The hike to Weatherford Heights explores the history and geography of Y.M.C.A. Blue Ridge Assembly. The hike follows the original boundary line of the conference center’s grounds, surveyed by educator, author, and religious leader Willis Duke Weatherford in 1906. Weatherford sought a permanent location for student training sessions he arranged. When he reached the present site of Blue Ridge Assembly, between two steep forested ridges of the Swannanoa Mountains two miles from Black Mountain, he exclaimed, “Eureka, we have found it!”

Difficulty:  Strenuous, 7.6 miles

This event is sold out for 2021. The museum hikes committee is taking a waitlist for individual hikes and will attempt to add hikers as spots are available. Please direct any inquiries to svmhikes@gmail.com. 

Note: This event has been split into two different hike times- Saturday, March 20 @ 8:00AM – 3:30PM & Sunday, March 21 @ 8:00AM – 3:30PM in order to keep hike group numbers low and to better adhere to evolving county and state coronavirus protocols.     

UPDATE: In order to follow state regulations concerning the coronavirus, the Swannanoa Valley Museum has created new guidelines for its 2021 hikes. These guidelines and the 2021 hike schedule, will continue to evolve as the COVID situation changes.  Please email svmhikes@gmail.com with any questions. 

New hike guidelines:

• Sign-ins will be conducted outdoors, at the parking lot of the Black Mountain Savings Bank.
• There will be no carpooling, no pickup truck / driver shuttles, and a new limited hike size.  All the series hikes have been redesigned to be either be out/back or loop hikes and the museum discourages any carpooling to the trailheads, unless with family members or trusted friends.
• No one exhibiting symptoms will be allowed on the hikes.
• Hikes are limited to 25 hikers (20 hikers plus leaders). 
• SVM will not shuttle drivers in cars or pickup trucks as in the past.
• Hikers will be required to bring a mask. Masks should be worn at the sign-in / registration table and at any time hikers are in a close group, such as at trailheads, history talks, or rest breaks.
• Social distancing requested on the trails.
• Series hikers have the opportunity to make up these hikes at any time in the future. If hikers do not feel comfortable taking part in hikes in 2021, this is more than understandable.