KIDS IN PARKS TRACK TRAILS! Kid Friendly Hiking Trails
KID FRIENDLY TRAILS!
If you haven’t heard of Kids in Parks or TRACK Trails yet, you’ve been missing out! TRACK Trails is a trail program that was started here in Asheville (but has since spread across the country!) by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina, a network of local Pediatricians, and the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, to “promote children’s health and the health of our parks”, and we have several in our area. Kids in Parks is an ever expanding network of family-friendly, self-guided outdoor adventures, and “include hiking trails, biking trails, geocaching trails, paddling trails, nature trail disc golf courses, and even adventures you can do in your own back yard”. Register your child online, and as they complete the trail, they earn prizes for tracking their adventures! Best of all, it’s all FREE!
.
.
.
OUR CLOSEST HIKING TRAILS
.
Image Credit: Kids in Parks BRP Visitors Center
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY ASHEVILLE VISITORS CENTER
Blue Ridge Parkway Milepost 384, Asheville NC
The Blue Ridge Parkway’s Asheville Visitor Center TRACK Trail was the first TRACK Trail installed (August 29th, 2009), and offers four self-guided adventures for kids of all ages. The 1.5-mile long loop trail follows a section of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail on both sides of the Parkway. Note: there is a road crossing… be aware of Parkway traffic when crossing. LEARN MORE HERE
Image Credit: Kids in Parks Haw Creek Elementary
HAW CREEK ELEMENTARY
21 Trinity Chapel Rd, Asheville, NC
Walk the trail and use scientific instruments to gather data about the environment around the school. Explore the science of TREES, WEATHER, SOIL, and BUGS. There are a range of activities for kids from kindergarten to fifth grade. Each topic has activity stations located around the trail. By gathering data at each station, kids will learn about the ecosystem around the school. IMPORTANT! The trail is only open to the public OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL HOURS! The gates may be locked on weekends and holidays but you can park outside the gates and walk in. LEARN MORE HERE
Image Credit: Kids in Parks North Carolina Arboretum
THE NORTH CAROLINA ARBORETUM
100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way, Asheville NC 28806
The North Carolina Arboretum TRACK Trail follows the Natural Garden Trail and loops through the gardens. The Natural Garden Trail is a 1 mile hike through a mixed hardwood forest. The trail through the formal gardens is 0.3 miles. The entire TRACK Trail is an easy 1.3 mile loop. The North Carolina Arboretum has a $16 per vehicle fee for entry (FREE with a Buncombe County Libraries ZOOM Pass!). LEARN MORE HERE LEARN MORE ABOUT ZOOM PASSES HERE
.
Image Credit: Kids in Parks Charles D. Owen Park
CHARLES D OWEN PARK
2039, 875 Warren Wilson, Swannanoa NC 28775
The TRACK Trail at Charles D. Owen Park is a 0.6 mile hike around fishing ponds and along the Swannanoa River. Wildlife often visits the park, so be sure to keep your eyes open for birds, amphibians, mammals, and fish on your hike. LEARN MORE HERE
Image Credit: Kids in Parks Black Mountain Veterans Park
BLACK MOUNTAIN VETERANS PARK
Recreation Park Drive, Black Mountain, NC 28711
The Black Mountain Veterans Park TRACK Trail is on three trails in the Park. The River Trail is a 0.5 mile loop that meanders along the Swannanoa River. The Oaks Trail is a 0.5 mile one-way trail that is through oak and pine forests. The Garden Trail is a 0.7 mile loop trail that circles around the community garden and part of the disc golf course. LEARN MORE HERE
Image Credit: Kids in Parks Montreat
MONTREAT
301 Lookout Rd, Montreat NC 28757
The Montreat TRACK Trail is about 1 mile long. The trail starts at the Montreat Nature Center, wraps around Lake Susan, and follows Flat Creek down to the entrance gate, passing through Robert Lake Park, with playground equipment and access to the creek. Montreat is also the site of an ecoEXPLORE hotspot, allowing you to help scientists monitor the natural features of Montreat. LEARN MORE HERE
Image Credit: Kids in Parks Fletcher Community Park
FLETCHER COMMUNITY PARK
85 Howard Gap Rd, Fletcher NC 28732
The Fletcher Community Park TRACK Trail follows Cane Creek and Hoopers Creek for 0.5 miles (1 mile round-trip) and offers scenic views of the creeks and distant mountains. The grassy area near the turn-around point is a great place to try out some of the Animal Athletes exercises, or relax and have a picnic. LEARN MORE HERE
Image Credit: Kids in Parks Mills River Park
MILLS RIVER PARK
124 Town Center Drive, Mills River NC 28759
The Mills River Park TRACK Trail is a 0.7 mile loop that takes hikers to the edge of Mills River. On your hike, keep a lookout for a wide range of birds that visit the fields and river. LEARN MORE HERE
Image Credit: Kids in Parks Pisgah National Forest Andy Cove
PISGAH NATIONAL FOREST – ANDY COVE
1600 Pisgah Hwy, Pisgah Forest NC 28768
The Pisgah National Forest’s Andy Cove TRACK Trail is located at the Pisgah Ranger District Ranger Station / Visitor Center. With its canopy boardwalk, swinging bridge, stream with several bridged crossings and four different self-guided adventures, this 0.75 mile loop trail is perfect for kids. LEARN MORE HERE
Image Credit: Kids in Parks The Park at Flat Rock
THE PARK AT FLAT ROCK
55 Highland Golf Dr, Flat Rock NC 28731
The Park at Flat Rock TRACK Trail is an easy, partially paved 0.9 mile loop. The ponds attract wildlife like birds, amphibians, insects, and fish. Benches offer hikers a chance to rest and observe wildlife at many points along the trail. A pollinator garden on the paved portion of the trail is a great place to explore native flowers and spot butterflies and other pollinators. LEARN MORE HERE
Image Credit: Kids in Parks Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site
CARL SANDBURG HOME NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE
81 Carl Sandburg Lane, Flat Rock NC 28731
Enjoy the peaceful settings of Connemara while discovering what makes the farm, fields and forests so unique. The TRACK Trail brochures were designed for use on any of the trails at Connemara. Walking the mapped trail around the lake, rock outcrop, and Sandburg Home back to the parking lot is a roughly 0.8-mile loop. Take the road up past the home another 0.2-miles to the vegetable garden and barn where Lillian’s champion dairy goats reside. LEARN MORE HERE
Image Credit: Kids in Parks Chimney Rock State Park
CHIMNEY ROCK STATE PARK
431 Main Street, Chimney Rock NC 28720
The TRACK Trail adventures for Chimney Rock State Park were designed to be used on any trail in the park. However, kids will probably most enjoy the Great Woodland Adventure trail which is located right next to the trailhead kiosk on the side of Grady’s Animal Discovery Den. The Great Woodland Adventure Trail is a 0.5-mile long loop trail that has several interpretive exhibits for kids to interact with along the way. Along the trails at Chimney Rock you’ll discover amazing rock formations, outcroppings, and large cliffs. You can hike to the base of 404 foot tall Hickory Nut Falls, one of the tallest waterfalls east of the Mississippi River, and for the real adventurous hikes, climb to the top of Chimney Rock itself. LEARN MORE HERE
Image Credit: Kids in Parks Chimney Rock State Park Rumbling Bald
CHIMNEY ROCK STATE PARK RUMBLING BALD
827 Boys Camp Rd, Lake Lure NC 28746
The TRACK Trail at Rumbling Bald is a 1.5 mile loop through the woods that will take you past boulder fields and over streams. Steep gneiss cliffs tower over the north end of the trail, a favorite spot for climbers in the winter. These are some of the highlights you can expect to find along the trail: boulder fields, fissure caves, views of lake lure, steep rock walls. But keep your eyes open for wildlife and other surprises. The grandeur of the Hickory Nut Gorge is on full display here. LEARN MORE HERE
.
Image Credit: Kids in Parks Mount Mitchell State Park
MOUNT MITCHELL STATE PARK
2388 St Hwy 128, Burnsville NC 28714
This hike starts at the upper summit parking lot. From there, hikers can quickly reach the summit of Mount Mitchell or explore the trails that cut through some of the most unique habitat in the Southeastern United States. One of those places that stand apart from the ordinary, Mount Mitchell’s dramatic summit is the highest point east of the Mississippi at 6,684 feet and was inspiration for one of the nation’s first state parks. From its easily accessible observation deck, the spruce-fir forest of Mount Mitchell State Park leads the eye to unmatched views. LEARN MORE HERE
Image Credit: Kids in Parks Town of Marshall Blannahassett Island
TOWN OF MARSHALL – BLANNAHASSETT ISLAND
Blannahassett Island, Marshall, NC 28753
The Town of Marshall TRACK Trail is located on Blannahassett Island’s loop trail. The TRACK trail is a flat trail that is 0.5 miles round-trip with gorgeous views of the French Broad River and surrounding mountains. Blannahassett Island also has picnic areas, fishing, and the restored Marshall High Studios. LEARN MORE HERE
.
Image Credit: Kids in Parks The Orchard at Altapass
THE ORCHARD AT ALTAPASS
1025 Orchard Road, Spruce Pine NC 28777 (Milepost 328.3 on The Blue Ridge Parkway)
The Orchard at Altapass TRACK Trail is located along a series of newly opened trails at the Historic Apple Orchard called the Eric L. Gressel Memorial Trails. The trails will lead visitors along groves of apple trees, through a cove of woods overlooking the Altapass (Eastern Continental Divide), near the historic Clinchfield Railroad Line and past the gravesite of the famous Charlie McKinney – a local legend. LEARN MORE HERE
BORROW A FREE TRACK PACK!
Borrow a free Track Pack from REI the next time you head out on a Kids in Parks-Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation TRACK Trail with the kids!
