Digital and Contactless Adoption Procedure:

1. Check out the available animals online and find that special one!
2. Fill out the online application.
3. Our staff will reach out soon during our current regular business hours of 8am-5pm, Tuesday-Sunday to provide adoption counseling and information about the animal, as well more details about our current adoption procedure.
4. A Meet and Greet may be scheduled for you virtually or contact-free at our Adoption Center (these are only by appointment and following application and adoption counseling). Cats, kittens and puppies in foster will only be available for a virtual Meet and Greets. Adult dogs will have a contactless Meet and Greet on site by appointment.
   Note: Potential adopters will be asked not to come to the Adoption Center if they have experienced any coronavirus symptoms and will be asked to adhere to best hygiene practices. We are not accepting walk-up adoptions or visits at this time due to the safety precautions we are taking in response to COVID-19. All staff at the adoption center will practice social distancing, hand hygiene and will wear a mask. Potential adopters are encouraged to do the same.
5. Pickup will be arranged and all details shared for a contactless encounter.
6. Adoption Delivery may be available for Henderson County Residents only if an adoption is confirmed and the animal is currently housed as the Adoption Center (not in foster care).
7. All adoptions will be processed with credit or debit only.
8. Have questions? Send us a message or email [email protected]!

• Alexander River Park on 2589 Old Marshall Highway in Alexander
• Bent Creek River Park on 1610 Brevard Road in Asheville
• Collier Cove Nature Preserve on 194 Rhododendron Drive in Arden
• Corcoran Paige River Park on 9 Pinners Road in Arden
• Glen Bridge River Park on 77 Pinners Road in Asheville
• Hominy Creek River Park on 220 Hominy Creek Road in Asheville
• Karpen Soccer Fields on 207 Reems Creek Road in Weaverville
• Ledges Whitewater Park on 1080 Old Marshall Highway in Alexander
• North Buncombe Sports Complex on 734 Clarks Chapel Road in Weaverville
• Walnut Island River Park on 3042 Old Marshall Highway in Alexander

Buncombe County officials continue to take proactive steps to keep our community safe and healthy during the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic.

To bring our community in closer alignment with Governor Cooper’s Executive Order 138, Buncombe County Public Health has issued a superseding Stay Home, Stay Safe Declaration that will go into effect at 5 p.m. on Friday, May 8, 2020 and will remain in effect until Friday, May 22, 2020 unless otherwise repealed, replaced, or rescinded and transitions to Phase 1 of slowly easing certain COVID-19 restrictions.

This order aligns us with Governor Cooper’s executive order with the sole exception of a continued restriction on Leisure Travel Booking. Buncombe County continues to restrict leisure travel bookings from outside of WNC. Lodging providers can now book rooms for residents of the 828 area code for leisure travel. We will be adopting the Governor’s Order together with his FAQ document specific to Executive Order 138.

If you have any questions about this new order, please reach out to our Ready Team Monday-Friday between 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Call  (828) 419-0095 or email [email protected].

OBSERVING mitigation hiking guidelines we will meet at the trailhead, however, if you decide to carpool I suggest you wear masks and bring hand wipes to wipe down door handles…surfaces. Post where you plan to meet.

HIKE DESCRIPTION: We will begin hiking the Flint Creek River Trail return taking a ridgline loop spur, pick up the White Cliffs spur trail plus an optional trail. The trails are mostly under forest hardwoods, Flint Creek Trail follows the winding creek trail which snakes through the gorge fed by small streams and waterfalls. There are 10 log bridge-over-creek crossing plus a few smaller step-over streams. Like the Smoky Mountains National Park, Rocky Fork State Park has one of the most Biological diverse floras in the country. The trails are flat to rolling with moderate and steep climbing sections.
Elevation Gain Estimate.? 2,100-2,400′ (Level 7)**

PACE: See below*

DOGS: Friendly dogs are welcome and must remain close to their owners. Water is continuously available along the creek trail.

IF YOU SIGN UP THEN CHANGE YOUR MIND CHANGE YOUR RSVP TO “NOT ATTENDING” TO CLEAR A SPOT FOR ANOTHER HIKER

TRAIL HEAD DIRECTIONS:
I-26 West 31 miles and take Exit 50 toward Flag Pond Rd. Proceed for approx. 0.4 miles to a “T”. Turn left onto Upper Higgins Creek Rd for 0.6 mile. Turn right onto Old Asheville Hwy for 2.3 mile. Turn left on to Rocky Fork Rd for 1 mile to the Rocky Fork State Park Main Entrance Gate. Gravel road following Flint Creek for 1/4 mile with Parking on the right.

501 Rocky Fork Rd.
Flag Pond Tennessee.

OPTIONAL: Please post if you prefer to meet me just off the Flag Pond Exit (gravel pullover, or the road shoulder on left, Upper Higgins Creek rd. @ 9:30.

*ALL FITNESS HIKES ARE FAST PACED. HIKES HIKE LEVELS are based only on the total elevation gain for each hike while distances vary as described. Lower levels hikes focus on endurance conditioning and higher level hikes add increasing cardio challenges. Pace is adjusted for steepness of grade, and ruggedness of the trail.. Scout hikes are hikes where the trail is partially or completely unexplored by the hike leader (s).

HIKE LEVELS:
Hike Level (1) Up to 600 feet of elevation gain.
Level (2) 600′- 900′; Level (3) 900′ – 1200′; Level (4) 1200′ – 1500′; Level (5) 1,500′ – 1,800′; Level (6)*1,800′ – 2,100′; Level (7)* 2,100′ – 2,400′; Level (8) 2,400′ – 2700′; Level (9) 2700′ – 3000′ Level (10) 3000′ – 4000′;

ULTIMATE HIKES are hike > 4,000′ elevation gain; WE POST 3-4 of these hike challenges a year.

Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to noon, beginning March 21.

The market will operate for as long as necessary, possibly expanding to other locations and days of the week as opportunity and demand allows.

Market Rules

• No customers or vendors exhibiting symptoms may enter the market.
• Maintain 6 feet of social distance at all times.
• One customer at a time for each vendor table.
• Only handle product you are purchasing. Products will be pre-packaged or bunched.
• Children, if they must attend with adult shoppers, must be closely supervised.

Anyone failing to comply with these conditions will be directed to leave the market.

Health and Safety Updates

Kolo Bike Park has reopened with amended attendance and safety precautions. The current operating days and hours will be Thursday to Sunday weekly with 2 riding sessions daily at 10:00-2:00 and 2:00-6:00. We have received notification from the Buncombe County Health & Human Services Department that our bike trails can operate with certain conditions.

Currently, the aerial activities are closed. May 13, we are planning to open the Asheville Treetops Adventure Park. Then we plan to open the Ziplines soon after that.

If you are interested in riding at Kolo Bike Park, please check out our current safety rules and regulations. We highly recommend reservations, payment and waivers to be completed prior to arrival.

Looking Forward or #ashevillelookingforward, we are building new Bike Trails, starting a Kolo Bike Program for younger kids, and have added a new intermediate trail on the Treetops Park. And we have a fun Halloween surprise in store for our younger guests.

As a locally owned family business, we look to the future…….

1. Keep your plans and reservations in place. We are only planning to be closed as long as we have to keep our Guests and employees safe. If your activity date happens at a time when we are closed, we will contact you.

2. If we need to cancel your upcoming activity, consider a credit vs. refund. That allows us to keep the facility and team ready to go when we do reopen. We continue to have expenses even while we are closed including preparing the gear/facility for the season and paying our leadership team. Your support will help us keep this great family facility alive and strong for the next 10 years.

3. Book reservations for May 13 or later for the Treetops Park or May 20 or later for the Zipline.

4. Buy gift certificates today for you, friends, or family. They don’t expire and they are great gifts all year long. That continuance of cashflow will help us all keep the economy going.

5. Keep planning for summer camps. We are planning a great summer with four different day camp options. We have returning camp counselors, new trails for bikes and a new aerial trail in the Treetops Park. And announcing our 2 new Kolo Advanced Shred Summer Sessions for ages 13-17 to develop their fundamental skills by advanced pro level riders. Call our office or book online (fees apply when booking online.) 828.225.2921

6. Group sales is still taking reservations for the future at [email protected]. A group adventure in the Trees (Zipping or Climbing the Treetops Park) or on the ground (team building or mountain bike riding) will be a great way to reconnect with co-workers, students, families and youth groups.

7. Check out our Blog with updated ACA information

We greatly appreciate the thousands of families, groups of friends, couples, young adults, schools, businesses, churches, camps and so many more that are part of our adventure family. We are where we were yesterday and where we will be a month from now because of you. Your support allows our team to do what we love to do while helping you do the same. We look forward to getting back to normal again. Stay safe and well!

Jeff Greiner
Adventure Center of Asheville
www.advavl.com

Need Book Recommendations? Ask a Librarian.

Parks open from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

• Buncombe County Sports Park on 58 Apac Circle in Asheville
• Charles D. Owen Park on 875 Warren Wilson Wilson Road in Swannanoa
• Lake Julian Park on 406 Overlook Extension in Arden

Every week day, Janet’s Planet gives children a daily dose of science and space topics from around the world.