Pisgah View State Park
About the Park
Located in Buncombe County 18 miles southwest of downtown Asheville, Pisgah View State Park rests in the shade of Mount Pisgah, one of the many beautiful sights of the Blue Ridge seen from the Blue Ridge Parkway. Small spring-fed waterfalls nourish the rich mountain coves that brim with spring wildflowers. Mammals, migratory birds, and amphibians all find a home here.
For years, humans thrived in this mountain valley, finding food, clean water, and shelter. Five federally recognized tribal nations have ancestral connections to the land; they are the original stewards of this place:
- Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
- Cherokee Nation
- Muscogee (Creek) Nation
- Catawba Indian Nation
- United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians
Settlers later lived in the valley for generations, culminating in the development of the Pisgah View Ranch as a place to explore nature and replenish the spirit. Today, the land still provides a retreat for all living things. For people, it offers a recommitment to life in harmony with nature.
When Will the Park Open?
The initial land needed has been acquired for the park between 2019 and 2021. The park's master plan, now in development, will seek public input to identify and prioritize the first accesses, facilities, and opportunities established at the park when it is opened to the public, as well as how the park will be managed into the future.
Pisgah View State Park will offer a universally accessible park for visitors. Before opening the park, the Division will complete a master plan, hire staff, and design and construct the first facilities. We estimate that the park will open sometime in 2025.
Pisgah View is Buncombe County's first state park and the closest — about a 30-minute drive — to the rapidly growing city of Asheville. The land that is now home to the future state park was owned by the Cogburn Family for over 200 years. Privately owned since the 1940s, the "Pisgah View Ranch" offered horseback riding, rental cabins, swimming pool, a tennis court, and other amenities.
North Carolina's state parks system was established in 1916 with the creation of Mount Mitchell State Park in nearby Yancey County. For lands to be considered as a possible North Carolina state park, they must have "extraordinary natural resources representative of North Carolina's rare or pristine ecosystems, have potential for recreation, including facilities and access necessary to support it, and have sufficient opportunities for land acquisition."
Pisgah View is the 35th state park added to the North Carolina State Parks System, and the 10th in the mountain region of North Carolina.
Three senators sponsored a bill to authorize a state park at Pisgah View — state Sens. Chuck Edwards, Ralph Hise, and Jim Davis. The bill was passed unanimously by the N.C. Senate in June 2019; in the House, where it was championed by state Reps. Brian Turner and Chuck McGrady, it was passed in early July the same year. Further funding authorized by the N.C. General Assembly and Gov. Roy Cooper in 2021 allowed for the purchase of the remaining 1,600 acres planned for Pisgah View State Park — a purchase that would have otherwise taken several years.
Pisgah View State Park features headwater streams, ridgelines, and wildlife corridors — critical elements that give it high conservation value for water quality and wildlife. Ranging in elevation from 2,500 feet above sea level along South Hominy Creek to more than 4,800 feet at the Buncombe-Haywood county line, the area features waterfalls, wildflowers, streams, and stunning views.
Chestnut oak forests, cliffs, rock outcrops, and other natural communities across the landscape support a diverse assemblage of native plants and animals, including some species found only in the southern Appalachians.
Park Planning
The Division of Parks and Recreation is preparing a master plan for Pisgah View State Park. The master plan will be a 20-year plan that covers the entire state park, which includes over 1,600 acres spanning Buncombe and Haywood counties and is located within the Spring Mountain range and the Southern Appalachian escarpment, an ecologically significant region.
Equinox Environmental of Asheville has been contracted to work with DPR and the public to develop the master plan, initially identifying the recreation, educational, and conservation needs for the park. The master plan process is estimated to last about a year and a half and stakeholder input will continue throughout the process. There will be three public informational meetings that will be held in the community; these meetings will be open-house-style public information meetings that will allow feedback from the community.
Public Input Meeting Summary
The Pisgah View State Park Public Input Session was held at the Upper Hominy Fire and Rescue Department on Tuesday, September 26, 2023 from 4-7 p.m. Approximately 185 community members attended to learn about the master planning process and to provide input on what they would like to see at the new state park.
Overall, the public sentiment was that of excitement for the implementation of the new park and for it to be available for the community and the broader Buncome County. Some residents in close proximity to the park expressed concerns over the impacts of additional traffic on rural roadways and the potential for overuse of the park. Most people are looking forward to the opportunity to visit and recreate on both the front country spaces, easily accessible flat areas with public facilities, as well as the backcountry trail system.
Public Input Meeting Materials: Map Boards
Public Input Meeting Materials: Vision and Goals Board
Photo Gallery
