Asheville Urban Trail Reviews

ExploreAsheville.com

Key Info

Details

Sightseeing, Neighborhood/Area Type
1 to 2 hours Time to Spend

4.2

Overall

Scorecard

Value

5.0
Atmosphere

4.0

Read about how we rank Things to Do.

Weaving through downtown, the 1.7-mile-long Asheville Urban Trail walks visitors through the cultural and architectural history of the city. Created by the city of Asheville to showcase its unique past, each of the trail's 30 stops is marked with a public sculpture that captures an important person or moment in the area's history.

The self-guided tour is divided into five time periods – from the Gilded Age to the present Age of Diversity. The trail starts at Pack Square at the intersection of Biltmore Avenue and Patton Avenue and circles around the downtown area, arriving back at the square for the final bronze statue. Visitors who want to explore all 30 landmarks should set aside about two hours. Even if you choose not to explore the entire trail, you'll likely see one or two statues during your time downtown.

Travelers and locals alike say the urban trail acts like a scavenger hunt and is the perfect low impact outdoor (and free) activity on a pleasant day. For more information, to obtain a map of the trail or to listen to descriptions of each station, visit the City of Asheville's website.

Hotels Nearby

Thing to Do
Hotel

Haywood Park Hotel ...

0.1 Miles Away
4.0-star Hotel Class

AC Hotel Asheville Downtown ...

0.2 Miles Away
3.5-star Hotel Class

Cambria Hotel & Suites Downtown Asheville ...

0.1 Miles Away
3.5-star Hotel Class

See all hotels in Asheville, NC »

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#1 Biltmore Estate This enormous French Renaissance-style estate of George Vanderbilt has a storied past dating back to 1889. Considered America's largest private home, the 250-room estate – with 35 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms ... Read more » The Biltmore Company

#2 Appalachian Trail Winding its way from Maine to Georgia, the Appalachian Trail spans 2,190 miles through 14 states. About 320 of those miles are found in North Carolina (including 224 miles ... Read more » Brett Maurer / Getty Images

#3 Asheville Urban Trail Weaving through downtown, the 1.7-mile-long Asheville Urban Trail walks visitors through the cultural and architectural history of the city. Created by the city of Asheville to showcase its unique ... Read more » ExploreAsheville.com

#4 Pisgah National Forest Offering more than 500,000 acres of land about 40 miles northeast of downtown Asheville, Pisgah National Park is jampacked with activities and breathtaking vistas. With hundreds of miles of ... Read more » Dalriada50 / Getty Images

#5 Blue Ridge Parkway The 469-mile Blue Ridge Parkway begins in Virginia and meanders through about 250 miles of western North Carolina. With a maximum speed of 45 mph, the highway offers drivers numerous ... Read more » Pierre Leclerc Photography / Getty Images

#6 North Carolina Arboretum Those with green thumbs will want to put the North Carolina Arboretum on their to-do list. Located about 10 miles south of downtown Asheville off of Blue Ridge Parkway milepost ... Read more » JillLang / Getty Images

#7 Breweries With more breweries per capita than anywhere else in the United States and about 100 local beers to try, Asheville has emerged as the beer capital of the southeast. Sampling ... Read more » Mark Gaw / EyeEm / Getty Images

#8 Folk Art Center At milepost 382 off the Blue Ridge Parkway, you'll find the Folk Art Center, home to the Southern Highland Craft Guild. The guild dates back to the 1890s and ... Read more » Southern Highlands Craft Guild

#9 River Arts District When artists came to Asheville to soak up the natural beauty and free-spirited atmosphere, they had to find large spaces to work. Enter the River Arts District. Comprising 22 former ... Read more » Misha Schmeidke