Located on a 42-acre Natural Heritage site the center has many species of wildlife, gardens, trails, indoor exhibits and farm animals.
Known as “The Crown of the Blue Ridge”, Blowing Rock is a special place to many visitors and residents alike.
These trails travel along the shores and hills beside Lake Chatuge, and all trails are open to mountain biking and hiking.
Located at the top of this mountain, in Maggie Valley, is a mile high fun center with an old west setting.
In this most beautiful, unmarred, and natural setting, that was the uncharted hunting ground of the Cherokee Indians, virgin trees grow more than 100 feet tall and some 20 feet around the base.
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.
Sylva is the closest city to Western Carolina University; and is another great location for exploring the great outdoors.
This historic city offers a hometown experience where your family can watch local craftsmen demonstrate and age-old technique.
The Cherokee Indian Museum contains a unique collection of original artifacts used by the Cherokee Indians many years ago.
A community that takes pride in it’s small hometown atmosphere makes Canton a city full of heritage and history.
A unique sandwich shop located in the heart of downtown Bryson City, where a wide variety menu serving up signature deli sandwiches, salad, soups, and more can be found.
A scenic roadway, which travels 469 miles to connect the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee.
Offering up Italian favorites to locals and visitors to Bryson City, NC.
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.
The North Carolina Bartram Trail, blazed in yellow, crosses over some of the most scenic mountains of the state.
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.
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.
The Davidson River watershed is one of the most popular area for outdoor recreation within the Pisgah National Forest.
The Lake is 3,000 feet in elevation and offers to visitors many activities ranging from boating and fishing, to swimming and sightseeing.
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.
Famous for its Catawba Rhododendron gardens with its brilliant purple flowers in spring, the Roan is a wonderful place to visit and hike any time of the year.
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 Mountain Farm Museum has a collection of southern Appalachian farm buildings assembled from different locations throughout the Park.
318 curves in 11 miles is the ultimate thrill ride for many motorcyclists and sports car enthusiasts when visiting Western North Carolina.
Waterfalls and many cascades are located in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Nantahala National Forest, around the Blue Ridge Parkway in the Pisgah National Forest and the Appalachian mountains of Western North Carolina, including the 411 feet Whitewater Falls which is the tallest series of falls east of the Mississippi.
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.
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.
Indian Creek Falls is the largest waterfall in the Deep Creek area when it comes to the volume of water flowing across it.
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 Cherokee Skate Park is not only a great place to skateboard, bmx, or ride anything with wheels.
Wayah Bald provides a beautiful view of Franklin and the surrounding Western North Carolina Mountains.
A city filled with a rich history and lasting culture of the Cherokee Indians. This city has much to offer from outdoor activities, cultural arts and crafts, to family entertainment. This popular stop in Western North Carolina is sure not to disappoint.
This beautiful distinguished city is full of upscale dinning and shopping locations and surrounded by some of the south’s most prestigious golf clubs.
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.
There are many pristine lakes that can be enjoyed by boaters, wake-boarders, water skiers, or just lake lovers.
Situated in a valley surrounded by the Smoky Mountains, Maggie Valley is a fun city to visit for the entire family.
One of the most compelling outdoor dramas, Unto These Hills, tells the tragic story of how the Cherokee ancestors were forcefully driven out of the Great Smoky Mountains.
Visitors are invited to view their family tartan, connect with their clan, and learn about the history of Highland Dress.
Deep inside of Humpback Mountain lie the Linville Caverns, North Carolina’s only caverns.
A valley full of historic buildings, wildlife, and beauty, this is a great family destination inside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
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”.
Thousands of miles of trails can be found to hike in Western North Carolina, whether you find yourself in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park or one of the many National Forests. There are tons of trails to choose from that vary in length and difficulty, but no matter which one is for you there […]
Hayesville in known as “The Best Kept Secret in North Carolina” by Western North Carolina locals, and rightly so.
This small town located in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is literally a ‘base camp” for anything outdoor related.
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.
The 4500-acre Needmore Tract was purchased by the State of North Carolina in January of 2004 as a nature preserve.
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.
Pisgah View Ranch is a Western North Carolina Dude Ranch that offers a horse ranch get a way for Family and Guests.
Cataloochee is a ski area located near Maggie Valley, North Carolina. The area has fourteen ski slopes and trails.
A relatively large creek pours over a nearly vertical bluff into a big, deep, beautiful pool, complete with a sandy beach, before spilling over some smaller cascades and into a dark, rocky cove.
A combination of free falls and cascades. This is one of the most photogenic waterfalls around.
Enjoy a soaring and gliding experience naturally fueled by a gradual elevation change at Nantahala Gorge Canopy Tours.
The Grove Park Inn is a Beautiful Resort and Spa that attract thousands of visitors every year.
At 5,964 feet above sea level, Grandfather Mountain is the highest peak in the Blue Ridge Mountain Range and the only private park in the world.
The Panthertown Valley is one of those unique places that are well revered by hiking and outdoor enthusiasts, as well as ecologists, in the Southern Appalachian mountains.
Blowing Rock is an interesting place where folklore and history abound.
Dillsboro is a small city where you can take a step back in time and tour around the downtown area visiting shops, restaurants, and art galleries that are held within historic buildings.
Located between Asheville and Hendersonville, Fletcher is a place where you can enjoy the thrills of the city within a short drive while still feeling like you are tucked away in a quiet mountain hide-away.
Located right in between a state and national forest, and surrounded by waterfalls, Brevard is another great city where the outdoors are just minutes away.
Visiting Weaverville means having a chance for you and your family to experience life at a slower pace.
Western North Carolina is home to some of the most beautiful and exciting single track trails in the Southeast.
Tsali has 39 miles of trails in a four loop system that wind around the Fontana Lake and through US Forest Service Land.
The waterfall is a high, steep slide with an open canopy before veering sideways into some smaller cascades that end under the trees.
The historic town of Hendersonville offers visitors many different recreational activities for the entire family, along with local festivals that will satisfy any apple craving you have ever had.
Glen Falls is three tiers of 70, 60, and 15 feet in height for a total of about 145 feet of falling water.
Do you remember the atmosphere that was portrayed on the show “Cheers”? Well, if you do Mountain Perks is Bryson City’s Cheers.
Cherokee Bear Zoo & Exotic Animals is the home of many native Black Bears along with non-native Grizzlies, Lemurs, a Tiger, and a Monkey.
For great family rafting fun enjoy the Class I rapids of the Tuckaseigee River.
Saddle up for some of the most beautiful horseback ridding that you have ever done!
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.
The ultimate Western North Carolina destination for gambling and late night entertainment.
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.
Nature trails, parks and scenic roadways abound in Western NC. Walk the Appalachian Trail; explore the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, Nantahala National Forest, or Pisgah National Forest; or drive the Blue Ridge Parkway, Cherohala Skyway, or Mountain Waters Scenic Byway. There is fun for everyone in Western NC.
Known as the “Little Charleston of the Mountains”, Flat Rock is a small community filled with historic inns, shops, restaurants, and galleries that will keep you exploring the area for days.
13 Acres of aquatic ponds are the home to many varieties of water lilies and lotuses that begin blooming in May and continue blooming into August.
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.
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.
The water is clear, and in higher water the falls feels pretty powerful despite the creek’s relatively small size.
List of cemeteries that are located on the north Shore of Fontana Lake and the surrounding area which were eventually taken over by the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Service after the Tennessee Valley Authority built the Fontana Dam. Bradshaw Cemetery: On Possum Hollow Branch on Hazel Creek. Hickory Bottom Branch on Possum Hollow. On […]
The highest dam east of the Rockies is located just 35 miles West of Bryson City, North Carolina.
A historic shopping center located downtown Asheville that is famous for its beautifully restored architecture from the 1920s.
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 is a long slide in two main parts. Only the lower part is visible from the overlook constructed by the park.
A great small town experience in the heart of the Appalachian mountains.
Discover America’s largest home, magnificent gardens, award-winning winery, great shopping and delicious dining.
Darnell Farms offers many weekend festivals: Strawberry Jam Festival, Tomatoefest and Timberfest plus a Corn Maze depending on the season.
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.
