This is a cross posting from the Asheville Hiking Group.

Jan 28 Thu 3:00 PM

North Carolina Arboretum
100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way
Asheville, NC 28806
(828) 665-2492
"I can be reached at [masked] and I have a green Subaru Outback w/bikerack" and Myah will be with me as usual."

This is an extended version of the ones we have been doing by about a mile or so and it is in reverse of the way we have been going. This makes it a bit more of a workout with more gradual up hill miles. We will meet at 3:00pm at the Gatehouse Parking Lot. This is the first parking area on the left after you come through the gates. We will depart the gathering area at 3:15 so please be on time. Please RSVP so we know to look for you. There is no cell service at the parking area! This is a dog friendly hike and is about 6 miles in length and should take no longer than 2 hours or so based on pace.

We will walk Old Mill Trail .3m then proceed on Bent Creek Forest Service Road about 2m. We can go just a bit further at this point to see Lake Powhatan for anyone who has not. We will come back to Hardtimes Forest service Road and take it up 1m to where South Ridge FS Road branches off to the right. We will continue on Hardtimes Road about 1m to where it meets the Parkway and then we will continue down on Hardtimes about 1.6m back to our departure point.

This will be a brisk pace walk. There are options for taking shorter ways back but being familiar with the trail system is recomended. Forest Service Road conditions could be messy in places due to thawing...so make sure you wear appropriate footwear. Come join us if you can!

If you have not become a member of the Arboretum...this would be a good time to take care of that so you can join us on all the assorted hikes on different days we hope to offer this year. There is no parking outside the gate along the Parkway Ramp unless the Parkway is closed. They will tow vehicles parked along there if and when the Parkway opens.

Access via the Blue Ridge Parkway can be an issue all through the winter. Please check their website for closures.