The Pisgah National Forest consists of over half a million acres of forest surrounding Mt. Pisgah.
A great small town experience in the heart of the Appalachian mountains.
Offering up Italian favorites to locals and visitors to Bryson City, NC.
Soco Falls is located on the Qualla Boundary (Cherokee Indian Reservation) just beside US Hwy. 19, between Cherokee and Maggie Valley, NC
Located on a 42-acre Natural Heritage site the center has many species of wildlife, gardens, trails, indoor exhibits and farm animals.
Asheville, NC – This 18 hole disc golf course is one of the most played courses in Asheville. It features a wide range of obstacles and is pretty difficult as you throw through the woods, over valleys, and down ridges.
Sitting on the banks of Deep Creek, Camp Living Water offers week-long Christian camps and High Trek Adventures for various age groups from 7 to 18.
Visitors are invited to view their family tartan, connect with their clan, and learn about the history of Highland Dress.
The highest dam east of the Rockies is located just 35 miles West of Bryson City, North Carolina.
Located on a historic corner of downtown Bryson City, right next to the old county courthouse, the Cork & Bean has not only good food but a great atmosphere.
A wooden fire tower at the summit provides hikers with amazing 360 degree views of the mountains of western North Carolina.
Blowing Rock is an interesting place where folklore and history abound.
Do you get a hint of what this place serves from the name? Well, you should because they serve up fried goodness every day of the week.
Hayesville in known as “The Best Kept Secret in North Carolina” by Western North Carolina locals, and rightly so.
Deep Creek, located in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, has a campground complete with showers if you like spending the night in the great outdoors.
This village is an authentic replica of an 18th century Cherokee community.
Cherokee Bear Zoo & Exotic Animals is the home of many native Black Bears along with non-native Grizzlies, Lemurs, a Tiger, and a Monkey.
This excellent loop, designated a National Recreation Trail, climbs to the top of Whiteside Mountain, with its spectacular 700′ high cliff walls lofting the hiker for amazing views.
The Green River Narrows Race happens once a year in November and is probably one of the most exciting kayak races to watch in the southeast.
This river has become the centerpoint for a visit to the Grandfather Ranger District
A valley full of historic buildings, wildlife, and beauty, this is a great family destination inside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Surrounded by mountains exceeding 6000′ in elevation, the base of the valley is itself over 5000′, which accounts for some of its unique characteristics. A variety of hiking trails wind throughout the valley for your exploration.
The 4500-acre Needmore Tract was purchased by the State of North Carolina in January of 2004 as a nature preserve.
The Cradle of Forestry in America is a 6,500 acre Historic Site within the Pisgah National Forest.
This area of the Pisgah National Forest, located along the upper reaches of the Ivy River, has long been known by locals as the Coleman Boundary.
The Asheville Art Museum is the single visual arts facility serving Western North Carolina.
A short falls but in a cozy setting, this one is worth a stop if you’re on the main trail.
Marked by charming rural character and the scenic beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Mars HIll is a great stop and play location in Western North Carolina.
These trails travel along the shores and hills beside Lake Chatuge, and all trails are open to mountain biking and hiking.
Stand Up Paddling is one of the fastest growing water sports today. It fun, healthy, and can help improve the overall quality of a persons life. Strengthen your core, improve your balance and get to know a part of nature you may be unfamiliar with. Bryson City Outdoors – Come see what all the fuss […]
In Western North Carolina you will be able to find a very calm river or one that is a little more raging, depending on what suits you best.
This paved two-lane road climbs to elevations over 5300 feet and extends over 50 miles. In April 1997, the state of North Carolina declared it a Scenic Byway.
This waterfall is a narrow tumble and cascade into a deep trough, that opens up and spills out into a deep pool – a fantastic swimming hole (if the water isn’t super high).
Discover America’s largest home, magnificent gardens, award-winning winery, great shopping and delicious dining.
Shining Rock became one of the original components of the Wilderness System in September 1964. It is the largest Wilderness area in North Carolina.
This impressive, multi-streamed cascade has a roadside view, but accessing it can be dangerous. US Hwy. 64 has cliffs on both sides and is narrow and curvy here.
Mouse Creek Falls pours into the larger Big Creek, which is one of the clearest and most pristine waterways in the Park.
Sylva is the closest city to Western Carolina University; and is another great location for exploring the great outdoors.
Averaging 1,400′ deep, the Linville Gorge was carved by the Linville River on its way down the Blue Ridge Escarpment.
The creek can have a decent flow during wet weather, but it spreads out wide across this bumpy rock outcrop, forming lots of little falls over the mini ledges and giving it lots of character.
Located in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, Franklin is a city filled with many things to do for the whole family within the city.
Beginning in Highlands, this approximately 61 miles of nationally-recognized byway winds through southern Appalachian hardwood forests, by numerous waterfalls and lakes and through two river gorges.
Indian Creek Falls is the largest waterfall in the Deep Creek area when it comes to the volume of water flowing across it.
Nestled in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains, across from a mountain where God revealed a vision, lie the world’s largest set of the Ten Commandments.
Darnell Farms offers many weekend festivals: Strawberry Jam Festival, Tomatoefest and Timberfest plus a Corn Maze depending on the season.
A collection of over 250 rare antique American Motorcycles and Automobiles.
The Brown Mountain Lights create an uncanny light show that has been described in many ways from being like a glowing ball of fire, to being a bursting skyrocket, or a pale almost white light.
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail is a 2,159.1-mile foot trail along the ridge crests and through the major valleys of the Appalachian Mountains.
The fresh smell of hops and everything else that goes in to a great craft beer fill the air when you approach doors of the Nantahala Brewery.
There are many pristine lakes that can be enjoyed by boaters, wake-boarders, water skiers, or just lake lovers.
Located at the top of this mountain, in Maggie Valley, is a mile high fun center with an old west setting.
Skiing and Snowboarding is a great winter activity here in Western North Carolina.
This falls is not high, but it’s absolutely beautiful and accessible via a fairly easy hike.
318 curves in 11 miles is the ultimate thrill ride for many motorcyclists and sports car enthusiasts when visiting Western North Carolina.
Enjoy a soaring and gliding experience naturally fueled by a gradual elevation change at Nantahala Gorge Canopy Tours.
Pisgah View Ranch is a Western North Carolina Dude Ranch that offers a horse ranch get a way for Family and Guests.
The Mountain Farm Museum has a collection of southern Appalachian farm buildings assembled from different locations throughout the Park.
Bryson City’s most unique ice cream parlor takes you beck to the old days right when you step foot inside the door.
A beauty worth visiting. A steep cascade drops over a ledge onto an outcrop among boulders before shifting right, and dropping over another, smaller, cascade into a deep and wide pool.
A mecca for outdoor adventure lovers makes Boone a great place to visit and live.
This small town located in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is literally a ‘base camp” for anything outdoor related.
Known as “The Crown of the Blue Ridge”, Blowing Rock is a special place to many visitors and residents alike.
Visiting Weaverville means having a chance for you and your family to experience life at a slower pace.
The North Carolina Bartram Trail, blazed in yellow, crosses over some of the most scenic mountains of the state.
The Diner, as locals refer to it has been serving up traditional breakfast dishes and lunch specials to patrons for many years.
Surrounded by the Appalachian mountains Waynesville has so much to offer within a short drive from outdoor activities to shopping and dinning.
Cataloochee is a ski area located near Maggie Valley, North Carolina. The area has fourteen ski slopes and trails.
Tsali has 39 miles of trails in a four loop system that wind around the Fontana Lake and through US Forest Service Land.
At 4629 feet elevation, this grassy summit is not the highest mountain around, but it is considered by some to be the “crown jewel of the Appalachian Trail”.
An attractive, two-tiered cascade with some free-falling sections, across tilted rocks.
The Choo Choo Coffee Company is not just a coffee shop, it offers much more than that to its patrons.
Located in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains atop a plateau, Cashiers is a great spot for the whole family to visit and experience the beauty of Western North Carolina.
With an elevation of 6,593 ft Mount LeConte is the third highest peak in the national park, it is however the tallest peak in Tennessee.
A “planned community” or small downtown area not far from the Asheville Airport that was designed to make you feel like you where in a actual city once inside.
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, established in 1934, covers 520,408 acres of land with heights ranging from 840 feet at Abrams Creek to 6,643 feet at Clingmans Dome.
The Lake is 3,000 feet in elevation and offers to visitors many activities ranging from boating and fishing, to swimming and sightseeing.
The Spectacular Mingo Falls located in Cherokee, NC are over 120 feet high and are rated one of the most impressive falls in Western North Carolina.
Deep inside of Humpback Mountain lie the Linville Caverns, North Carolina’s only caverns.
This falls is named for its shape, sort of like the domed shell of a turtle. It drops into a deep pool and some people use it for sliding.
Some of the most beautiful golf courses you will ever play on can be found amongst the mountains and valleys of Western North Carolina.
Rising 6,643 feet above the Great Smoky Mountains, Clingman’s Dome is the highest point along the Appalachian Trail and provides a 360 degree view of the surrounding mountains.
This city is set up beautifully along the banks of Lake Lure, offering visitors a great balance between outdoor adventure, rest, and relaxation.
Fly Fishing is a popular past time in Western North Carolina. With an immense amount of mountain streams in the area you are sure to be able to find some fish somewhere.
This very popular activity is mainly enjoyed in the water of Deep Creek in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
