This small town located in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is literally a ‘base camp” for anything outdoor related.
The Grove Park Inn is a Beautiful Resort and Spa that attract thousands of visitors every year.
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.
These trails travel along the shores and hills beside Lake Chatuge, and all trails are open to mountain biking and hiking.
Visitors are invited to view their family tartan, connect with their clan, and learn about the history of Highland Dress.
A small but beautiful waterfall that is located only a few minutes hike form the Deep Creek Parking Area.
This is a long slide in two main parts. Only the lower part is visible from the overlook constructed by the park.
The water is clear, and in higher water the falls feels pretty powerful despite the creek’s relatively small size.
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.
318 curves in 11 miles is the ultimate thrill ride for many motorcyclists and sports car enthusiasts when visiting Western North Carolina.
Mouse Creek Falls pours into the larger Big Creek, which is one of the clearest and most pristine waterways in the Park.
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.
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.
Bent Creek’s watershed contains a collection of trails for all kinds of hikes, for beginners and familes to advanced hiking groups.
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.
A small mountain town rich with history and a love for the mountains that surrounded it.
Specializing in fresh baked Amish style goods, the Stoltzfus family has been baking great things for Bryson City for a long time.
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.
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.
Wayah Bald provides a beautiful view of Franklin and the surrounding Western North Carolina Mountains.
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.
A small town located deep in Western North Carolina offering a charming small town experience for all visitors.
Tom Branch falls is the tallest waterfall and the easiest to access in the Deep Creek area.
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.
A community that takes pride in it’s small hometown atmosphere makes Canton a city full of heritage and history.
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.
Located on a 42-acre Natural Heritage site the center has many species of wildlife, gardens, trails, indoor exhibits and farm animals.
Blowing Rock is an interesting place where folklore and history abound.
The Asheville Art Museum is the single visual arts facility serving Western North Carolina.
The North Carolina Bartram Trail, blazed in yellow, crosses over some of the most scenic mountains of the state.
This historic city offers a hometown experience where your family can watch local craftsmen demonstrate and age-old technique.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
A wooden fire tower at the summit provides hikers with amazing 360 degree views of the mountains of western North Carolina.
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.
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 […]
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.
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 great small town experience in the heart of the Appalachian mountains.
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.
Darnell Farms offers many weekend festivals: Strawberry Jam Festival, Tomatoefest and Timberfest plus a Corn Maze depending on the season.
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 Cradle of Forestry in America is a 6,500 acre Historic Site within the Pisgah National Forest.
Pisgah View Ranch is a Western North Carolina Dude Ranch that offers a horse ranch get a way for Family and Guests.
Located at the top of this mountain, in Maggie Valley, is a mile high fun center with an old west setting.
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.
Cataloochee is a ski area located near Maggie Valley, North Carolina. The area has fourteen ski slopes and trails.
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 Pisgah National Forest consists of over half a million acres of forest surrounding Mt. Pisgah.
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.
Water is one thing there is not a shortage of when you come to the mountains of Western North Carolina.
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.
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.
Visiting Weaverville means having a chance for you and your family to experience life at a slower pace.
Enjoy a soaring and gliding experience naturally fueled by a gradual elevation change at Nantahala Gorge Canopy Tours.
Offers trips that encompass everything that’s great about Western North Carolina-hiking, picnicking, swimming, and a thrilling jet boat ride.
Western North Carolina is home to some of the most beautiful and exciting single track trails in the Southeast.
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.
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 Hazel Creek area inside the Great Smoky Mountains National park is rich with history about Western North Carolina and early Appalachia.
A privately owned National Heritage Site, Chimney Rock Park encompasses 1000 acres, including rock formation seen here with a 360 degree view of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
A city with something for everyone! Whether you enjoy art and music, the outdoors, eating and shopping local, or all of the above.
Known as “The Crown of the Blue Ridge”, Blowing Rock is a special place to many visitors and residents alike.
The waterfall is a high, steep slide with an open canopy before veering sideways into some smaller cascades that end under the trees.
The Mountain Farm Museum has a collection of southern Appalachian farm buildings assembled from different locations throughout the Park.
The Nantahala River offers the thrill and excitement of riding river rapids in a raft, canoe or kayak while enjoying the scenic Nantahala National Forest that surrounds it.
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 […]
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Cherokee Bear Zoo & Exotic Animals is the home of many native Black Bears along with non-native Grizzlies, Lemurs, a Tiger, and a Monkey.
A combination of free falls and cascades. This is one of the most photogenic waterfalls around.
Lying in the mountains and valleys of western North Carolina it is the largest of the four national forests in North Carolina
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 Choo Choo Coffee Company is not just a coffee shop, it offers much more than that to its patrons.
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.
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.
This village is an authentic replica of an 18th century Cherokee community.
