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Looking to hike the Crabtree Falls trail on the Blue Ridge Parwkay?

Once I saw the Crabtree Falls hike I knew we had to do it. I had a busy day planned for us with Grassy Creek Falls, Crabtree Falls and one more nearby, but we only made it to the first two and this one was so much better!

Don’t get me wrong, Grassy Creek Falls was cool but Crabtree Falls was so much cooler! We got to the trailhead mid-day and set out with the intentions of just turning back at the falls, not doing the full Crabtree Falls loop trail.

Our experience on the Crabtree Falls trail in North Carolina

The hike in is all downhill, which is great, but as you’re hiking down you just think about having to go back up all of it. Trust me, it’s worth it. Right away I saw this cool yellow caterpillar at the bottom of a tree.

A lady behind me stopped me and asked what I saw so I told her and I can’t remember what she said these were but that there is a whole festival for them!

Now, though, I’m thinking she was telling me about a different one because I think she said “hairy” was in the name but this one isn’t hairy at all.

If you know what this little guy is, please let me know! My Googling is not coming up with anything.

We kept going down the trail which was mostly covered in leaves. Some bits were rocky and muddy, but it wasn’t anything super crazy.

Eventually we came to some stone stairs which, like bridge in the woods, I always love. There were some steepish drops along one side, but again, nothing terribly crazy.

I wouldn’t let this convince you not to do it if you’re afraid of heights, just know it’s there. These drops aren’t huge, like hundreds of feet or anything, and there is enough room on the trail.

Finally we made it down to the falls! There were quite a few people milling around down here taking pictures, admiring the falls.

There were also a few people that were just wandering around as close to the falls as you could get, ruining everyone else’s pictures which was very annoying.

I maybe got two pictures without those people in it, so if you want to get that close, do it quickly (but carefully because the rocks will be slippery) and try to stay out of the way as much as you can.

It’s kind of like Delicate Arch. If you want a picture of it without people you have to be patient and quick to snap pictures as people move from under it before more people get there.

After a while at the bottom we decided we might as well just finish the loop trail. It’s not that much longer. I’m so glad we did because there was no one else on this side! Like, we literally saw no one else until we were back to the main campground area.

It was super steep and a lot of work but totally worth it to have the trail to ourselves. There were more little bridges, more mushrooms, and more solitude.

I would definitely recommend doing the full Crabtree Falls loop trail, not just the hike to Crabtree Falls and back out the way you came.

I’m so glad we did the Crabtree Falls trail! It was something I learned about just a day or two before but figured the 60-foot falls could be cool and they were.

The hike was great and the falls were amazing. This definitely needs to be on your North Carolina bucket list.

Where is the Crabtree Falls trailhead oon the Blue Ridge Parkway?

The Crabtree Falls trailhead is right by the Crabtree Falls campground on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It’s about 5 miles from Little Switzerland and Grassy Creek Falls, just before milepost 339.

It’s about an hour from Asheville and 1 hour 20 minutes from Boone and Blowing Rock.

How long is the Crabtree Falls hike in Asheville?

The Crabtree Falls loop trail is about 2.5 miles. If you just hike to the falls and out the way you went in, it will be about 1.8 miles. I would recommend just doing the whole loop.

There are a little over 1,000 feet of elevation gain in the loop trail, so be prepared for that. This is for the whole loop but I would guess it’s similar if you just go out the way you went in.

If you return the way you came, it is going to be steeper than the other side of the loop trail, but shorter.

That starts with some steepish switchbacks, but evens out. The way you went in will be more difficult but I think it’s what more people do.

How long do you need for the Crabtree Falls trail in Asheville?

1.5 – 2 hours should be plenty of time to hike the whole Crabtree Falls loop trail. As always, that will depend on how fast you walk and how much you stop.

From the falls, no matter which way you go, you’ll be going up a lot. The hike in will go much faster than the way out. We stopped quite a bit on our way out because it was pretty steep.

Is the Crabtree Falls trail in Asheville hard?

I would say it’s comfortably moderate, maybe strenuous depending on your fitness level.

Whichever way you hike out it will be uphill so that’s the hardest part. The trail can also be rooty and rocky so keep that in mind.

Crabtree Falls opening hours

Crabtree Falls is open all the time.

Crabtree Falls entrance fee

There is no entrance fee for the Blue Ridge Parkway or Crabtree Falls.

Is the Crabtree Falls in Asheville worth it?

Absolutely! This was one of my favorite hikes during our time in North Carolina. It was moderately difficult but it was so worth it.

I got to see that crazy yellow caterpillar, some mushrooms, and lions mane! It has stairs and a cool bridge, would definitely recommend it.

What to bring on the Crabtree Falls trail

Hiking poles – These will be helpful on longer hikes that are on the steeper side.  They’ll be good if you have bad knees for when you’re going downhill and will give you something to lean on going up the hills.

Water bottle – It’ll be hot and you’ll need to stay hydrated.  Even if it’s not hot you need to stay hydrated.  A Hydro Flask will keep your water ice cold all day long.

Sunscreen – If you plan on being outside, you’ll want sunscreen.  I like the Hawaiian Tropic Sheer Touch a lot AND it’s reef safe! If you’re sensitive to fragrance though, it’s not a good choice. I also like the same one but specifically for your face.

Hat – You’ll want some kind of hat to keep the sun out of your eyes, or a visor.  A baseball hat should be fine but I like my giant sun hat, too.

Sunglasses – This is a must no matter where you are.

Light Jacket – Because you just never know.  Weather can change quickly depending on where you are, time of day, and season.  I usually use my rain jacket for this.

Headlamp – I tend to carry my headlamp around all the time when we’re hiking, just in case. 

Where to stay in Brevard

Holiday Inn Express – This is a great chain option with breakfast on the edge of Brevard. It’s a great location for tons of hikes in the area.

Kanuga Inn & Lodging – This is a beautiful modern but rustic stone lodge on Kanuga Lake outside of Hendersonville, a few miles east of Brevard. This pet friendly hotel has tennis courts and a terrace.

The Greystone Inn – This is also a beautiful modern rustic option a few miles southwest of Brevard on Lake Toxaway. They have breakfast, and a restaurant and bar on site.

Comfort Inn & Suites – This is another good chain option with breakfast. It’s not fancy but it’ll get the job done and is a great location for nearby hikes.

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Have you hiked the Crabtree Falls trail? What did you think of it? Do you want to go?