The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad winds up, down, and around the beautiful mountains of 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.
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.
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.
Skiing and Snowboarding is a great winter activity here in Western North Carolina.
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.
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.
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.
The Asheville Art Museum is the single visual arts facility serving Western North Carolina.
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.
This falls is not high, but it’s absolutely beautiful and accessible via a fairly easy hike.
The waterfall is a high, steep slide with an open canopy before veering sideways into some smaller cascades that end under the trees.
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.
A beautiful disc golf course located on the property of Fontana Village only minutes away from Fontana Dam. The course is 18 holes and is made up of par 3 and par 4 holes that offer players a diverse course of trees and open field to play on. This is a great course to play, […]
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 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.
Surrounded by the Appalachian mountains Waynesville has so much to offer within a short drive from outdoor activities to shopping and dinning.
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 Davidson River watershed is one of the most popular area for outdoor recreation within the Pisgah National Forest.
Soco Falls is located on the Qualla Boundary (Cherokee Indian Reservation) just beside US Hwy. 19, between Cherokee and Maggie Valley, NC
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.
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 area around Hot Springs is full of opportunities to get outdoors and have a blast.
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.
Visitors are invited to view their family tartan, connect with their clan, and learn about the history of Highland Dress.
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.
A great small town experience in the heart of the Appalachian mountains.
A small town located deep in Western North Carolina offering a charming small town experience for all visitors.
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.
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.
Known as “The Crown of the Blue Ridge”, Blowing Rock is a special place to many visitors and residents alike.
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.
Discover America’s largest home, magnificent gardens, award-winning winery, great shopping and delicious dining.
Sometimes to see the things you want to see in Western North Carolina it requires you to hike for multiple days, and we love it.
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).
This historic city offers a hometown experience where your family can watch local craftsmen demonstrate and age-old technique.
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.
This a location full of decadent and delightful desserts that are bursting with unique and interesting flavors.
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.
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.
Tsali has 39 miles of trails in a four loop system that wind around the Fontana Lake and through US Forest Service Land.
The Cherokee Skate Park is not only a great place to skateboard, bmx, or ride anything with wheels.
North Carolina’s longest trail, the North Carolina Mountains to Sea Trail, is an ambitious project to provide a foot path linking the Mountains in the West to the Coastal Plain in the East.
Tucked away in the mountains on Western North Carolina is this small town with a unique charm.
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.
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.
This river has become the centerpoint for a visit to the Grandfather Ranger District
The 4500-acre Needmore Tract was purchased by the State of North Carolina in January of 2004 as a nature preserve.
A small mountain town rich with history and a love for the mountains that surrounded it.
Sylva is the closest city to Western Carolina University; and is another great location for exploring the great outdoors.
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.
Darnell Farms offers many weekend festivals: Strawberry Jam Festival, Tomatoefest and Timberfest plus a Corn Maze depending on the season.
For great family rafting fun enjoy the Class I rapids of the Tuckaseigee River.
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.
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.
A mecca for outdoor adventure lovers makes Boone a great place to visit and live.
Lying in the mountains and valleys of western North Carolina it is the largest of the four national forests in North Carolina
The Pisgah National Forest consists of over half a million acres of forest surrounding Mt. Pisgah.
This village is an authentic replica of an 18th century Cherokee community.
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.
318 curves in 11 miles is the ultimate thrill ride for many motorcyclists and sports car enthusiasts when visiting Western North Carolina.
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.
Western North Carolina is home to some of the most beautiful and exciting single track trails in the Southeast.
The North Carolina Bartram Trail, blazed in yellow, crosses over some of the most scenic mountains of the state.
Visiting Weaverville means having a chance for you and your family to experience life at a slower pace.
The Grove Park Inn is a Beautiful Resort and Spa that attract thousands of visitors every year.
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 […]
A wooden fire tower at the summit provides hikers with amazing 360 degree views of the mountains of western North Carolina.
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.
The highest dam east of the Rockies is located just 35 miles West of Bryson City, North Carolina.
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.
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 Cradle of Forestry in America is a 6,500 acre Historic Site within the Pisgah National Forest.
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.
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.
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.
Situated in a valley surrounded by the Smoky Mountains, Maggie Valley is a fun city to visit for the entire family.
The ultimate Western North Carolina destination for gambling and late night entertainment.
Shining Rock became one of the original components of the Wilderness System in September 1964. It is the largest Wilderness area in North Carolina.
Enjoy a soaring and gliding experience naturally fueled by a gradual elevation change at Nantahala Gorge Canopy Tours.
A collection of over 250 rare antique American Motorcycles and Automobiles.
