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.
Visiting Weaverville means having a chance for you and your family to experience life at a slower pace.
Tsali has 39 miles of trails in a four loop system that wind around the Fontana Lake and through US Forest Service Land.
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 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.
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.
The area around Hot Springs is full of opportunities to get outdoors and have a blast.
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 […]
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.
“The Road To Nowhere”, as most local residents call it, is a 6-mile scenic drive into the North Carolina side of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park where it dead-ends
The beautiful valley of Shelton Laurel Creek – and the coves, tributaries, and mountains lining it to its North – comprise a remote part of the Pisgah National Forest, known as the Shelton Laurel Backcountry Area.
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.
This a location full of decadent and delightful desserts that are bursting with unique and interesting flavors.
318 curves in 11 miles is the ultimate thrill ride for many motorcyclists and sports car enthusiasts when visiting Western North Carolina.
A city with something for everyone! Whether you enjoy art and music, the outdoors, eating and shopping local, or all of the above.
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.
The Cherokee Indian Museum contains a unique collection of original artifacts used by the Cherokee Indians many years ago.
This is one of the most popular destination for visitors to the park, attracts more than two million visitors a year because of its well-preserved homesteads, scenic vistas, and abundant display of wildlife.
Darnell Farms offers many weekend festivals: Strawberry Jam Festival, Tomatoefest and Timberfest plus a Corn Maze depending on the season.
This beautiful distinguished city is full of upscale dinning and shopping locations and surrounded by some of the south’s most prestigious golf clubs.
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 Mountain Farm Museum has a collection of southern Appalachian farm buildings assembled from different locations throughout the Park.
Mouse Creek Falls pours into the larger Big Creek, which is one of the clearest and most pristine waterways in the Park.
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).
A great small town experience in the heart of the Appalachian mountains.
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.
Bridal Veil Falls is unique in that you can drive behind them. US Hwy. 64 used to pass behind the falls until it was rerouted in front of the falls for safety.
There are many pristine lakes that can be enjoyed by boaters, wake-boarders, water skiers, or just lake lovers.
Tom Branch falls is the tallest waterfall and the easiest to access in the Deep Creek area.
Shining Rock became one of the original components of the Wilderness System in September 1964. It is the largest Wilderness area in North Carolina.
Deep inside of Humpback Mountain lie the Linville Caverns, North Carolina’s only caverns.
Glen Falls is three tiers of 70, 60, and 15 feet in height for a total of about 145 feet of falling water.
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.
Wayah Bald provides a beautiful view of Franklin and the surrounding Western North Carolina Mountains.
This city is set up beautifully along the banks of Lake Lure, offering visitors a great balance between outdoor adventure, rest, and relaxation.
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.
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.
Soco Falls is located on the Qualla Boundary (Cherokee Indian Reservation) just beside US Hwy. 19, between Cherokee and Maggie Valley, NC
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.
Cataloochee is a ski area located near Maggie Valley, North Carolina. The area has fourteen ski slopes and trails.
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.
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.
Western North Carolina is home to some of the most beautiful and exciting single track trails in the Southeast.
A collection of over 250 rare antique American Motorcycles and Automobiles.
Surrounded by the Appalachian mountains Waynesville has so much to offer within a short drive from outdoor activities to shopping and dinning.
Bent Creek’s watershed contains a collection of trails for all kinds of hikes, for beginners and familes to advanced hiking groups.
Visitors are invited to view their family tartan, connect with their clan, and learn about the history of Highland Dress.
A family Theme Park and Zoo, Santa’s Land is an enchanted Christmas theme park everyone will love.
The Black Balsam area includes some of the most spectacular mountain balds in the Southern Appalachians, including Black Balsam Knob, Sam Knob, and Tennent Mountain.
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.
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.
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.
This village is an authentic replica of an 18th century Cherokee community.
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.
Tucked away in the mountains on Western North Carolina is this small town with a unique charm.
This very popular activity is mainly enjoyed in the water of Deep Creek in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
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.
This falls starts with a short drop, which goes into a very long, gentle slide into a deep pool.
Indian Creek Falls is the largest waterfall in the Deep Creek area when it comes to the volume of water flowing across it.
The Cradle of Forestry in America is a 6,500 acre Historic Site within the Pisgah National Forest.
Offers trips that encompass everything that’s great about Western North Carolina-hiking, picnicking, swimming, and a thrilling jet boat ride.
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.
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.
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 […]
A combination of free falls and cascades. This is one of the most photogenic waterfalls around.
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.
Skiing and Snowboarding is a great winter activity here in Western North Carolina.
The Cherokee Skate Park is not only a great place to skateboard, bmx, or ride anything with wheels.
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.
The highest dam east of the Rockies is located just 35 miles West of Bryson City, North Carolina.
Averaging 1,400′ deep, the Linville Gorge was carved by the Linville River on its way down the Blue Ridge Escarpment.
The Hazel Creek area inside the Great Smoky Mountains National park is rich with history about Western North Carolina and early Appalachia.
Blowing Rock is an interesting place where folklore and history abound.
Some of the most beautiful golf courses you will ever play on can be found amongst the mountains and valleys of Western North Carolina.
Cherokee Bear Zoo & Exotic Animals is the home of many native Black Bears along with non-native Grizzlies, Lemurs, a Tiger, and a Monkey.
The water is clear, and in higher water the falls feels pretty powerful despite the creek’s relatively small size.
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.
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.
A community that takes pride in it’s small hometown atmosphere makes Canton a city full of heritage and history.
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.
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.
Located on a 42-acre Natural Heritage site the center has many species of wildlife, gardens, trails, indoor exhibits and farm animals.
Lying in the mountains and valleys of western North Carolina it is the largest of the four national forests in North Carolina
Located at the top of this mountain, in Maggie Valley, is a mile high fun center with an old west setting.
