Great trip. Guide ensured it was workable for guests of all capabilities. Commentary was knowledgeable and informative. MK was an excellent, kind and capable guide. She has a great sense of humor and ensures all guests enjoy the trip. She provided walking poles, snacks and water. She was an excellent driver as we navigated the Blue Ridge Parkway and off road paths to reach beautiful waterfalls. She gave us insights into Appalachian flora and fauna along with history. Everyone had a lovely time. We're sending prayers and positive thoughts to the company, MK and her fellow employees and all of Western NC after Helene. We can't wait to come back when we are able to.

This is a must do for anyone visiting the Asheville area! Our guide, Niko (and Carmen!) grew up in the area and was an never ending source of knowledge when it came to the history of the mountains, flora, fauna and especially the funghi! The hiking was fairly easy. The waterfalls were breathtaking! Would take the tour again!

If you’re looking for a guide who knows the mountains and forests of North Carolina like the back of his hand and truly loves sharing his wealth of knowledge, I can’t recommend Niko Faherty highly enough. My boyfriend and I did a private custom hike and told him we wanted to learn about the history, botany, and animals of the area and hike a trail with some high mountain views. Niko drove us toward the Art Loeb trail, making lots of stops along the way to show us incredible mountain laurel groves, butterfly meadows, some of the only living American Chestnut trees still living in the wild, veins of shining white local quartz, a fascinating diversity of mushrooms, and even some tiny baby newts darting beneath leaves. He genuinely loves sharing what he knows (which is a lot) and his enthusiasm for this glowing ecological jewel is contagious. We finally reached the Black Balsam entrance to the Art Loeb, where Niko led us straight to some of the most delicious blackberries I’ve ever had and the most beautiful hike I’ve ever taken. The guy knows what he’s doing. As we enjoyed marching up a well-maintained trail and sparkling outcrops of quarts and sedimentary rock, we rounded the corner and found Saxsquatch playing Careless Whispers (see photo). Only in North Carolina, right? I won’t say more about the Art Loeb trail here because the photos speak for themselves: spectacular, don’t miss it. Niko spent extra time with us and made extra stops to share interesting trees and other plant life, so we were behind schedule on our way back to Asheville. Nonetheless, he pulled over again to show us a secret treasure trove of ripe blueberries hiding quietly in an enchanted stand of spruce trees. This was a perfect day. Niko made it a real joy and learned and saw so much more than we would have on our own. As soon as we can get back to Asheville, we’re booking another private hike with him. I haven’t taken a trip with any of the other guides, but outfitters and other expert hikers and guides in the area only had good things to say about Asheville Hiking Tours. Thank you!

While on a weekend visit to Asheville my husband and I did the half day hiking tour with our amazing guide Chaney Swiney. He was friendly, knowledgeable and passionate about geography and the beautiful Pisgah National Forest. The tour, which was about six hours from beginning to end, was well planned and thought out. We drove about 30 minutes to a first spot for a short hike and an overlook. We drove an additional 30 minutes further and took a longer, more challenging hike to an incredible waterfall. After a snack and rest, we hiked back to the van and drove a little further to another waterfall. This hike was a little shorter and not as challenging but not easy. This waterfall was also beautiful. Both spots were off the beaten path and in a relatively crowded park, Chaney brought us to two spectacular spots that were somewhat secluded with no one else there. Have a hearty meal, dress in layers, bring sunscreen and plenty of water. Take the walking stick that is offered - it was a game changer! Hiking shoes or sturdy sneakers are a must. Bathroom breaks are offered along the way. We would happily pay more to have a more upgraded mode of transportation- the bus was a tight fit without great AC. Overall we highly recommend Chaney and the Blue Ridge Parkway and Hiking Tour.

Beautiful drive along the Blue Ridge parkway and hikes up to a peak and 2 fantastic waterfalls. The weather was perfect and the view was amazing. Our guide, MK, was super knowledgeable about the area, the wildlife and the foliage. She was friendly and funny and made the day really fun. I would recommend this trip to anyone who loves to hike moderate terrain and learn about nature. I would also recommend MK as a guide. She was fantastic . We will be back!

We had an overall great experience. Our guide called us a few days before to ask if we had hiked or been to the waterfalls in Asheville and to check if we had any specific requests for our hike. He picked us up at the hotel and was super friendly and gave us a lot of great information about the forest and the history of the area. We went to some out of the way places that were beautiful. Would do this again.

There were just three of us, plus the guide, Ian. Ian had a tremendous amount of knowledge regarding the area's plants, animals, birds, history, etc., and he was an excellent guide. The drive through the Blue Ridge Parkway was beautiful, and we were able to make stops along the way for taking pics and just looking at the beauty of the area. The waterfalls were beautiful; I just wish there were more of them! Definitely worth the cost to have a guide to drive you there and provide so much information during the trip.

MK was the very best. She was very informative. It was relaxed and just what we ask for. No stress. She was also friendly and very approachable. I would highly recommend the trip and MK.

What a great day. Eli was the perfect guide; by the end it felt like she was an old friend. She put together a day we’ll never forget. Can’t wait to go back and do it again!

Our experience with Greg was wonderful. He took us on hike that went up into the mountains of Asheville. Greg's knowledge was second to none and there was very little traffic on the location he chose. We thoroughly enjoyed our experience and conversation with Greg and would highly recommend this tour! He even took us to a waterfall that we would not have discovered if it had not been for Greg!

We took a private hike with Shannon and it was well wroth it!! She took us on a trail off the beaten path with a beautiful waterfall. She taught us about the mountains and the names of them, spores/ mushrooms and other fun nature knowledge. If you are looking for a day filled with beauty, relaxation and knowledge this is a must!! Thank you again Shannon ❤️

What an amazing experience! The hiking tour with Ian as our guide has been the highlight of our Asheville family vacation. We chose to do a private guided tour and it was truly well worth it. Ian answered all of our many questions and took the time to point out not only the different plants and fungi along the route, but also talked about local folklore, animal life and we even happened up 2 snake species, 2 salamanders and 2 incredible waterfalls. We highly recommend this guided tour and request Ian!

Very enjoyable morning! Informative & humorous guide, thought there would be more hiking than riding! Would do it again!

Guide was highly informative and friendly. Communication regarding meeting was top notch. Transportation was comfortable and guide had snacks. Good experience all around.

I loved walking with Jenny on a community hike, who provided a long view of the history of these mountains (as in hundreds of millions of years!) as well as knowledge about so much flora growing in the area. She was smart, responsive, and delightful to travel with. I've hiked in this area for decades and she took us to two places I'd never been. Very cool!