Gardens and Trails
A Tapestry of Seasonal Color
Nestled in one of the most botanically diverse and beautiful natural settings in America, The North Carolina Arboretum contains 65 acres of cultivated gardens that delight the senses, pay tribute to the region’s rich cultural heritage, and reinforce the importance of plants to our world. Strolling through the Arboretum’s gardens is a perfect way to reconnect with nature in a peaceful setting. Visit the information desk at the Baker Exhibit Center upon your arrival to learn more about the beauty and history that awaits. Visitors from across the world enjoy exploring the Arboretum’s exhibits and gardens, including one of the finest, most unique bonsai collections in the United States.
BEHIND THE DESIGN
Pollinators in the landscape
From April through October, the Arboretum’s seasonal
landscape exhibits feature many plants and flowers that attract and support butterflies. Learn more about the Arboretum’s ongoing work to protect pollinators, including its designation from Bee Campus USA.
Explore More Gardens
Bonsai Exhibition Garden
These trees may seem small in size but they have a big impact in the world of horticulture and art. Established in 2005, the Arboretum’s Bonsai Exhibition Garden is a world renowned garden that can host up to 50 bonsai specimens at a time. Represented are traditional Asian bonsai subjects such as Japanese maple and Chinese elm, tropical plants such as willow-leaf fig and bougainvillea, and American species such as bald cypress and limber pine. Click here to learn more about the Arboretum’s 100+ bonsai collection.
Wildflowers at the Arboretum
The Arboretum is home to dozens of native wildflowers that are scattered across its 434-acre property. From early spring through fall, visitors can walk along the Arboretum’s 10+ miles of trails and throughout its gardens to see a variety of colorful wildflowers, including bloodroots, azaleas, fire pinks, yarrows and more. View our wildflower guide.
The National Native Azalea Collection
The National Native Azalea Collection is a woodland garden with azaleas representing nearly every species native to the U.S. along with many natural hybrids and selections. The collection is part of the Nationally Accredited Plant Collections, a distinction granted by the National Public Gardens Association. In late spring and early summer the garden is a diverse and eye-catching composition of color, form, and fragrance set among native ferns, wildflowers, shrubs and trees. Explore the collection.
Garden & Trail Map
With more than 65 acres of cultivated gardens, The North Carolina Arboretum is a popular destination for nature-lovers and garden enthusiasts alike. Click below to learn more about the Arboretum’s gardens and to view the property map.
Find Your Pace!
Located within the wildly-popular and botanically beautiful Southern Appalachian Mountains, The North Carolina Arboretum offers more than 10 miles of hiking and biking trails that connect to many other area attractions such as Lake Powhatan, the Bent Creek Experimental Forest, Pisgah National Forest and the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Twelve trails rated easy, moderate, and difficult, offer opportunities to hike and bike, as well as walk dogs, stroll, or even sit by the tranquil Bent Creek.
Click here to view and download trail maps.
• All trails are dog-friendly. Please pick up after your pet!
• Some trails are marked for foot traffic only. Please look for biking or hiking markers on trail signs.
• Please by mindful of hikers when biking at The North Carolina Arboretum.
• Running groups interested in using the Arboretum trails can read the Running Group Guidance and email groups@ncarboretum.org with any questions.
Go Directly to Hiking Trails
Go Directly to Biking Trails.
Easy Trails
Azalea Collection Trail –  0.5 miles (Foot traffic ONLY)
Starting with a bridge from Bent Creek Road, this trail provides access to multiple routes through the National Native Azalea Collection, including a teaching circle and a close look at Bent Creek. At the west end of the Collection, the Fern Loop provides a cool route along a natural mountain wetland and through part of a Rhododendron thicket where you can get a slight feel as to what a “Laurel hell” meant to a mountaineer traveling cross country. Total length, including the Fern Loop, is approximately ½ mile.
Bent Creek Road – 1.3 miles
Bent Creek Road is a gravel-surfaced corridor shared by pedestrians, pets on leashes and cyclists. The 12-foot wide road follows Bent Creek for the length of the Arboretum property with several adjoining roads leading off out of the Arboretum and into the Pisgah National Forest. The majority of the road is flat and is perfect for novice bikers or those looking for longer routes connecting into the Bent Creek Experimental Forest and Lake Powhatan.
Bent Creek Trail – 1.3 miles (Foot traffic ONLY)
Bent Creek Trail, for foot traffic only, parallels the road in several places, running closer to the creek. One favorite attraction along Bent Creek Trail is the National Native Azalea Collection. Bent Creek Trail is 1.3 miles in length.
Old Mill Trail – 0.3 miles
The Old Mill Trail connects the trailhead/recreation parking area at the Arboretum’s main entrance to Bent Creek Road. After leaving the trailhead parking area, turn to the left around the pipe gate. Cross the bridge and the trail will begin to the right through the woods. This trail is named for the old grist mill that existed in the area around the viaduct bridge.
Wolf Branch Road – 0.3 miles
The Art Walk provides a guide to help visitors view some of the Arboretum’s permanent art collection. Information about the subject, artist, and medium of each piece is included in the Art Walk brochure. The collection is located throughout the Education Center, Baker Exhibit Center, and surrounding landscapes. To view pieces not on display in public spaces, please contact the administrative receptionist on the second floor of the Education Center or inquire at an information desk.
Moderate Trails
Carolina Mountain Trail – 1.2 miles (Foot traffic ONLY)
The Carolina Mountain Trail connects the Arboretum’s Production Greenhouse with the Education Center and main garden areas and Bent Creek Road. This trail winds through three different forest types, pine, mixed hardwood and ericaceous and provides interpretation of these native trees and its native insects throughout the trail. Along the trail is an overlook where hikers can rest and listen to the murmurs of Bent Creek. You’ll also pass the peaceful ripples of the Wolf Branch cascades. The trail entrances are located beside the Education Center adjacent to the reserved parking area, on Wolf Branch Road and on Bent Creek Road at the west edge of the Arboretum property. A short connector runs from the overlook to the Production Greenhouse main parking area.
Natural Garden Trail – 0.75 miles (Foot traffic ONLY)
The Natural Garden Trail makes a loop from the Plants of Promise Garden to the north end of the main garden area. This is a gently graded, naturally surfaced trail which takes in several changes in forest types as it winds around the hillside and overlooks Bent Creek and the National Native Azalea Collection along the way.
Running Cedar Road – 0.5 miles
Running Cedar Road is a gravel surfaced road which allows bikers, hikers, and pets on leashes access from the main garden area to Bent Creek Road.
Rocky Cove Road – 0.5 miles
Rocky Cove Road connects Bent Creek Road to the Owl Ridge Trail. The best example of Southern Appalachian cove hardwood forest on the property can be found here.
Difficult Trails
Owl Ridge Trail – 0.94 miles
The Owl Ridge Trail is the upper portion of a recreational loop used by bikers, hikers and pets on leashes. This naturally surfaced section of the loop is about .94 miles joining Rocky Cove Road with Hard Times Road, and is a connection to the lower trail which crosses the creek to rejoin Bent Creek Road making the whole loop about 3.5 miles.
Wesley Branch Trail – 0.4 miles (Foot traffic ONLY)
This trail connects Bent Creek Road near its intersection with the Old Mill Trail to the Natural Garden Trail and the main garden area, passing through a rhododendron thicket. Both the Wesley Branch Trail and the Natural Garden Trail are open to foot traffic only.
Hard Times Road – 0.8 miles Â
Beginning at the recreational parking lot, Hard Times Road is a short, yet steep biking trail that connects to the Pisgah National Forest. Once off Arboretum property, the road drops in elevation and connects with Bent Creek Road near Lake Powhatan. Â
Searching for a great plant you saw at the Arboretum?
The following guide features retail plant outlets in 23 western
North Carolina counties that supply some of the plants found in our
seasonal landscape exhibits. Calling ahead to check on plant
availability or request a plant in an upcoming season is always
recommended.