Area Attractions For Western North Carolina

This is a guide for the Appalachian, Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains of Western North Carolina and the attractions they offer including the  Appalachian Trail, Biltmore House and Gardens, Blowing Rock, Blue Ridge Parkway, Cherohala Skyway, Cherokee Bear Zoo & Exotic Animals, Cherokee Indian Museum, Cherokee Indian Reservation, Deep Creek Tubing, Fields of the Wood, Fontana Lake and Dam,  Ghost Town, Grandfather Mountain, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Great Smoky Mountains Railway, Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, Linville Caverns, Mountain Farm and Museum, Nantahala National Forest, Nantahala River Rafting, Oconaluftee Indian Village, Pack Place, Pisgah National Forest, Santa's Land, Smoky Mountain Country Club, Soco Gardens Zoo, Tribal Bingo, Tsali Biking, Hiking and Horseback Riding Trail, Unto These Hills and Western NC Nature Center.

Click on the underlined attraction below for even more details.

• Appalachian Trail is a 2,160-mile foot trail along the ridge crests and across the major valleys of the Appalachian Mountains from Katahdin in the central Maine wilderness to Springer Mountain in a designated wilderness area in north Georgia.

• Bartram Trail  The North Carolina Bartram Trail, blazed in yellow, crosses over some of the most scenic mountains of the state, with many side trails, blazed in blue, leading to views of the Blue Ridge and the Smokies.

• Biltmore Estate is located in Asheville, North Carolina just 60 miles East of Bryson City. Plan to spend the day in this 250 room mansion built by George Vanderbilt in 1895. The vineyard and extensive gardens are unsurpassed.

• Blowing Rock  where the wind blows continuously because the walls of the Johns River Gorge form a flume through which the Northwest wind sweeps with such force that it will return light objects thrown over the edge.

• Blue Ridge Parkway is 469 miles of scenic roadway that connects the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee.

• Camp Living Water "God's Christ Magnified!" Those three words have been the mission of Camp Living Water since it's founding in 1947 as Southern Bible Testimony, Inc. A year-round conference ministry for all believers, regardless of denomination.

• Cherohala Skyway crossing through the Cherokee and Nantahala National Forests, from which it gets it's name, this National Scenic Byway connects Robbinsville in North Carolina to Tellico Plains in Southeast Tennessee.

• Cherokee Bear Zoo & Exotic Animals where you can view the native Black Bear, the non-native Grizzly, Lemurs, Tigers, and more in a safe environment. Give your children an experience they will treasure for a lifetime.

• Cherokee Indian Museum located in Cherokee, North Carolina contains a unique collection of original artifacts used by the Cherokee Indians many years ago.

• Cherokee Indian Reservation is the home of the descendants of those Cherokee who, in the late 1830s, remained in the mountains of North Carolina rather than be forced to march along the infamous "Trail of Tears" to Oklahoma. They are known now as the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians.

• Chimney Rock Park, a privately owned National Heritage Site, hosts a  rock with a 360 degree view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Take the afternoon to view Chimney Rock and its surrounding wonders, Hickory Nut Falls, the Needles Eye, and Inspirations Point.

• Clingmans Dome is the highest point along the Appalachian Trail and provides a 360º view of the surrounding mountains rising 6,643 feet above sea level. From it's 54 foot observation tower the average viewing distance is about 22 miles, but on a clear pollution free day, views can amplify as far as 100 miles into 7 states.

• Cradle of Forestry in America is a 6,500 acre Historic Site and Forest Discovery Center within the Pisgah National Forest, set aside by Congress to commemorate the beginning of forestry conservation in the United States.

• Darnell Farms Corn Maze, located by the Tuckaseigee River in the Governors Island Community of Bryson City, NC at Darnell Farms. Bring a picnic lunch and eat by the river then enjoy hours of entertainment being lost in the walk-through corn maze.

• Deep Creek Tubing is a great way to cool off on a hot summer day or simply bike, hike or horseback ride the many trails and see the numerous waterfalls.

• Disc Golf Courses in WNC Lists the Disc golf courses we currently know about in the Great Smoky Mountains and Western North Carolina.

• Fields of the Wood  is a Bible Park where God's Word is displayed amid all that he hath created. You will find replicas of Golgatha and Joseph's Tomb. Take a walk up Ten Commandment Mountain or go to the top of Prayer Mountain to view the whole park.

• Fontana Lake & Dam, located 35 miles West of Bryson City, is the highest dam in east of the Rockies. Towering 480 feet in height this dam backs water for 30 miles and provides a major source of energy.

• Ghost Town in the Sky Located at the top of this mountain, in Maggie Valley, is a mile high fun center with an old west setting.

• Golf Courses in WNC Lists the golf courses we currently know about in the Great Smoky Mountains and Western North Carolina with the address and phone numbers.

• Grandfather Mountain at 5,964 feet above sea level is the highest peak in the Blue Ridge Mountain Range. An awesome place to go where the wind gusts over 100 mph at times. Cross the mile high swinging bridge for the trill of your life.

• 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.

• Great Smoky Mountains Railway winds up, down, and around the mountains of Western North Carolina. With a depot located in Sylva, Bryson City, and Andrews they offer rides lasting from 2 1/2 to 7 hours.

• Hazel Creek, a magical place for the people and decedents of those who once lived there . Local fly fishermen sometimes cross Fontana Lake to go there so they can get away from it all. A road was promised in 1943 to allow easier access, but it has yet to be built.

• Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest is a tribute to a hero whose poem "Trees" inspired millions. The Forest Service inaugurated the Little Santeelah as the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest in 1935.

• Linville Caverns are North Carolinas only caverns. Located deep inside Humpback Mountain these caverns were first explored by the white man over 100 years ago.

• Mountain Farm and Museum takes you back in time with it's early 1900's farmstead. Observe the way people lived and worked during the summer season or take a stroll through the farm anytime of year.

• Mountain Waters Scenic Byway takes you from from Highlands, NC to the Fontana Lake at Almond, NC. The Byway follows U.S. 64, old U.S. 64, SR 1310 (Wayah Road), and U.S. 19. Approximately 61 miles of nationally-recognized byway  winds through southern Appalachian hardwood forests, by numerous waterfalls and lakes and through two river gorges.

• Nantahala National Forest lies in the mountains and valleys of western North Carolina with elevations as high as 5,800 feet at Lone Bald in Jackson County, to a low 1,200 feet in Cherokee County along the Tusquitee River.

• Nantahala River Rafting is an exciting way to spend a hot afternoon. Get the thrill of your life riding the Class II and Class III rapids of the Nantahala River, but for a calmer family oriented ride try the Tuckaseigee River Rafting listed below.

• Needmore Tract, The is a 4500 acre nature preserve managed by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission to protect water quality and wildlife habitat while maintaining traditional uses of the land.

• Oconaluftee Indian Village, located in Cherokee, portrays the way of life for the Cherokee Indians over 225 years ago. Observe how they made their dugout canoes, pottery, baskets, and much much more.

• Pack Place is home to five member institutions, which include the Asheville Art Museum, Colburn Gem & Mineral Museum, Diana Wortham Theater, The Health Adventure and YMI Cultural Center.

• Perry's Water Gardens is the home to many varieties of water lilies and lotuses that begin blooming in May and continue blooming into August. Perry's Water Gardens are said to be the largest commercial aquatic nursery in the US.

• Pisgah National Forest consists of over half a million acres of forest surrounding Mt. Pisgah. James Hall, a Presbyterian minister, named Mt. Pisgah for the mountain Moses saw the promised land from after wondering forty years in the wilderness.

• Road To Nowhere, The, 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 provides spectacular views of the Tuckasiegee River, Fontana Lake and the Appalachian Mountains.

• Santa's Land is a family Theme Park and Zoo with a Christmas theme. Enjoy rides, shops, domestic and exotic animals, or visit with Santa and his elves. Bring a picnic lunch or dine at one of our establishments.

• Scottish Tartans Museum was founded by Scottish Tartans Society, formed in Scotland in 1963 to “study the origins, history and development of tartans.”  The Society has two museums--one in Keith, Scotland, and one in Franklin, NC.

• Soco Gardens Zoo, located in Maggie Valley, is a small zoo with unique animals. Our guided tours allow you to learn how the animals came to live in our zoo and by the time you leave you will know many of our animals by name. Closed in 2005

• Ski Slopes in WNC Lists the ski slopes we currently know about in the Great Smoky Mountains and Western North Carolina with the phone numbers and website information.

• Tuckaseigee River Rafting, a fun filled way for the family to spend a hot afternoon. Kids 4 years of age and over can have loads of fun and enjoy the calm, cool waters rafting the Class I rapids of the Tuckaseigee River.

• Tribal Bingo, an Enterprise of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, is open year round seven days a week and is located on Hwy 19 North 2 miles from downtown Cherokee.

• Tsali Biking, Hiking and Horseback Riding Trails wind around the Fontana Lake and through US Forest Service land. Bring your bike, horse, or just a pair of hiking boots and enjoy the great outdoors.

• Unto These Hills, an outdoor drama, which depicts the Cherokee Indian, Tsali, as he fights, runs, and finally ends up sacrificing his life so that a handful of his people will be allowed to remain in the Great Smoky Mountains.

• Waterfalls abound in the Appalachian, Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains of Western North Carolina including the 411 feet Whitewater Falls which is the tallest series of falls east of the Mississippi.

• Western NC Nature Center offers a Main Exhibit Building, Petting Area, Educational Farm, Predator Habitat, Otter Habitat, Nocturnal Hall and The Trillium Glen Nature Trail for your enjoyment.

• Wheels Through Time Museum is an All-American museum offering a collection of over 250 rare antique American Motorcycles and Automobiles, plus a unique memorabilia collection.