Pickleball Courts in Asheville
Quick Answer: Public pickleball courts in Asheville are free, dual-lined courts at five city parks: Kenilworth, Malvern Hills, Montford, Murphy-Oakley, and Weaver. Tennis and pickleball share those courts on a posted alternating schedule. Indoor play runs at two community centers for $5 a visit, and a larger complex is in planning.
Pickleball is a paddle sport played on a 20 by 44 foot court with a perforated plastic ball, a low net, and games to 11 points, win by 2. Asheville handles the sport differently from most cities its size. Rather than building separate courts first, the city striped existing tennis courts with a second set of lines and wrote a schedule to keep both sports fed.
The math on that decision is public. When the shared-use system started on March 13, 2023, it preserved all 11 public tennis courts while taking outdoor pickleball courts from 12 to 22.
Where are the public pickleball courts in Asheville?
Five city parks carry dual-lined courts, all free to play, with white lines for tennis and light blue for pickleball.
- Weaver Park: 4 courts, lights, rollaway nets available
- Malvern Hills Park: 4 courts, lights, rollaway nets available
- Murphy-Oakley Community Center: 4 courts, lights, rollaway nets available
- Montford Park: 4 courts, lights, bring your own net
- Kenilworth Park: 2 courts, no lights, uses the existing tennis net
Rollaway nets sit courtside at Malvern Hills, Murphy-Oakley, and Weaver, so a session at those three needs a paddle, balls, and nothing else. Kenilworth and Montford ask more of the trunk. Addresses and hours for each sit in our public pickleball courts listings.
How does the shared tennis and pickleball schedule work?
Each park runs an alternating daily priority schedule, and courts stay first come, first served within those blocks. At Kenilworth, for example, pickleball holds priority from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, while tennis takes those same morning hours Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. Afternoon and evening blocks flip the other way.
Time limits keep the rotation honest: 1 hour for singles, 1.5 hours for doubles, and 2 hours for groups of 6 to 12. If a court is sitting empty, anyone can play either sport on it regardless of the posted priority.
One detail matters for scoring. Where a court uses the tennis net, that net sits about 2 inches higher than a regulation pickleball net, which is 36 inches at the sidelines and 34 inches at the center. Dinks die on the tape at that height, so a portable net is the difference between practice and a real match.
Can you borrow a pickleball net in Asheville?
Yes, and it costs nothing. The city offers free portable net checkout at recreation centers for up to seven days, with a photo ID and a signed waiver required. Three parks also keep semi-permanent rollaway nets on site.
That policy quietly solves the biggest problem with shared-use courts. A group of four can reserve nothing, pay nothing, and still play on a regulation-height net. Our guide to finding public pickleball courts covers what to ask a parks department elsewhere.
Where can you play indoors in Asheville?
Two city community centers run indoor pickleball with nets provided: Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center and Stephens-Lee Community Center. Both charge $5 for a single visit or $20 for a five-visit pass (as of August 2026), well under the $10 to $20 typical of private indoor clubs.
Asheville Racquet Club South runs 4 dedicated indoor courts alongside 8 dedicated outdoor pickleball courts. Non-members pay $15 per guest pass, with indoor DUPR sessions listed at $10 for members and $25 for non-members (as of August 2026).
Indoor time matters more here than the mild reputation suggests. Asheville sits at 2,165 feet, averages 13 inches of snow a year, and takes about 37 inches of precipitation spread fairly evenly across the calendar. Rain cancels more sessions than cold does.
What is Asheville’s weather like for outdoor pickleball?
Mountain elevation keeps summer honest. The July average high runs 85 degrees, which is several degrees kinder than the Piedmont and the coast, and January averages a high of 47 with a low of 28.
That spread means outdoor play works most of the year with a jacket in the mix. Spring and fall are the standouts, and fall brings visitors, so the courts at Weaver and Malvern Hills get busy on leaf-season weekends. Anyone planning a trip around it can check pickleball travel and lodging options nearby.
Lights at four of the five parks stretch the shoulder seasons considerably. Local pickleball coaches also book indoor court time through the wetter stretches, which is a useful workaround in February.
Is Asheville building more pickleball courts?
The city is planning a complex of 8 to 10 courts funded by general obligation bonds voters approved in 2024. Two sites went out for public comment from April 27 to May 11, 2026: Aston Park at 300 Hilliard Avenue and Roger Farmer Park at 71 Deaverview Road.
Aston Park already has one pickleball court and a tennis facility. Roger Farmer Park holds two baseball diamonds, a grass field, and a multi-use court. The city said a final site would be selected by the end of summer, so check current status with Asheville Parks and Recreation before assuming a location.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are pickleball courts in Asheville free?
The five dual-lined city park courts at Kenilworth, Malvern Hills, Montford, Murphy-Oakley, and Weaver are listed as free and run first come, first served. Indoor pickleball at the two community centers costs $5 per visit or $20 for a five-visit pass as of August 2026. Private clubs charge separately.
How many public pickleball courts does Asheville have?
Outdoor public pickleball courts went from 12 to 22 when the shared-use lining program launched in March 2023, and all 11 public tennis courts were preserved in the process. Those courts are spread across five parks, with four at each location except Kenilworth, which has two.
Do I need to bring my own net to Asheville courts?
Not necessarily. Malvern Hills, Murphy-Oakley, and Weaver keep rollaway nets on site, and the city loans portable nets free from recreation centers for up to seven days with a photo ID and waiver. Montford and Kenilworth do not have dedicated nets waiting, so plan ahead for those two.
Which Asheville pickleball courts have lights?
Malvern Hills, Montford, Murphy-Oakley, and Weaver all list lighting. Kenilworth Park does not. That makes the lighted four the practical choice for evening play in fall and winter.
How long can I hold a court in Asheville?
Posted time limits are 1 hour for singles, 1.5 hours for doubles, and 2 hours for groups of 6 to 12 players. The limits apply when others are waiting. If nobody else is there, the courts stay open to whoever shows up for either sport.
Is Asheville getting a dedicated pickleball complex?
A complex of 8 to 10 courts is in planning, funded by 2024 general obligation bonds. Aston Park and Roger Farmer Park were the two candidate sites put to public comment in spring 2026, with a final selection targeted for the end of summer. Timelines on bond-funded park projects shift, so verify before planning around it.
Can you play pickleball outdoors in Asheville in winter?
Frequently. Asheville averages only about 13 inches of snow a year, and January highs average 47 degrees, so dry sunny afternoons are common. The two community centers cover the wet days, and roughly 37 inches of annual precipitation means a rain plan matters more than a cold plan.
What is the two-bounce rule and does it apply at open play?
The two-bounce rule requires the serve to bounce once and the return to bounce once before either side may volley. It applies everywhere, including casual park games and community center open play. Getting it right early avoids arguments on a shared court.
Asheville rewards a little planning, so line up the park, the net, and the time block before heading out. Pickler Junction lists the courts, clubs, and coaches across western North Carolina in one place, and the guides for Charlotte and Charleston are worth a look for anyone playing the wider Carolinas circuit.
Written by the Pickler Junction Team.
