat College. Montreat is known in the area as a great place to hike with the kids because it offers scaled hiking, from easy to difficult. All levels of hikers can find a trail here. Plus, there is a great playground to end the hike with!
And, as always, there is the wonderful Blue Ridge Parkway. A drive along the Parkway is a sight to definitely see during leaf season, and there are trails shooting off into every direction. Get a panoramic view from Craggy Gardens or Mt. Pisgah, or head even further in either direction for more spectacular views. Keep in mind that during this time of year there may be road closures on the Parkway, so check in with the Parkway headquarters before you go.
There are so many places to enjoy hiking with your kids in and around Asheville, too many to list here!! I have listed some of my favorites for hunting season, so as not to worry about keeping a constant eye out!