Best Picnic Spots in Asheville—A Local’s Perspective
Summer’s end rushes towards us like a pumpkin-spice-scented flurry of dry leaves on a windy autumn day. I for one resist the changing of the seasons. I’m not done with summer yet; there're important things to do.
Al-fresco dining, for instance. And tubing. Cookouts supplied by Asheville’s fine farmer’s market. Sliding down Sliding Rock. And above all else, that time-honored tradition of the summer picnic.
Just about every local has opinions on the best picnic spots in Asheville and I am no exception. There’s lots of factors to balance out, if you want the best experience. The view, the ambience. How much of a pain it is to drag your fifty pound picnic hamper full of imported cheese and locally-made pâté out to the picnic site in the first place.
All important considerations. But I like to think I got it all figured out. So read on, and discover five of the best picnic spots in Asheville.
Now when most Ashevilleans plan a picnic up at this spot on the Blue Ridge, they’re stopping in at the designated Craggy Gardens Picnic Area. And you know, it’s not a bad spot. Lots of parking, covered benches, even an idyllic little gazebo.
But if you drive on past Craggy Gardens just five more minutes, you’ll find the trailhead for Craggy Pinnacle, and this is where I like to stop. There may not be any highfalutin “tables” here or the like, but you take just about ten steps up from the parking area, throw down a blanket, and you’ll have yourself a picnic spot with spanning views of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
For an even better view, I suggest taking the Craggy Pinnacle hike before your picnic. Up there at the peak, you’ll find three-hundred-and-sixty degree views of the mountains you’d be hard pressed to find anywhere else.
And you know, if you hit a spot of rain on your picnic day, you can always head back down to the Craggy Gardens Picnic Area. Always good to have a plan B.
Distance from Asheville: Forty-five minutes.
For a more tame picnicking experience, and one that will keep you right near the city’s heart, locals and visitors alike all agree that the Biltmore Estate is one of the best spots you could ask for.
This summer, a weekday ticket, granting access to their grounds, typically runs about sixty to sixty-five dollars. Kind of pricey for a picnic alone, so I suggest making the most of it by exploring their conservatory, and the attached rose garden, and paying a visit to Antler Hill Village for a complimentary wine tasting.
That said, if you’ve not been inside the Estate before, house-and-grounds tickets are typically about thirty dollars more, and grant you access to the historic interior of the Biltmore Estate. Not a bad prelude to your picnic if you ask me.
As far as the picnic sites themselves, it can be a little intimidating finding just the right spot in this eight-thousand acre stretch of rolling green grass. But visitors are asked to take their picnics in one of three spots: by the bass pond (just south of the rose garden), by the lagoon, or in front of the statue of Diana, facing the house directly.
Of the three, I’d suggest the lagoon, for its awesome view of the House, or the bass pond, if you’re after a little more seclusion. Either way, you’ll have yourself a picnic spot amidst some of Asheville’s most prized natural properties, while staying close enough to home you could spend the rest of your day exploring downtown, or the River Arts District.
Distance from Asheville: Just ten minutes south of downtown, or twenty minutes north of Asheville Cottages.
One of my all-time favorite hikes near Asheville, known best for its waterfalls and late-August blueberry picking, Graveyard Fields also makes for a dynamite picnic destination.
They got restrooms up at the parking lot, and their miles of interconnected trails makes it easy to find a place all to yourself. I suggest sticking close to the waterways, finding a nice flattish boulder, and setting up shop by the sonorous tones of a bubbling mountain creek.
Or, if you don’t mind hiking your picnic on out a little further, then you could follow the trails all the either Upper Falls, or Second Falls (the closer of the two). That’s a picnic and a waterfall. That’s a two-for-one.
And if you want to try your hand at berry picking, just make sure you give them a thorough wash before adding them to your picnic platter. And keep in mind: wild blueberries are tasty, but typically not as sweet as domestic.
Distance from Asheville: One hour.
Keeping it close to home here, a picnic at carrier park is as easy as ordering takeout from your favorite West Asheville restaurant, picking it up, and driving down just five minutes to the banks of the French Broad River, where you’ll find one of us local Ashevilleans favorite parks.
You’ve got your pick of covered picnic tables, or setting up on the grass closer to the river, where you may just barely be able to see the grounds of the Biltmore Estate, through the trees, and across the water.
You can pair your picnic with an easy stroll through the park, a morning visit to West Asheville or the RAD, or even a bike race around Carrier’s velodrome. Plenty to do here, for a humble city park.
And if you find all the best spots taken, just take a short riverside walk (or shorter drive) on to the attached French Broad River Park, where you’ll find even more space for your perfect picnic in Asheville.
Distance from Asheville: Ten minutes from downtown, and from Asheville Cottages.
We’re back up in the Blue Ridge for this final picnic destination, and I like to think it blends some of the best features of the rest.
Mount Pisgah’s picnic area proper can be found just a couple minutes south of the trailhead. Follow the path from the parking lot, and you’ll find a hidden little oasis of picnic tables, and shady branches, with plenty of room for frisbee, running in circles, and all manner of other smash-hit picnic activities.
But before you get to any of that: the hike itself. It’s about three miles there and back, and can get pretty steep at times, but it’s all worth it for soaring views of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Once you get on up there, be sure to mark the site of the Pisgah Inn. This here’s just about the only civilization around for miles, and it’s the perfect place to pick up anything your picnic is lacking. Water bottles, local brews, fresh-baked pastries, and grab-and-go meals. You practically don’t even have to plan your picnic ahead of time.
Just note that Mount Pisgah’s picnic area closes in October. Make the most of the season while it counts.
Distance from Asheville: About forty minutes.
Locations Mentioned
Craggy Pinnacle
3641 Blue Rdg Pkwy, Barnardsville, NC 28709
Biltmore Estate
(828)-225-1333
1 Lodge Street, Asheville, NC 28803
Graveyard Fields
(828)-348-3400
Graveyard Fields, Canton, NC 28716
Carrier Park
(828)-259-5800
220 Amboy Rd, Asheville, NC 28806
Mount Pisgah
8682-38-7258-000, Canton, NC 28716
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