Whether you have a young family with kids who are always ready to play, enjoy short walks in scenic places with friends, or actively seek out solo time to meditate outside in the fresh air, the Asheville area has some fantastic public park options to explore:
Carrier Park
Highlights: Often cited as one of the best parks in Asheville, it offers volleyball courts, a playground, a roller-hockey rink, a basketball court, a multi-use track, a lawn bowling court, greenway access, a multi-use sports field, a picnic shelter, river overlooks, wetland education area, and a ballfield.
Location: 220 Amboy Rd, Asheville, NC 28806
Hours: Currently closed for updates and additions. Usually open from 8 AM to 8 PM
Pack Square Park
Highlights: This hot spot in downtown Asheville has been the heart of the city since its creation in 1797. The historic public square has grown to include 6.5 acres for visitors and residents alike to enjoy. The park is home to Roger McGuire Green in front of City Hall and the County Building, open green space on a slope overlooking the main stage, and three water features including a splash pad. It is a popular spot for events, festivals, concerts, movies, and more throughout the year.
Location: 80 Court Plaza, Asheville, NC 28801
Hours: 24 hours year-round
Richmond Hill Park
Highlights: Located a few minutes from downtown Asheville, this park features expansive grounds that include wooded trails, an 18-hole disc golf course, and a bike skills area. Popular for avid mountain bikers, the various loop trails offer shade and views of the French Broad River. The picnic shelter is also the perfect spot for celebrations and can be reserved online. Richmond Hill Park is currently the only community park in the Asheville Parks & Recreation system that has existing purpose-built natural surface hiking and biking trails that can be accessed via city streets and from nearby city bus stops.
Location: 300 Richmond Hill Dr, Asheville, NC 28806
Hours: 6 AM to 10 PM
Jean Webb Park
Highlights: This riverfront park is centrally located within the River Arts District and offers covered paved parking, accessible benches & water viewing areas, an educational pollinator garden, water access steps downstream from the parking area, picnic areas, public art, expanded lawn spaces, and public restrooms (8 River Arts Place). Close to the many restaurants, art galleries, and studios in RAD, there’s even more to explore just outside the park.
Location: 86 Riverside Dr, Asheville, NC 28801
Hours: 8 AM to 8 PM
Bent Creek Community Park
Highlights: Located within the Bent Creek Community, the park is the result of a grassroots effort that started in 2001. Park Pavilion, picnic tables, a playground, volleyball and basketball courts, bike pump track & bike skills park, climbing wall (for kids), community garden, horseshoes, fruit tree orchard, hiking and bike trails, and Little Free Library. The park hosts several events throughout the year including their Spring Fling Fiesta in May, School’s Out Slip ‘n Slide Party in June, Chili Cook Off in September/October, Huffin’ & Puffin’ before Stuffin’ 5K in November, and Holiday Party & Craft in December. Bent Creek River Park is also a 5-minute drive away and offers river access, grills, and more.
Location: 125 Idlewood Drive, Asheville, NC 28806
Hours: 9 AM to 8 PM
Silver-Line Park
Highlights: Affectionately known as “pirate park” due to the pirate ship structure on its playground, this park was constructed in 2022 and includes a section of the Woodfin Greenway/Blueway and Whitewater Wave, a platform for the nearby Craggy Line Rail Line, a pavilion, a picnic area, river access, a boat ramp, public restrooms, and walking trails. Take a 2-minute drive to reach Roy Pope Park nearby which features a soft rubber ground cover and a castle structure complete with a dragon. This park offers typical park amenities in addition to cooling misters to keep playtime going.
Location: 1050 Riverside Dr, Woodfin, NC 28804
Hours: 6 AM to 8:30 PM
French Broad River Park
Highlights: The park features greenway access, river views, vast areas of open green space with mature trees, paved walking paths, a large gazebo, picnic tables and grills, a dog park, off-street parking lots, and restrooms.
Location: 508 Riverview Dr, Asheville, NC 28806
Hours: 6 AM to 10 PM
Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary
Highlights: Located in the bustling North Asheville area, Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary is a 10-acre wildlife oasis managed by Blue Ridge Audubon (a chapter of National Audubon). Beaver Lake provides resting, feeding, and nesting spots for resident and migratory birds, so it’s a wonderful spot for quiet meditation and birding expeditions, especially in the early hours of the day. There is a 3/8-mile boardwalk that stretches by the lake and through a wetland area with sitting areas along the way to soak up the serene views and spot some birds. Opt for a guided bird walk at 9 AM on the first Saturday of each month from October through March and at 8 AM April through September. Keep in mind that no dogs are allowed at this park!
Location: 1056 Merrimon Ave, Asheville, NC 28804
Hours: 6 AM to 7 PM
Lake Tomahawk Park
Highlights: Located near downtown Black Mountain, the 16.3-acre Lake Tomahawk Park offers a 0.55-mile loop walking trail, a pavilion, a fishing pier (NC fishing license required), a playground, tennis courts, horseshoe pits, public restrooms, and The Lakeview Center. Non-motorized boats are allowed on the water.
Black Mountain Pool is also located at the park. One of the park’s best features is its unobstructed view of the Seven Sisters Mountain range reflected in the lake—a beautiful sight any time of day but especially at sunset.
Location: 401 Laurel Cir Dr #3061, Black Mountain, NC 28711
Hours: Dawn to Dusk
Lake Julian Park
Highlights: Located in South Asheville, this park offers picnic areas, disc golf, Jon boat rentals, a boat launch, outdoor exercise equipment, a playground, paddleboats, a sand volleyball court, horseshoes, a wheelchair-accessible swing, and water access along a picturesque 300-acre public lake. Lake Julian is stocked with an abundance of bass, catfish, bream, and crappie by the NC Wildlife Resource Commission (NC fishing license/local lake permit required). The park hosts events throughout the year, but their annual July 4th Celebration & Fireworks Show, Fall-O-Ween Festival, and Festival of Lights are standouts!
Location: 37 Lake Julian Rd, Arden, NC 28704
Hours: 8 AM to Dusk (excluding Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day)
Lake Louise Park
Highlights: Playground facilities, outdoor exercise equipment, picnic shelters, a walking track, and grills. No boating or swimming is permitted, but some fishing is allowed. There is also a small waterfall and antique red water wheel from the old Biffle gristmill built in the early 1790s tucked near the back end of the lake off a side walking trail. Weaverville is also home to Main Street Nature Park and the future Reems Creek Greenway
Location: Lake Louise Dr, Weaverville, NC 28787
Hours: 5 AM to 11 PM
Charles D Owen Park 
Highlights: Located just 20 minutes outside Asheville in Swannanoa, this idyllic park is nestled alongside the Swannanoa River. The river is a fish hatchery-supported river, and the two lakes at Owen Park are open for lakeside fishing (NC fishing license required). Featuring a 1-mile walking trail, it’s an ideal spot to walk your pups. Additional amenities include baseball fields, basketball courts, an outdoor fitness course, and a colorful new playground with a wheelchair-accessible swing. Visitors can also access the Warren Wilson River Trail from the park which passes through a magical bamboo grove!
Location: 875 Warren Wilson Rd, Swannanoa, NC 28778
Hours: 8 AM to 8 PM
Robert Lake Park in Montreat
Highlights: Managed and maintained by the Montreat Conference Center, this lovely shaded park in Montreat offers several wooden playgroundsconnected by wooden bridges, with a creek running through it—the perfect spot to cool down on those sultry summer days. The Town of Montreat is home to 20 trails which you can explore on your own or through a guided hike with an experienced ranger. Montreat’s Lake Susan can be enjoyed by canoe/paddle boat during the summer season and by fishermen seeking native brook trout and rainbow trout. Over the years, Lake Susan has hosted swans and is currently home to a family of geese. Montreat also has green spaces and tennis courts to enjoy as well.
Location: 317 Texas Rd, Montreat, NC 28757
Hours: 8 AM to 6 PM
Asheville Gardens + Annual Memberships
In addition to the parks above, we recommend spending time at these Asheville gems: The Asheville Botanical Gardens, The North Carolina Arboretum, and The Biltmore Estate. The Botanical Gardens are located adjacent to the University of North Carolina and are open daily from sunrise to sunset (no admission or parking fees). Their plant collection includes 500+ species native to the Southern Appalachians, and they have 70+ species of plants that scientists consider uncommon, rare, or endangered. Their Visitor Center and restrooms are open daily from 10 AM – 4 PM, and they offer events and classes throughout the year.
The North Carolina Arboretum is a 434-acre garden originally used as a research garden by Fredrick Law Olmstead, a renowned American landscape architect. Home to the enchanting and ever-changing Quilt Garden and 65 acres of additional gardens, 10+ miles of dog-friendly trails for hiking and biking, an exciting lineup of indoor and outdoor exhibits, live music during the Summer Music Concert Series ArborEvenings, and discount tickets to Winter Lights (aka a beloved holiday tradition that decks the gardens and grounds in 500,000+ twinkling lights), you can enjoy these year-long perks and support the Arboretum’s mission by becoming a member.
As a resident of Western North Carolina, you can also easily enjoy every season at the most popular attraction in Asheville (drawing a staggering 1+ million visitors per year)—the Biltmore House and Gardens. As an annual pass holder to this designated National Historic Landmark, you’ll enjoy unlimited daytime visits to Biltmore House (along with free audio guides), year-round access to 8,000 acres of gardens and grounds (including Antler Hill Village & Winery), and discounts on dining, shopping, area attractions, art exhibits (such as the current Chihuly at Biltmore), and tickets to Candlelight Christmas Evenings.
Third Space, Green Space
Ray Oldenburg’s sociological term “third space” has had a resurgence in recent years. Referring to a place separate from home and work, it’s a place where we can socialize without expectations, anchor within our community, and ultimately better understand our identity. From cafes to libraries to gyms to parks, these third spaces are vital to our fulfillment.
Outside of satisfying that “third space” need, our region's parks remind us to slow down, take a walk, breathe in the fresh air, and appreciate the beauty all around us so we can embrace what it means to be human and have a sense of belonging. Asheville’s parks are the perfect place to familiarize yourself with regional flora and fauna, stay active, and meet fellow residents so you can feel like a true local!