Outdoor Adventures in Madison County, North Carolina
Madison County North Carolina is full of ways to enjoy the beautiful surroundings. Within the 55,000 acres of the Pisgah National Forest, the Appalachian Trail and other hiking trails provide opportunities to either take a leisurely stroll or challenge yourself on more difficult terrain. Other outdoor activities include whitewater rafting (as well as canoeing and kayaking) on the French Broad River, bicycling on scenic and lightly-traveled mountain roads; horseback riding on trails which provide unique vistas of the Blue Ridge Mountains; fishing in our mountain streams and rivers. If skiing, snowboarding or tubing is what you are looking for, we have that, too. Just minutes from Asheville, Madison County also offers a few unique outdoor activities. Relax in one of the few natural mineral water baths east of the Mississippi River regardless of the season. For those looking for unique experiences, Mars Hill College Disc Golf Sanctuary is an easy way to enjoy the beautiful campus and play a round of disc golf. And, we have a beautiful location for mining for garnets in our county. For hunting enthusiasts, a former tobacco and cattle farm has been converted into a sporting clays and game preserve for quail hunting. One of the little-known facts is that we have the opportunity to go garnet mining (with a pick and shovel, not a pan) right here in the county!
