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North Carolina attractions offer year-around
mountain fun, adventure and cultural experiences. Some of
the most visited NC attractions are
Biltmore in
Asheville, The Blowing Rock, Tweetsie
Railroad, Grandfather Mountain, Chimney Rock Park and the Cherokee
Indian Village.
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Alphabetical List NC Attractions
with direct links to the attraction website:
Discover North Carolina history and traditions at NC Museums.
NC Museums are as varied as the cultures they
preserve. From the remarkable culture of the native
Cherokee People to indigenous rocks and minerals and
historic community heritage, the "mountain ways" and
resources are preserved and
shared in North Carolina Museums. Most are
open daily with modest admittance
fees of voluntary donations.
For many, the
natural wonders of the NC Mountains are the biggest
attractions of all. The natural granite
monolith Chimney Rock stands 315 feet high affording a
remarkable 75 mile view of Lake Lure and the Hickory Nut
Gorge. Linville Caverns offer at look inside the
mountains and Mount Mitchell is the highest peak
east of the Mississippi with a Canadian-like
environment. A drive along any NC scenic Byway is
breathtaking for all and a shutterbug's dream.
NC outdoor
adventures provide year around things to do.
From Whitewater rafting on the Nantahala with both class
II and III rapids to recreational and competitive
mountain biking to world class fly fishing in the
pristine mountain waters, there are activities for all
ages and abilities.
Historic NC Homes
offer a look into the past of both mountain
communities and the people who created them. The most
famous mountain home and most popular NC attraction is
Biltmore, the dream home of George Vanderbilt. Over the
last 50 years more of the original house and gardens has
been opened to the public along with newer additions
including the winery, a luxury hotel and Antler Ridge.
All Aboard! Take a
ride on train through the valleys and mountains, across
meadows beside a mountain river. At one time, the
railroads were the only means of navigating the the
steep and winding grades to bring supplies and
passengers what were then remote mountain settlements
and towns. Although is very limited rail service today,
recreational excursions relive the excitement of
yesteryear's train travel. Many of the mountain train
depots have been restored and are now open attractions
for public tours.
WNC
Cheese Trail
Spend an afternoon or a weekend exploring the country roads of beautiful Western North Carolina and sample some of the best cheeses being made in the south today.
Biltmore and Historic NC Homes
Biltmore -
America's "Castle", was built in 1895 by George Vanderbilt and is preserved and
maintained today by his descendants. With interior square footage over 4 acres,
250 rooms, 65 fireplaces, 43 bathrooms and an impressive collection of art and
period furnishing it is well worth the admission fee and a day's time. Once a
working dairy farm the estate now includes a winery, 8,000 acres of trails,
Antler Village, gardens and grounds to explore, an on site Inn, fine and casual dining.
Find more Asheville NC Attractions
on our Asheville Visitor Guide
Carl
Sandburg Home -
Carl Sandburg, nationally
renowned poet, biographer, lecturer, newspaper columnist, folksinger,
author of American fairytales, and winner of two Pulitzer Prizes spent the
final 22 years of his long and
productive life at "Connemara" in Flat
Rock, NC. This 264 acre working farm
built in 1838, now houses Sandburgs collection of 10,000 books,
notes and papers. Daily tours.
Find more Flat Rock attractions on our
Flat Rock Visitor Guide
Thomas Wolfe Memorial - Thomas Wolfe lived in his mother's
boardinghouse in Asheville, now the Thomas Wolfe Memorial.
The former home has become one of literature's most famous landmarks after
being depicted as "Dixieland"
in Wolfe's novel Look Homeward Angel, a realistic portrayal of Asheville and its
citizens-including Wolfe's own family. The attraction includes an
exhibit hall, guided tours, audio-visual
program and gift shop. Open daily. Find more Asheville NC Attractions
on our Asheville Visitor Guide
The Moses Cone Centerat Milepost 294 on the Blue
Ridge Parkway is home to
abundant natural beauty and the best quality Appalachian
Mountain hand-made crafts from the Southern Highland Craft Guild.
Craft demonstrations. .With 3600 acres of pristine mountain terrain and the Manor House, a wide variety of activities is available at no cost to the public. The combination of the architecture, landscape and the beauty of the regional crafts available at Parkway Craft Center offer something for everyone.
Blowing Rock NC
Historic
Johnson Farm
is a non-profit heritage education
center and farm museum for area school
children and the community. It features
an 1880's home, a barnloft museum, 10
historic buildings, animals, nature
trails, and 15 acres of fields, forest
and streams. The historic farm is listed
on the National Register of Historic
Places. Find more
local Attractions on our Hendersonville NC Visitor Guide
Mountain Heritage and Local Tours
Oconaluftee
Indian Village where the wood smoke drifting on the breeze isn’t like any you’ve smelled before. It’s not the pure tang of hardwood burned
for heat. Nor is it the aroma of a cooking fire, fragrant with baking bread or bubbling broth or roasting meat. There’s something earthy about this fire, because it’s smoldering pitch pine, firing local
Cherokee clay into gleaming blackware pottery. Then again, all the sights, sounds, and scents surrounding you are novel.
In the Oconaluftee Indian Village, it’s still 1750. The Village is
open May - October, Monday - Saturday. Find more Cherokee NC Attractions
on our Cherokee Visitor Guide
Asheville
Historic Trolley Tours See all the highlights of
Asheville from a charming vintage trolley. The narrated tour covers all
major points of interest in Asheville including The Grove Park Inn, Historic
Biltmore Village, the downtown shopping and
restaurant district, Thomas Wolfe Memorial, the Asheville Art Museum and art gallery district,
The Asheville Visitor Center and more. Step
off the trolley at any of the convenient stops
to shop, dine or sightsee, then re-board and continue the tour. Tours
are available year around, 7 days a
week. Find more Asheville NC Attractions
on our Asheville City Guide
The Orchard at Altapass The Orchard
is an Appalachian cultural and
historical center celebrating the
people, music, art, and natural beauty
of the Blue Ridge mountains. Over 100
years old, the Orchard sits right on the
Blue Ridge Parkway providing some of the
most amazing scenery in North Carolina.
Open May through October, closed Mondays
and Tuesdays Find
more Little Switzerland Attractions on
our Little Switzerland Visitor Guide
LaZoom Comedy Bus Tours show you Asheville
"with a twist". The daily tour season runs from April 15
through October 31 with special events, live comedy shows,
live music and holiday tours all year long. Get on the bus
and laugh your Asheville off!
Asheville Brews
Cruise
- Take a tour of Asheville's
award-winning beer scene with a guided
tour of 3-4 of the 10 local breweries.
The behind-the-scenes tour includes the
processes involved in brewing as well as
generous samples of each brewery’s fresh
and delicious brews.
Quilt
Trails of Western North Carolina
- The WNC Quilt Trails offers over
200 quilt blocks, the highest concentration anywhere
in the country.
Nine different driving trails
traverse beautiful mountain
scenery providing the backdrop for
vividly painted quilt squares installed
on barns and buildings in participating
communities.
NC Museums and Historic Attractions
The
Museum of The Cherokee Indian - Totally renovated in 1998, the new museum tells the story
of the Cherokee people using today's high-tech computer wizardry,
life-sized figures and an extensive
artifact collection. It is considered on og the top ten native sites
east of the Mississippi. Follow the "Trail of Tears" ,
hear and
learn about the language, customs and crafts of a remarkable
civilization and its people. Open year around,
7 days a week.
Find more Cherokee NC Attractions
on our Cherokee Visitor Guide
The
YMI Cultural Center is an Asheville landmark in the heart of
downtown, convenient to City Hall, and Pack Place. Listed on the
National Register of Historic Places, the YMI has served Asheville's
minority citizens since it was first established in 1893 as
the Young Men's Institute. It houses numerous exhibits, many dealing with the history of
African Americans in Western North Carolina, and sponsors such
cultural events as Asheville's Goombay! Festival, an Annual
Kwanzaa Celebration and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday
Celebration. All people are welcome to come share in the rich
heritage and celebration of African and African American
culture. Find more Asheville NC Attractions
on our Asheville City Guide
Scottish
Tartans Museum
- A visit to the Scottish Tartans
Museum and Gift Shop in
the Smoky Mountains is a stroll through the history and
culture of Scotland. The 4800 square foot location on
Main Street in downtown Franklin, showcases a large
Museum area as well as an expansive Gift Shop. Find
more Franklin NC Attractions
Wheels
Through Time Museum
-
the museum that runs, is
easily the finest collection of all American vintage
motorcycles in the world and an astounding collection of rare
American made automobiles. A collection of over 250 rare
antique American
Motorcycles and Automobiles. Equally as astounding is the
memorabilia collection. A ride
through history has something for everyone. Open 7 days a
week. Find more Maggie Valley NC
Attractions on our Maggie Valley Visitor Guide
Swannanoa
Valley Museum - For millennia, the Swannanoa Valley
has been a pathway for both animals and humans. After the Revolutionary
War, pioneers entered the Valley. Some such as Col. Samuel Winslow
Davidson (left) settled here. Others, including famed frontiersman
Davy Crockett, passed through on their way west. Discover for
yourself the historical pathways that led to the settlement of the
Swannanoa Valley, Buncombe County, and Western North Carolina.
Located at 223 W State Street Black Mountain.
Find more Black Mountain Attractions on
our Black Mountain Visitor Guide
Transylvania
Heritage Museum
- During the 125th anniversary
celebration of Transylvania County, NC
in 1986, hundreds of people signed a
petition encouraging the formation of a
county museum. The Jim Bob Tinsley
Museum, a non-profit organization, was
opened in May 1994 in Brevard, NC. In
2003 the Transylvania Heritage Coalition
(THC) was formed. The THM opened in May
2008. It now houses temporary and
permanent displays of heirlooms,
artifacts, genealogical exhibits,
vintage photographs, and other exhibits
reflective of the history and heritage
of the county.
Find more Brevard NC Attractions on our
Brevard NC Visitor Guide
The Western
North Carolina Air Museum
is the first air museum in the state of
North Carolina known as the "first in
flight" state. The museum features award
winning restored and replica antique and
vintage airplanes. Open (weather
permitting) Mar-Oct, Wed and Sun 12
Noon-6 PM, Sat 10 AM-6 PM; Nov-Feb Wed,
Sat and Sun Noon-5 PM . Admission is
free.
Henderson County Museumis located within
the Henderson County Historic Courthouse
and consists of six rooms, approximately
2000 square feet designed for
flexibility, capability, and
versatility. The Museum collects,
preserves, researches, and exhibits a
collection of historical and cultural
artifacts. Hours are
Wed - Sat 10 AM- 5 PM, Sun: 1- 5 PM Local
history, culture and artifacts with
special events, children's exhibits and
events and a gift shop.
Mountain Gateway
Museum and Heritage Center
The museum is the westernmost branch of
the NC Museum of History family. As a
part of the NC Department of Cultural
resources, it is dedicated to bringing
life to the wonderful history of the
"Old North State". A variety of educational and historical exhibits
are available for public viewing
including: Remedies From the Past: Folk Medicine in Western NC;
Spinning and Weaving; Moonshining; A Time to Plant and a Time to Pluck and two 19th Century cabins on the museum's grounds.
The Mountain Gateway Museum is located
at 102 Water Street in Old Fort NC.
Wilkes Heritage Museum Exhibits Range from Civil War to NASCAR.
ne of the race cars driven by NASCAR legend and Wilkes County native Junior Johnson is here‚ and so is a piece of the military jacket worn by Gen. Robert E. Lee. They are among the hundreds of exhibits being showcased at the Wilkes Heritage Museum‚ which opened to the public in November 2005.
Candlelight Ghost Tours at Wilkes Heritage Museum
- Think you’ve seen a ghost? That just might be the case if you take part in the Wilkes Heritage Museum’s monthly Candlelight Ghost Tours. The nightly excursions take place from May through Halloween in buildings located throughout Old Wilkes‚ including the Old Wilkes Jail‚ Smithey Hotel and the Presbyterian Cemetery.
Live Entertainment and Theatre
Unto These
Hills is an outdoor drama
presenting the history of the Cherokee Indians in a beautiful
Mountainside Theatre.
In 2006, “Unto These Hills” began a new script, new
director, new score, new choreography, new set design, new costuming and new cast members all aimed at conveying a
more culturally authentic, historically accurate and Cherokee-centered experience.
The new play traces the Cherokee people through the eons, through the zenith
of their power, through the heartbreak
of the Trail of Tears, finally ending,
appropriately, in the present day, where
the Cherokee people, much like their
newly re-scripted drama, continue to
rewrite their place in the
world. Performances are offered
mid-June through late August,
Monday - Saturday at 7:30 PM. Find more Cherokee NC Attractions
on our Cherokee Visitor Guide
The
Flat Rock Playhouse has been operating
for more than 53 years. This State Theatre
of North Carolina has been thrilling audiences with
Broadway musicals, comedy and drama. From the Youth Theatre
education program to professional main stage performances,
Flat Rock Playhouse offers the best live entertainment in
Western North Carolina. In 2011 the Playhouse added an
additional venue in historic downtown
Hendersonville.
Find more Hendersonville NC Attractions
on our Hendersonville Visitor Guide
Brevard Music
Center -
Each summer more than 400 students, ages
14 through post-college, join
professional musicians to eat, breathe
and sleep music for seven weeks. In
addition to a rigorous schedule of
instruction, students collaborate with
faculty and guest artists in more than
eighty public performances.
Find more Brevard NC Attractions on our
Brevard NC Visitor Guide
Horn in the West
at Hickory Ridge Homestead is an outdoor Historical Drama
and 18th Century Living History which first premiered in
1952. One of the nation's oldest Revolutionary
Dramas still performed, Horn in the West portrays
the lives of pioneers who survived the
wilderness challenges to settle in the Blue
Ridge Mountains. Through drama, dance and music
a cast of 50 performers takes you back 230 years
to the American frontier.
Find more Boone NC Attractions on our
Boone Visitor Guide
Parkway Playhouse
- Celebrating 60+ years! Parkway
Playhouse, established in 1946, is North
Carolina’s oldest continually operating
summer theatre. Past productions have
included: Annie, Guys and Dolls, Tom
Dooley, Leaving Iowa, Pride and
Prejudice - plus children's and holiday
productions.
North Carolina
Stage Company
Asheville’s professional theatre performs in an intimate off-Broadway
style venue in the heart of downtown Asheville. Voted
Asheville's Best Local Theater for three years in a row for a diverse
season of gripping dramas, classics, family plays and outrageous comedies. Schedule
varies.
The Great
Smoky Mountains Railroad offers the romance and mystique of an era gone
by. Guests on board the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad will enjoy scenic train journeys across
fertile valleys, through tunnels and along river gorges in a spectacular region
called the Smoky Mountains. Excursions are available all year with special
holiday and seasonal events. For more
physical adventure check out
GSMR packages for train rides
and whitewater rafting, hiking trails or
the Tarzan Train. Find more Bryson City NC Attractions
on our Bryson City Visitor Guide
Tweetsie
Railroad, North Carolina's
first theme park, takes a trip back into the days
of the Old West. Hop aboard the train for an
unforgettable three-mile journey through the scenic mountains.
Even in today's high-tech world, there's still a place for
old-fashioned fun. Tweetsie Railroad
is a unique attraction that allows children and families
to explore their imaginations and a whole lot more. Be a
cowboy, Indian or an engineer and take a ride on historic steam
locomotive, Number 12, listed on the National Register
of Historic Places.
Open daily April - October with special
events offered. Find more Blowing Rock NC Attraction
on our Blowing Rock Visitor Guide
Hendersonville
Historic Train Depot The
first steam engine puffed up the Saluda Grade to the
Hendersonville Depot in 1879, the steepest main-line standard gauge railroad in the
United States. The Carolina Special ran between Charleston,
South Carolina and Cincinnati, Ohio from 1911 until 1968.Today the exterior paint has been
restored to its original color. A Southern Railway caboose is
located at the south end. The depot's baggage room houses the Apple
Valley Model Railroad Club and
their HO scale model railroad. Open to the public
on Saturdays. Find more Hendersonville NC
Attractions on our Hendersonville Visitor Guide
The Folk
Art Center is home base for the Southern Highland Craft
Guild. The Center includes a permanent collection, theme exhibits, demonstrations,
education, special events, and a shop. The beautiful grounds are nestled
in the woods along the Parkway in West Asheville. A short trail surrounds
the building and features exhibits of native trees. Another trail connects
with the Mountain to Sea trail. The Center also
houses a Parkway Visitor Information booth and book store. Find more Asheville NC Attractions
on our Asheville City Guide
Penland School of
Crafts
is a national center
for craft education located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of
Western
North Carolina. Penland offers one, two and eight week
workshops in books and paper, clay, drawing, glass, iron,
metals, photography, printmaking, textiles, and wood. The
school also sponsors residencies, educational
outreach programs, and an exceptional Gallery and Shop. Studio
tours are open to the public.
Find more Spruce
Pine NC Attractions on our Spruce Pine Visitor Guide
John C Campbell
Folk School
provides experiences in non-competitive learning and community
life that are joyful and enlivening. Located in scenic Brasstown, North
Carolina, the Folk School offers year-round weeklong and
weekend classes for adults in craft, art, music, dance,
cooking, gardening, nature studies, photography & writing.
Gallery and Craft Shop and
special events are open to the public. Find more Attractions near the Folk School on our
Hayesville Visitor Guide
Parkway Craft
Center at the Moses Cone Manor
at Milepost 294 on the Blue
Ridge Parkway is home to
abundant natural beauty and the best quality Appalachian Mountain
hand-made crafts from the Southern Highland Craft Guild.
Parkway Craft Center is one of five
shops of the Southern Highland Craft Guild and features
work from over 300 Southern Appalachian craftspeople. The
Manor includes 3600 acres of pristine mountain terrain and
a wide variety of activities available at no cost to the
public Find
more Blowing Rock Attractions on our
Blowing Rock Visitor Guide
The River Arts
District is open year around with
the opportunity to meet artists in their
studios. Schedules are available online.
This unique area along the
French Broad River is home to
more
than 165 artists with working
studios located in 18
turn-of-the-century industrial
buildings. The
artists of the River Arts District
welcome you into their studios to talk
with them, see their latest artwork,
watch demonstrations, and experience for
yourself the magic hidden inside the
time-worn factories and warehouses along
the French Broad River.
Center for Crafts, Creativity and Design
CCCD is a
regional center of the UNC with a strong nonprofit support
organization. It is located at 67 Broadway Street
in Asheville NC. It supports
research in craft and design and curates exhibitions for
a small gallery space and the sculpture and public art
on the property's one-mile Rudnick
Nature Trail.
The Bascom Fine
Art Center
is an important cultural resource for
the Western North Carolina region and
its many residents and visitors. The
Fine Art Center is a not-for-profit art
center now located 323 Franklin Road in
at Highlands NC. For over twenty years
The Bascom - Louise Gallery / Highlands
Visual Art Center has been the only
non-profit visual art center in
Highlands. From humble beginnings in the
Hudson Library as a room to display
regional art, the Bascom has evolved
into a dynamic visual art center with a
six building six acre campus with
diverse exhibitions,
studio art
instruction and
cultural experiences.
Exhibits and educational programs
operate year around with season hours,
Tuesday - Saturday. Find
more Highlands Attractions on our
Highlands NC Visitor Guide
Family Fun Attractions
Mystery Hill
is a fascinating exploration
of science, optical illusion and natural
phenomena. The tour includes the Mystery House where
visitors can stand at a 45° angle, the Hall of
Mystery, the Puzzle Room, and Bubble-Rama. It also
includes the Appalachian Heritage
Museum and the
Native American Artifacts Museum with 50,000 relics.
The Grove Arcade
- Built by E.W. Grove, the
visionary and creator of the Grove Park Inn, the Grove Arcade opened in
1929 and thrived until World War II as
one of the country's leading public markets. Asheville's historically renovated
Grove Arcade has once again returned as a destination featuring the best
the region has to offer from fabulous foods to delicious dining and local
crafts. The wonderful design and architecture alone are worth a trip to
Asheville.
Biltmore Village
Built in the late 1890's as a classic planned
community at the entrance to George Vanderbilt's
Biltmore Estate, Biltmore Village today is truly
one of the Carolinas' most unique touring and
shopping environments. It's the way shopping
used to be - relaxed and enjoyable with top
quality merchandise at realistic prices and
wonderful customer service. Enjoy quaint
tree-lined streets, brick sidewalks, open air
dining, original houses from the 1900's, all
combined with amazing collections of
one-of-a-kind merchandise of true quality and
value.
National Scenic Byways
The National
Scenic Byways Program is part of
the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration. The
program is a grass-roots collaborative effort established to help recognize,
preserve and enhance selected roads throughout the United States. Since 1992,
the National Scenic Byways
Program has provided funding for almost 1500 state and nationally designated
byway projects in 48 states. The U.S. Secretary of Transportation
recognizes certain roads as All-American Roads or National Scenic Byways
based on one or more archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational
and scenic qualities.
NC has 54 Scenic Byways selected to embody the
diverse beauty and culture of the Tar
Heel State and provide travelers with a
safe and interesting alternate route.
Some of the mountain byways include:
Cherohala
SkywayLength:
43.0 mi / 69.1 km
Time to Allow:
2 hours to drive the byway . The Skyway offers the cultural heritage of the
Cherokee tribe and early settlers in a grand forest environment in the
Appalachian Mountains. Enjoy mile-high vistas and brilliant fall foliage, as
well as great hiking opportunities and picnic spots in magnificent and
seldom seen portions of the southern Appalachian National Forests.
Forest
Heritage National Scenic BywayTravel back in time and
explore history and beautiful scenery on
the Forest Heritage National Scenic
Byway (U.S. 276) through the Pisgah
National Forest. As you wind your way on
old settlement roads past mountain peaks
and cascading waterfalls, imagine how
this landscape looked decades ago when
modern forestry began. Begin your
driving journey at the southern entrance
to the Pisgah National Forest, once
marked by an arch. Today twin columns
greet you as you enter one of the
earliest National Forests in the eastern
United States.
Appalachian
Medley, Black Mountain Rag, Drovers Road, Forest
Heritage Scenic Byway, French Broad Overview,
Indian Lakes Scenic Byway, Little Parkway, Mission
Crossing, Mountain Waters Scenic Byway, Nantahala Byway, New River
Valley Byway, Pacolet River Byway, Pottery Road, South
Mountain Scenery, Upper Yadkin Way, Waterfall Byway, Whitewater
Way
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Nature Attractions and NC Parks
The
Blue Ridge Parkway at 469
miles long is the nation's longest
scenic rural parkway. Now 70 years old
it is administered by the National
Park Service and host to approximately
20 million visits annually. It connects
the Shenandoah Valley National Park with
the
Great Smoky Mountains
National park in North Carolina and
Tennessee. Along the route are
opportunities for lodging, dining,
camping, hiking and simply enjoying
breathtaking views from easily
accessible overlooks and picnic areas.
For additional information visit :The Blueridge Parkway
Association
Mount
Mitchell State Park, at an elevation
of 6684, is the highest peak in the
Black Mountains. Named for Dr. Elisha
Mitchell, a professor of sciences at
UNC-Chapel Hill who first suggested that
the peak that bears his name was the
highest in the range. Dr. Mitchell died
at a waterfall on the western slope of
the mountain while returning from one of
many exploratory trips to western North
Carolina. Between
Asheville
and
Little Switzerland
WNC
Nature Center
is a living museum of plants and animals
native to the Appalachian region. Our
purpose is to increase public awareness
and understanding of all aspects of the
natural environment of Western North
Carolina through hands-on and sensory
experiences. Each year welcome 100,000
visitors attend - of which 30,000 are
school children expanding their
classroom curriculum.
Asheville NC
Chimney
Rock State Parkis
named for a 500 million-year-old giant granite
monolith overlooking Hickory Nut Gorge. Visitors
are awed by the breathtaking view that spreads
1200 vertical feet beneath them and 75 miles
across the Carolinas. The now state owned park
encompasses 1,000 acres offers the best of the
mountains in one place with spectacular 75-mile
views, hiking trails for all ages, a 404-foot
waterfall, a variety of special events and much
more.
Chimney Rock NC
Grandfather Mountain is
the highest mountain in the Blue Ridge
Mountain range at an elevation of 5,964
feet. The Mile High Swinging Bridge
gives visitors easy access to the
breath-taking view from Grandfather
Mountain's Linville Peak. Grandfather
Mountain is a Nature Lovers' favorite
offering Wildlife habitats, Nature
Walks and Trails, Nature Programs, and
a Nature Museum. The complex natural
terrain includes 16 different
classifications of natural communities
with backcountry trails providing
access to all. Linville
NC
Sliding
Rock is
a recreation area set up by the US
Forest Service. It's a 60' natural rock
slide with a 6-7 foot deep pool at the
base. Lifeguards and staff are on duty
from Memorial Day week end to Labor Day
and there is a fee of $1 per person to
access the area, which is 7.5 miles
north of Hwy 64 on Hwy 276. For more
info, call the US Forest Service at
828-877-3350. Kids have to be a certain
size to slide alone, otherwise they can
sit on the lap of an adult and slide.
NearBrevard NC
The
North Carolina Arboretum
Magnificent gardens and miles of
woodland trails. Continual special
events and touring shows. Just as our
experience of nature is intimate,
visitors to The North Carolina Arboretum
connect with plants in personal ways
that are as diverse and rich as the land
itself. Whether you enjoy strolling
through gardens, exploring exhibits,
enriching your mind or hiking and
biking, the Arboretum offers activities
for all ages.
Asheville NC
The
Blowing Rock Attraction
is North Carolina's oldest travel
attraction (since 1933). A short scenic
walk includes views of Grandfather
Mountain, Table Rock, and Hawksbill.
Also enjoy a small garden waterfall,
observation tower and unique gift shops.
Open daily April-December. January,
February and March open weekends only,
weather permitting. Located on Highway
321 South across from Green Park Inn.
Blowing Rock NC
The Appalachian
Trail in North Carolina.
The Trail crosses Western North Carolina
from the Georgia border to the Great
Smoky Mountains National Park for about
95.9 miles before turning
along the Tennessee
border
for another 287 miles until it exits NC
at the Virginia border. There are long
climbs in the Stecoah-Cheoah Mountain
area, and an outstanding section in
Nantahala with 4,000-foot gaps and
5,000-foot peaks. Cheoah Bald offers
panoramic views of western North
Carolina. This part of the A.T.
provides a feeling of remoteness, and a
sensation of being in deep forests. The
variety of forest growth and the beauty
of the flowering shrubs, along with the
many spectacular views, make this entire
section of Trail memorable.
The
AT section from the Nantahala River to
the Georgia border features some the
best-graded trail at high elevations and
there are lots of views from natural
openings and fire towers, some requiring
short side trips.
Roan Mountain: Known for it's
expansive grassy balds and flowering
rhododendrons this area of the AT offers
gorgeous panoramic views. Visit the Roan
Mountain recreation area to find
restrooms, picnic tables and a paved
half-mile trail. Or park at Carver's Gap
for a longer seven-mile hike.
Get a description here.
Clingman’s
Dome: At
6,643 feet, this is the highest point along
the AT. From here you can hike on a number of
different trails that provide stunning
mountain vistas. Read more here
Max Patch:
Located near Hot Springs, Max Patch offers 360
degree views atop 350 acres of open grassy
field. The AT passes right through the middle
and is a popular place especially during leaf
season.
Get Madison County Trail
Access Points here
Foothills
Equestrian Nature Center
welcomes you to the Foothills Equestrian
Nature Center, a 390-acre nature
education and recreation center nestled
in the beautiful NC foothills. Whether
you're interested in outdoor recreation,
nature education or preservation of
precious open space, you'll find
something of interest at FENCE. FENCE
came into being in 1985 as a non-profit
nature education and recreation center.
Since then, FENCE has grown to its
present 390 acres& serves some 5,000
people each year with programs in nature
study, outdoor recreation and equestrian
competition.
Tryon NC
Joyce
Kilmer / Slick Rock Wilderness
A virgin hardwood tract named after the
author of "trees" includes 400 year old
poplars with 20 foot diameters.
Beautiful walking trails including one
of the most adventurous in Slickrock
Wilderness.
Robbinsville NC
Linville
Falls
is located at the head of the Linville
Gorge and is actually two falls: Upper
Falls (50 feet) and Lower Falls (60
feet). A well used (and maintained)
trail leads you in the long climb to
both lower and upper falls. The climb is
strenuous but the rewards are great.
They have placed benches along the way
for those of us needing to take the
climb in stages. The view of the
Linville Gorge from the upper vantage
point is worth the effort.
Linville NC
Linville
Caverns,
located at the base of Humpback Mountain
in the beautiful Linville Valley, is a
natural wonder. After remaining a
mysterious secret for centuries, the
caverns were opened for safe and
convenient public touring. Nature has
sculpted a veritable masterpiece in
stone with centuries of slowly moving
ground water being the primary artist
for this creation of underground
labyrinths. Linville
NC
Cherohala
Skyway was completed in the fall of 1996 after
nearly thirty-four years. It is North
Carolina's most expensive highway
carrying a price tag of $100,000,000.
Winding up and over 6,000 foot mountains
for 15 miles in North Carolina and
descending another 21 miles into the
deeply forested backcountry of
Tennessee. The road crosses through the
Cherokee and
Nantahala National Forests thus the
name "Chero...hala".
Pisgah Center for
Wildlife Education
has mountain streams where water and
life begin, the theme of this
state-of-the-art educational facility
dedicated to exploring the wonders of
North Carolina's wildlife. The wildlife
center is a program of the North
Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
and admission is free. The wildlife
center's attractions include aquariums,
a 20-minute video, hand-on exhibits
along a paved walkway, garden displays,
educational programs, viewing and
feeding of trout, and a gift shop.
Brevard NC
The
Pacolet River Byway
begins at the South Carolina state line
and traces its way through the Tryon
Thermal Belt, an area with an unusual
climate that is usually free from dew or
frost. The route crosses the Pacolet
River several times and runs parallel
with the Saluda Grade, the steepest
mainline railroad grade in the United
States. Old railroad depots, log cabins
and other historic buildings can be
found in the towns of Saluda and Tryon,
while
Pearson Falls Natural Heritage Site
is a 259 acre botanical wonderland where
visitors can hike, bird watch or just
enjoy the outdoors. Tryon houses the
Polk County Historical Museum, whose
1906 train station was once the center
of activity for the area. Tryon
NC and
Saluda NC area.
Clingman's
Dome
rises 6,643 feet above the
Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Clingman's Dome is the highest point
along the Appalachian Trail and provides
a 360º view of the surrounding
mountains. 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. It is located
on the state line ridge of North
Carolina and Tennessee, the observation
tower sitting equally in both states.
Bryson City NC
Asheville
Botanical Gardens
is an independent non-profit
organization housing a collection of
over 600 plants native to the Southern
Appalachian Mountains. The Gardens also
provides refuge to more than 50 species
which are considered uncommon, rare or
endangered on a regional, state or
federal level. Indoor facilities offer a
library, lecture room for meetings and
programs and a gift shop stocked with
garden-themed items all ages. The Center
housing the
Garden Path Gift Shop is open daily,
from mid-March through mid-December. The
Gardens itself is open every day of the
year from dawn to dusk. Admission is
free, but donations are appreciated and
memberships are encouraged. Asheville NC
The
Cradle of Forestry of America
- The Cradle is a place of people,
nature, history and the future. The
story of the birth of forestry in
America is told through exhibits at the
Forestry Discovery Center, the Biltmore
Campus trail and the Forest Festival
Trail. There are nature programs and
special
Outdoor Adventures
Navitat
Canopy Adventures,
a world-class zip line canopy tour near
Asheville, combines the exhilaration of a zip
line tour with the educational experience of a
Costa Rican rainforest-style canopy excursion.
Night tours had been added for the 2011 season.
The canopy tour course is entirely tree-based
and features two sky bridges, two rappels, and
10 zip lines ranging from 120 to 1,100 feet in
length -- including one that sends guests
soaring more than 200 feet above the forest
floor. Located 30 minutes north of Asheville in
Barnardsville NC.
Asheville Zipline Canopy Adventures
is located within the city limits only a
half mile from downtown Asheville. Its
unique urban location allows views of
both treetop and mountains along with the
beautiful Asheville skyline. The
Adventures includes 11 zipline sections, nine treetop platforms, three adventure tower platforms, three sky bridges and ziplines from several hundred feet long to almost 1200 feet long.
Participants are able to reach heights of more than 70 feet and speeds of about 30 miles per hour.
All tours include full instruction and orientation.
Nantahala Gorge Canopy Tours soar through the Smoky Mountains
with views of views of Clingman’s Dome, Fontana Lake and waterfalls.
The adventure takes place over 20 acres
with 13 ziplines, 8 bridges and 4
tandum zips. Zip instructions and ecosystems
information is provided by knowledgeable
guides. Zip and Rail packages now
available. Located near Bryson City NC.
Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC)
offers white water river rafting trips,
kayak and canoe instruction and mountain
biking. NOC is a a complete outdoor
destination with three restaurants and
a pub, a fully-stocked Outfitter's
Store, the Wesser General Store and Fly
Shop and the Nantahala Welcome Center.
&
Wildwater Nantahala
offers 8 miles of exciting
rafting on the pristine Nantahala River.
Facilities include changing rooms with
hot showers, a well-supplied river
store, WIFI and picnic tables. Each trip
includes a guide and over 3 hours of
class I and II rapids, ending with class
III. Located near Bryson City NC.
Tsali
Recreation Area
is an outdoors lover's paradise.
Probably the most popular features of
Tsali Recreation Area are the 39 miles
of trails suited for mountain
bikers and horse-back riders, as well as
hikers. The 4-loop system offers a
variety of landscapes. You can climb
1-foot wide rugged paths or travel flat,
well-beaten roads. The four
trails--Right, Left, Mouse Branch, and
Thompson Loops--meander through mixed
pine and hardwoods on a peninsula
stretching into Fontana Lake. Near
Bryson City NC/a> and
Robbinsville NC
NC
Ski Resorts
and Ski Areas offer the highest
mountains east of the Rockies for
skiing, snowboarding, snow tubing, ice
skating and winter sports. With minimal
natural snowfall in the NC Mountains the
ski season relies on snowmaking machines
and cold temperatures. The season begins
in November and continues into March,
with specific times varying depending on
the having enough cold weather to allow
for snowmaking.
North Carolina Biking TrailsThere are mountain
biking trails throughout the NC
mountains from flat and leisurely to
steep and strenuous and for all levels
of skill and all ages. Listed here are
some of the most popular: New River Route - a flat, gentle trail along the south fork of the New River in Ashe County.The route, which follows Railroad Grace Road, is extremely level and easy to ride. Views from the route include the river, lush pastoral settings and Christmas tree farms.
Linn Cove Viaduct - a section of the Blue Ridge Parkway which dramatically snakes around mountainsides and seems to float magically above Linn Cove.
The route begins at Julian Price Memorial Park with a slow, gradual seven-mile ascent.
There are overlooks and beautiful views
along the way including the distant
Grandfather mountain. The good news is
that the return trip is downhill. Cashiers Tour - enjoy being
surrounded by the Nantahala National
Forest. At 10 miles, one of the shorter routes, but certainly challenging with a significant ascent
to the Cashiers plateau. Wonderful views are found at every turn including peaks, valleys, waterfalls and lush forests.
Tsali Trails - in the heart of the Nantahala National Forest are a series of mountain biking trails for the off-road enthusiasts. With more than 40 miles of hilly trails
sectioned into Loops offering varying degrees of difficulty. Discover interior hills, creek crossings and overlooks.
Big Avery Loop - a strenuous 12.9 mile trail through the Pisgah National Forest. The challenges include ascents over at least eight water bars, a series of rock steps called Satan’s Staircase, a harrowing ride through a rhododendron tunnel and a track so narrow it’s not much wider than a bike tire.
Among the highlights is a stunning view
of Looking Glass Rock. This is a trail
for experienced mountain bikers.