The Ultimate Guide To Asheville and the Western North Carolina Mountains

The Online Version of the Best-selling Regional Guidebook
 

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Lakes in Western North Carolina    Whitewater Rafting in the Mountains
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

In Asheville, the Buncombe County Parks, Greenways and Recreation Services offers five outdoor pools located in different areas of Buncombe County. The pools are open in June, July and the early part of August. The water is heated in every pool and there is a small admission fee per person. The City of Asheville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Department has three outdoor public swimming pools, with Recreation Park located on Gashes Creek Road the nearest to downtown of both county and city pools. The city pools are open June through Mid-August and also charge a small fee for swimming.

If lake swimming is what you want, drive to Lake Lure where this is public beach. This is a gorgeous lake and worth the 45-minute drive.  Along the way, you may be tempted to stop and jump in the Rocky Broad River that follows Highway 74A down through the mountains to Lake Lure. The swimming holes will be obvious to you as you wind your way though the gorges. A unique river swimming spot also near Asheville is the popular  North Mills River Recreation Area,, about 45 minutes from downtown.

An absolutely unique mountain water experience, especially on a hot summer day, is the extremely popular Sliding Rock located on the Davidson River in Pisgah National Forest. About an hour's drive west from Asheville in the Brevard area. Sliding Rock is a natural 60-foot long waterslide ending in a 7-foot deep pool that has been developed by the US Forest Service into a recreation area. From the intersection of US 276 and US 64 in Pisgah Forest, NC (near Brevard), go about eight miles north into the National Forest on US 276 toward the Blue Ridge Parkway. You will pass Looking Glass Falls on the right after five miles. Look for signs directing you to the Sliding Rock recreation area parking lot on the left.

Asheville City Pools
Malvern Hills 75 Rumbough Place, Asheville NC 28806; 828-53-1164
Recreation Park (Closest to downtown) 65 Gashes Creek Road, Asheville NC 28805; 828-298-0880
Walton Street  570 Oakland Road, Asheville NC 28802; 828-253-1143

Buncombe County Pools
Cane Creek Pool  590 Lower Brush Creek Rd., Fletcher NC 28732; 828-628-4494
Erwin Community Pool  55 Lees Creek Rd., Asheville NC 28806;828-251-4992
Hominy Valley Park Pool  25 Twin Lakes Rd., Candler NC 28715; 828-667-9937
North Buncombe Park Pool  82 Clarks Chapel Rd., Weaverville NC 28787; 828-645-1080
Owen Pool 117 Stone Dr., Swannanoa NC 28778; 828-686-1629