ASHEVILLE – Today’s burning question is where and when to find a sweet treat in the wilds of western North Carolina. Do you have other questions for our editors? Email Editor in Chief Karen Chavez at [email protected] and your question could appear in an upcoming column.
Ask: When is the best time to collect wild blueberries? Are there any rules or tips for collecting?
Answer: There are three main seasons for wild blueberries, during which the bushes thrive in the mountains. The challenge is to get to the wild blueberries before other people – and black bears – get their hands and paws on them.
Paul Gallimore, executive director of the Long Branch Environmental Education Center in Leicester’s Newfound Mountains, said it’s traditional for people to go with buckets to areas along the Blue Ridge Parkway, such as Craggy Gardens, to pick wild blueberries.
Supplies may be scarce because wild blueberries are a food source for black bears.
He said evidence that the bears had reached them first might be seen in bear droppings filled with berries that they left behind along the way.
Leesa Sutton Brandon, National Park Service spokeswoman for the parkway, said via email that wild blueberries in areas on and around the Blue Ridge Parkway are typically ripe in mid- to late August.
At lower elevations, wild blueberry season begins in June, and Gallimore says it could last into fall and a cold freeze—that is, into October or November.
“If you come later to pick, there’s always the risk that the wildlife will get there before you. That’s why we advise people to come at least three times a year – at the beginning of the season, in the middle of the season and at the end of the season. That way you make sure you get a good crop every time you pick,” Gallimore said.
Rules for picking
Before heading out into area forests, parks, and park roads, learn about laws regarding gathering berries and other wild foods.
North Carolina State Parks does not permit food gathering in any of its state parks, including Mount Mitchell and Grandfather Mountain. The agency prohibits the removal of trees, flowers, shrubs, ferns, mushrooms, rocks, artifacts, or other plants or minerals unless an approved collection permit is in place for scientific or educational purposes.
The U.S. Forest Service, which manages North Carolina’s four national forests, including Pisgah and Nantahala, does not require permits to collect small quantities of items such as fruits, mushrooms and nuts.
Brandon said that visitors along the parkway, a 470-mile (759-kilometer) scenic highway that stretches from Virginia to the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains in Cherokee, are allowed to take no more than 1 gallon (3.8 liters) of edible food such as berries, nuts and/or mushrooms found near the parkway each day, and that it is for personal use only.
Brandon said visitors are advised to bring a guide or use a plant identification app to ensure they pick blueberries and avoid poisonous lookalikes.
“Park visitors are reminded to stay on designated trails when picking berries. We also want to caution against parking on the side of the road and picking berries, as visibility and narrow shoulders along the parkway can make this very unsafe,” she said.
Check out these hiking trails along the Parkway:
- Graveyard Fields (milestone 418.8, about 35 miles southwest of Asheville)
- Craggy Pinnacle Trail (MP 364, about 24 miles northeast of Asheville)
- Craggy Flats Trail (just south of Craggy Pinnacle, at the south end of the Craggy Gardens Visitor Centre)
- Mountains-to-Sea Trail from Greybeard to Glassmine Overlook (MP 363, about 25 miles northeast of Asheville)
- Linville Gorge area (about 60 miles northeast of Asheville)
- Black Balsam Knob, Sam Knob, Art Loeb Trail and Ivester Gap Trail. They are all located in Pisgah National Forest but are accessible via Parkway MP 420, 2 miles south of Graveyard Fields.
- Other places not on the Parkway include Roan Mountain in Mitchell County, about 65 miles north of Asheville in the Pisgah National Forest, and the Mountain Balds in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
More: Summer hikes in Asheville: breathtaking excursions on the Blue Ridge Parkway with views
More: Can you drink alcohol on the Blue Ridge Parkway? Hiking off-trail? What you should know this summer
Wild blueberry bushes
The highbush and lowbush blueberries found in this area prefer different altitudes and climates.
Brandon said highbush berries grow at elevations of 3,500 feet and higher and prefer sunnier areas and acidic soil. She said Graveyard Fields, Craggy Gardens or Waterrock Knob at the south end of the parkway are often referred to as “bare spots” or “high-elevation grassy meadows” and are the best growing areas because they have the “winning combination” of abundant sun and acidic soil.
Low-growing wild blueberries prefer drier conditions and an altitude of about 300–900 meters.
Asheville is located at an elevation of 2,200 feet.
Highbush blueberry bushes can grow up to 15 feet tall and produce larger berries than the lowbush berries known to grow between 6 and 12 inches tall.
Weather conditions
Western North Carolina has experienced an above-average hot and rainy summer.
According to Doug Outlaw, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, Asheville received a total of 10.03 inches of precipitation in July, which is above the average of 4.67 inches. In 2023, the total precipitation in July was 3.56 inches.
Rainfall is expected to be higher this month, with total rainfall through August 12 being 3.38 inches. Outlaw said the normal average for this time of the month is 1.96 inches.
He said in July, the average high temperature in Asheville was 86.1 degrees, compared to the normal average temperature of 85.3 degrees. In August, Asheville is 2.23 degrees above average, with a high of 86 degrees on August 12.
Gallimore said the current weather conditions should not affect the harvest season for blueberries or wild blueberries because the berries tolerate sun and rain well. He said they thrive in moisture and can withstand harsher conditions.
“The wild blueberries are very vigorous and can tolerate periods of drought,” Gallimore said. “When you grow them, you don’t want to stress them, so the more moisture you give them during a growing season, the more lush the berries will be and the more fruity they will be. However, dried blueberries are just as delicious as dried fruit.”
Berry picking experiences
Those who prefer a more organized and supported blueberry picking experience can visit area farms such as Long Branch.
Gallimore said blueberries and other berries are sold by donation, and visitors are encouraged to take a blueberry plant to grow at home.
However, Gallimore said picking wild blueberries can be a reminder of man’s connection to nature.
“We encourage people to go up the parkway to discover some of the wild blueberries because there are some wonderful hiking trails there,” he said. “This is where the berries grow naturally and where the wildlife lives. However long you spend in this wildlife habitat, you can remember that you too have some wild genes in you and come from the wild.”
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Tiana Kennell is the food and dining reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at [email protected] or follow her on Instagram @PrincessOfPage. Please support this type of journalism with a Citizen Times subscription.
