Is there a family friendly hotel nearby? What kind of gear would we need to hike, we are looking to come at the end of December and the 1st few days in January, are the trails doable for kids ages 5, 7,8. Thanks for any info.

Lots of cabins and trails, linville falls has good trails for kids. Our 6 yr old has walked them all

Much depends on exactly which area you want to visit. There's a website (Google search Pisgah National Forest trail guide) that can help you find exactly the level of difficulty, length of trails, and destinations you're seeking (from waterfalls, to boulders, to awesome views). There are SO MANY places to lodge from hotels to cabins to bed & breakfasts. I highly recommend that you start planning your trip by 1st deciding which activities you're interested in, then find which area most appeals to your wants, and lastly book lodging. Linville Gorge is a fantastic area for a family if you enjoy not just hiking, but exploring caves, gem mining (lots of mining all around PNF), zip-lining, etc. Mills River & Brevard are excellent if you're looking for quaint towns nearby countless trails & waterfalls. As for hiking gear: you'll need comfortable layers, a few of those emergency foil blankets (you never know when you may get wet and chilled), and food & water.

Lots of hotels in Brevard. Trail difficulty varies. My daughter started hiking in the area at 3. A lot of Forest roads close in mid December so keep this in mind

Kanati lodge- great place! Family friendly. Stones throw to Appalachian trail, Max Patch, horse trails and wildlife preserve.

Near Brevard you will find a lot of hotels at affordable prices.

There are plenty of hotels, cabins and campsites in and around Pisgah forest.

There are hotels near, as far as hiking, I'm not a hiker, I do know there are times the road closes due to fog that freezes over the roads

It depends on what part of the forest you go to there are trails of varying degrees of difficulty

Either cherokee or Gatlinburg and yes