Vacation 2014, Lake Powhatan National Forest Service Campground, Asheville, NC

Lake Powhatan National Forest service campground is located very near Asheville, NC nestled in the foothills of the Pisgah National forest not far from the Blue Ridge Parkway. Lake Powhatan is surrounded by hiking trails, mountain bike trails and lovely mountain scenery that makes this area so special. There are a least a dozen or so sites with electric so if you need this feature it is wise to book your stay months in advance to get one. The campground is very clean with solid surface pads and clean restrooms. Lake Powhatan is very inviting to take a dip in with a white sand beach and splendid mountain scenery.

Views of Lake Powhatan

Dam at Lake Powhatan

Hiking near Lake Powhatan

Our Campsite at Lake Powhatan

On our first full day Barbara and I traveled about 12 miles into downtown Asheville, NC to walk around the historic downtown area. Asheville is a lovely city with interesting shops and lots of places to dine. The city is easy to walk around with art located on many of the streets making for a fun time with many places to browse and shop. We love Asheville for its charm and wonderful surroundings which make it a great place to visit. Near the campground is a big farmers market where we enjoyed fresh produce, jams, cheeses and spices. Asheville also has a Trader Joe's which we are always happy to shop at to pick up food and wine for our camping needs.

Flat Iron Building downtown Asheville, NC

British Bus Restaurant

Asheville Art Museum

Sidewalk Art

Downtown Asheville

Sidewalk Art near the central park

Not far from Lake Powhatan is the North Carolina Arboretum. The Arboretum is a very special place indeed with beautiful exhibits to delight the gardener in all of us. The grounds are manicured with fabulous displays of flower gardens, sculptures, pools and Bonsai exhibits that are stunningly beautiful. The over four hundred acres spread out with lovely hiking & biking trails for those who love to walk or ride through the forest. Inspired by Fredrick Olmsted the same landscaper who designed Bok Gardens in Lake Wales, FL the Arboretum is a treasure that Olmstead had wanted to create but was not able to in his lifetime. This treasure in the western North Carolina mountains near the Blue Ridge parkway would certainly make him proud and completes his vision that he wanted to create. It is a must to see when you are in the Asheville area for the nature lover in all of us. 

Views of the gardens around the Baker Exhibit Center

Greenhouse behind the Baker Center

Flowers and Plants from the gardens of the Arboretum

Lilly Pond

Quilt Garden

Arboretum Education Center

Cherokee Indian Statue in the Gardens

Bonsai Exhibition Garden Highlights

The weather on our third day improved after the passage of a cool front making for delightful temperatures in the 70's with low humidity a far cry from the hot and humid weather we are used to in Florida. After a bike ride into the North Carolina Arboretum the back way via a mountain bike path from Lake Powhatan campground we spent the afternoon enjoying the views from The Blue Ridge Parkway. We stopped at the visitors center which is adjacent to the head quarters for the Blue Ridge Parkway to review our choices for our afternoon. The skies were clear and crystal blue making for excellent viewing and great photography. We ended our drive at Craggy Gardens high up in the Appalachians at 5,500 feet enjoying breath taking views of the valleys below. Sometimes the right moments give you the perfect conditions to really enjoy the beauty around you. We both were thankful to enjoy such a beautiful day in such a beautiful place.

Blue Ridge Parkway Visitors Center

 

View from Craggy Gardens visitor center looking west towards Asheville, NC

Mountain Lake as seen from the Blue Ridge Parkway

Craggy Gardens Visitor Center

View looking east from the Craggy Gardens Visitor Center

Tanbark Ridge Overlook, Blue Ridge Parkway

Tunnel entrance leading to Mt. Mitchell 15 miles away from Craggy Gardens

On our final fourth day we hiked from Lake Powhatan into the North Carolina Arboretum enjoying the beautiful forest and Bent Creek which flowed adjacent to our trail. We ended are day with a visit to the Farmers Market and lunch at the markets cafe The Moose where we had a great lunch of country cooking at a reasonable price. Our stay has been a very pleasant one with no shortage of interesting things to do and nature to explore making this stop one of the best of our trip.

Bent Creek

Flower on the shore of Bent Creek

Barbara hiking on The Bent Creek Trail

The Farmers Market, Asheville, NC

The Moose Cafe at the Farmers Market, Asheville, NC

Lake Powhatan National Forest Service Campground


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