Attractions

  • Appalachian Trail hikers can travel this 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.
  • 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.
  • Blue Ridge Parkway travelers have 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.
  • 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 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.
  • 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 in Bryson City 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest near Robbinsville 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.
  • Mountain Farm and Museum just outside Cherokee 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 in Asheville 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 in Franklin 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.
  • 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.
  • Smoky Mountain Country Club offers a challenging scenic round of golf with an elevation change of 600 feet. Located in Whittier, 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.
  • 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.
  • The Road To Nowhere as most local residents call it, in Bryson City 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.
  • 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 in Cherokee, 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 in Asheville 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 in Maggie Valley is an All-American museum offering a collection of over 250 rare antique American Motorcycles and Automobiles, plus a unique memorabilia collection.