Located just north of downtown and harboring more than 500 species of native plants, these gardens bring the diversity of the Southern Appalachian woods into the city. April and May see peak blooms of trilliums, foamflowers, geraniums, and more. A half-mile trail loops through the gardens, where a springtime stroll is backed by the soundtrack of Reed Creek.

Trails and forest roads crisscross this basin above the Mills River, providing ample access points for those seeking colorful blooms. Trout lilies, irises, and trilliums grace the forest floor, while the white blossoms of dogwoods and serviceberries hang from eye-level branches throughout the forest.

Catawba rhododendrons steal the show here in June and July. The vibrant pink and purple blooms are a sight to see, intermingled with the orange flowers of flame azaleas, but these showy shrubs are far from the only floral wonders that these highlands hold. Well over a mile in elevation, spring comes later to the balds near Carvers Gap, but it’s worth the wait. Phacelia, bluets, and hobblebush are joined by the rare Gray’s lily, an imperiled endemic found only in the Southern Appalachians.

These heath balds are always a popular stop on the Blue Ridge Parkway, but they’re most alluring when the rhododendron, laurel, and azaleas bloom in June. Get there early in the morning or visit on a weekday to avoid the crowds that flock to the trails near the visitor center on weekend afternoons. It’s less than a mile round trip to hike from the visitor center to the best collection of rhododendrons atop Craggy Gardens. The nearby Craggy Pinnacle Trail offers panoramic mountain views.

This off-the-beaten-path destination lies just less than a half hour southeast of downtown Asheville and offers more than 5 miles of trails on Little Pisgah Mountain. Look for trilliums, pink lady’s slippers, irises, and Fraser magnolia blooms in early May.

An old railroad grade makes for easy hiking through the woods flanking this clear mountain stream. Countless blooms grace the forest floor throughout the spring. In April and May, look for trilliums, irises, and violets while listening to the water cascade and tumble over rapids behind you. Jewelweed, chicory, rhododendron, and laurel flowers begin to blossom in early summer.