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.
Mouse Creek Falls pours into the larger Big Creek, which is one of the clearest and most pristine waterways in the Park.
Skiing and Snowboarding is a great winter activity here in Western North Carolina.
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.
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.
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.
Deep inside of Humpback Mountain lie the Linville Caverns, North Carolina’s only caverns.
Saddle up for some of the most beautiful horseback ridding that you have ever done!
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.
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 […]
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 river has become the centerpoint for a visit to the Grandfather Ranger District
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.
Cataloochee is a ski area located near Maggie Valley, North Carolina. The area has fourteen ski slopes and trails.
Bent Creek’s watershed contains a collection of trails for all kinds of hikes, for beginners and familes to advanced hiking groups.
Soco Falls is located on the Qualla Boundary (Cherokee Indian Reservation) just beside US Hwy. 19, between Cherokee and Maggie Valley, NC
The Choo Choo Coffee Company is not just a coffee shop, it offers much more than that to its patrons.
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.
Some of the most beautiful golf courses you will ever play on can be found amongst the mountains and valleys of Western North Carolina.
Tsali has 39 miles of trails in a four loop system that wind around the Fontana Lake and through US Forest Service Land.
A great small town experience in the heart of the Appalachian mountains.
The Pisgah National Forest consists of over half a million acres of forest surrounding Mt. Pisgah.
Leaf Lookers come from all around to see the Appalachian, Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains of Western NC as they change colors in the Fall of the year.
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.
Charlies Bunion is a mountain in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, characterized by a large boulder-like protrusion just below the summit on its otherwise-sheer northern face.
A short falls but in a cozy setting, this one is worth a stop if you’re on the main trail.
A historic shopping center located downtown Asheville that is famous for its beautifully restored architecture from the 1920s.
Offers trips that encompass everything that’s great about Western North Carolina-hiking, picnicking, swimming, and a thrilling jet boat ride.
Indian Creek Falls is the largest waterfall in the Deep Creek area when it comes to the volume of water flowing across it.
The Cherokee Indian Museum contains a unique collection of original artifacts used by the Cherokee Indians many years ago.
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.
Tucked away in the mountains on Western North Carolina is this small town with a unique charm.
A small but beautiful waterfall that is located only a few minutes hike form the Deep Creek Parking Area.
This beautiful distinguished city is full of upscale dinning and shopping locations and surrounded by some of the south’s most prestigious golf clubs.
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.
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.
Specializing in fresh baked Amish style goods, the Stoltzfus family has been baking great things for Bryson City for a long time.
Hayesville in known as “The Best Kept Secret in North Carolina” by Western North Carolina locals, and rightly so.
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”.
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 Diner, as locals refer to it has been serving up traditional breakfast dishes and lunch specials to patrons for many years.
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 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.
The Cherokee Skate Park is not only a great place to skateboard, bmx, or ride anything with wheels.
The waterfall is a high, steep slide with an open canopy before veering sideways into some smaller cascades that end under the trees.
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.
Enjoy a soaring and gliding experience naturally fueled by a gradual elevation change at Nantahala Gorge Canopy Tours.
A city with something for everyone! Whether you enjoy art and music, the outdoors, eating and shopping local, or all of the above.
This very popular activity is mainly enjoyed in the water of Deep Creek in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
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.
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.
Discover America’s largest home, magnificent gardens, award-winning winery, great shopping and delicious dining.
This small town located in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is literally a ‘base camp” for anything outdoor related.
The area around Hot Springs is full of opportunities to get outdoors and have a blast.
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.
Tom Branch falls is the tallest waterfall and the easiest to access in the Deep Creek area.
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.
The Grove Park Inn is a Beautiful Resort and Spa that attract thousands of visitors every year.
A mecca for outdoor adventure lovers makes Boone a great place to visit and live.
A family Theme Park and Zoo, Santa’s Land is an enchanted Christmas theme park everyone will love.
This falls is not high, but it’s absolutely beautiful and accessible via a fairly easy hike.
This village is an authentic replica of an 18th century Cherokee community.
The Mountain Farm Museum has a collection of southern Appalachian farm buildings assembled from different locations throughout the Park.
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 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.
This historic city offers a hometown experience where your family can watch local craftsmen demonstrate and age-old technique.
The Davidson River watershed is one of the most popular area for outdoor recreation within the Pisgah National Forest.
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 highest dam east of the Rockies is located just 35 miles West of Bryson City, North Carolina.
The Lake is 3,000 feet in elevation and offers to visitors many activities ranging from boating and fishing, to swimming and sightseeing.
The 4500-acre Needmore Tract was purchased by the State of North Carolina in January of 2004 as a nature preserve.
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 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.
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.
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.
There are many pristine lakes that can be enjoyed by boaters, wake-boarders, water skiers, or just lake lovers.
These trails travel along the shores and hills beside Lake Chatuge, and all trails are open to mountain biking and hiking.
The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad winds up, down, and around the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina.
Situated in a valley surrounded by the Smoky Mountains, Maggie Valley is a fun city to visit for the entire family.
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).
The Cradle of Forestry in America is a 6,500 acre Historic Site within the Pisgah National Forest.
Known as “The Crown of the Blue Ridge”, Blowing Rock is a special place to many visitors and residents alike.
Surrounded by the Appalachian mountains Waynesville has so much to offer within a short drive from outdoor activities to shopping and dinning.
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.
