Blue Ghost Firefly Night Tour

This special experience takes place approximately 45 mins from downtown Asheville in the Mills River, NC area. To protect the Blue Ghost habitat there, we share the location of these walks a few days prior to the event with registered participants only.

Bring/wear:

• headlamp or flashlight with a red lens if you have one (we’ll provide extras during the tour if you don’t have one on hand),
• warm layers,
• rain protection,
• full water bottle,
• close-toed shoes that can get muddy
• long pants
• hiking poles (optional, but wonderful to have if you might feel unsteady on the trail at night)

Perhaps most importantly, please bring an open heart and mind and anything else you need to be comfortable on this short, gentle stroll. Be sure to wear weather-appropriate clothing and remember that layers are your key to comfort. Rain protection is essential. Please remember that temperatures in higher elevations can be significantly lower than in town and rain is always a possibility.

Due to the special nature of this experience, tickets are non-refundable. We plan to hold these walks (light) rain or shine. If AWT cancels due to weather or any other reason, you will be offered a back up tour date. By registering, you agree to keep your designated back up date open, or accept that you will forfeit your registration fee. Backup days are as follows:

• For Thurs – Sat tours, Sunday of the same weekend is your backup date
• For Mon tours, Tuesday is your backup date
• For Tues tours, Wednesday is your backup date
• For Wed tours, Thurs is your backup date

Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions. Our ultimate goal is to offer our guests every opportunity to witness the magic while also respecting the immense amount of time and energy the team puts into crafting this experience for you.

You are responsible for getting yourself to/from the meeting point. It is important to note that Uber/Lyft are unreliable in rural areas.

If you do not have transportation, we recommend reaching out to AVL Ride several days in advance of your arrival to pre-arrange round trip transportation.

Though we’ll walk less than a mile along a gentle, easy path, please bear in mind that you’ll be navigating the trail at night, largely without a light source, and will need heightened awareness of roots, uneven terrain, and obstacles. Because of these parameters, this experience is not appropriate for anyone with mobility issues, medical concerns, or injuries. If you are concerned, please contact us as soon as possible to discuss options.

Photography and videography are not allowed during our Blue Ghost Firefly events. Any small light or flash disturbs the fireflies and disrupts the experience for others in your group.

Note that this experience lasts until approximately 10:30pm. If this isn’t too late for your littles, we welcome children 12+ for both public and private firefly forest bathing retreats. The Blue Ghost habitat is very fragile so children unfortunately won’t be able to roam freely but must instead stick very close to the group. Please keep this in mind when deciding if this event is right for your family.

Pets are not allowed on Firefly Forest Bathing tours. Thank you for understanding.

Sadly, no, we cannot guarantee that the fireflies will show themselves. It’s all up to Mother Nature and the fireflies themselves! To set expectations realistically and prepare ourselves for a lovely adventure, we can say that we are sure to have a magical time experiencing the forest at twilight and we’ll hope to spot fireflies along the way.

Fireflies are sensitive to cold weather and rain which can disrupt viewings. Throw in other elements like a delay or early onset of “high season”, and other unknowns and we never know for sure what we’ll see. Please bring an open mind and leave expectations behind. We’ll step into the unknown together!

Public Tours are perfect for solo travelers, couples, or small groups looking to meet others and share the experience. A fun, social vibe — often more affordable and scheduled regularly.

Private Tours are ideal for friend groups, team outings, corporate leadership retreats, or anyone who desires a personalized pace and exclusive experience. These are more customizable and flexible, designed with your preferences in mind.