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A visit to an NC Park will be a highlight
of your mountain vacation. North Carolina
mountain parks are among the most pristine and beautiful
in the world offering hiking, camping and 1000s of waterfalls, creeks and rivers.
Must-see parks and forests
include Pisgah Forest, the
Blue ridge Parkway, and the
Great Smoky Mountains National
Park. Park nature and educational
centers are available for
trail maps and visitor
information.
Must-see NC parks and forests
include Pisgah Forest, the
Blue Ridge Parkway, and the Great Smoky Mountains
National Park. Park Visitor and
Education Centers are available for trail maps and
visitor information.
Mountain Biking in NC National
Forests
Mountain biking is the fastest growing recreational sport in North
Carolina and the national forests
provide an incredibly scenic venue. National forests in North Carolina offer more than 257 miles of trails for mountain biking - 63 mountain biking trails are open year-round and another 8 trails are open October 15-April 15. Trails open to mountain bikers are designated with a bike symbol sign. If no sign exists, the trail is for hiking only. Cyclists may ride most closed roads, which should also be signed if they are open to cyclists. Wilderness areas are off-limits for bikers.
At 469 miles long the Parkway is
the nation's longest scenic rural
parkway. Now 75+ 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.
Check for Parkway closures and alerts
HERE.
The Blueridge Parkway Association offers a comprehensive
website about the Blue Ridge Parkway including Park highlights, events, closings,
maps and more.
Donations to the organization and purchases from the store help fund the maintenance and preservation of the Parkway.
Blue Ridge Parkway Hiking Trails offer hikers of all skill levels the opportunity to explore
more than 100 varied and intriguing trails in North Carolina and
Virginia. Meandering alongside and crossing the scenic motor road, the
trails provide a close-up look at some of the most beautiful wilderness in
the country. Some of the favorite hiking trails along the parkway: Cumberland
Knob, milepost 217.5. Linville Falls and Gorge, milepost 316.3. Crabtree Meadows and Falls,
milepost 339.5-340.3. Mt.
Mitchell State Park, milepost 355.4. Craggy
Gardens, milepost 364.4. Mt. Pisgah, milepost 408.6. Looking
Glass Rock, milepost 417. Graveyard
Fields, milepost 418.8. Devil's
Courthouse, milepost 422.4. Mount
Hardy, milepost 422.8. Richland
Balsam, milepost 431.
History on the Parkway
includes a number of historic
homes, Revolutionary War sites, and interpreted natural sites which can enrich the
traveler's journey. Among them are: Brinegar Cabin, milepost 238.5;
Ben Long frescoes at Glendale Springs, milepost 258-259; Moses
Cone Manor and Memorial Park, milepost 292.7; Historic Flat Top Manor
House and Parkway Craft Center, milepost 294; Museum
of North Carolina Minerals, milepost 331; Overmountain
Victory National Historic Trail, milepost 331;
Mt.
Mitchell State Park, milepost 355.4;
Folk
Art Center, milepost 382.
Restaurants along the Parkway - Bluff's
Lodge and Restaurant, milepost 241; Mt. Pisgah Inn and Restaurant, milepost
408.6; Waterrock Knob Visitor Information Center, milepost 451.2; The
Switzerland Inn, milepost 334.
Ridge upon ridge of endless forest straddles the border between North Carolina
and Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. World renowned for the diversity of its
plant and animal life, the beauty of its ancient mountains, and
the quality of its remnants of Southern Appalachian mountain
culture, this is America's most visited national park.
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is truly a nature-lovers
paradise. With over 800 miles of hiking trails,
world renowned diversity of plant and animal life including 1600 varieties of flowering plants and
opportunities for camping, picnics and educational
programs.
Reservationsmay now be made
ONLINE
for Cataloochee campground, Elkmont, Cades Cove,
Smokemont, and some sites at Cosby. The system allows
campers to reserve specific campsites and to make
reservations 6 months in advance. Group campsites and
picnic pavilions can be reserved up to 12 months in
advance. Alternatively, book reservations by calling
877-444-6777.
The Nantahala National Forest anchors the far southwestern corner of North
Carolina with 528,541 acres of lush forests, high mountain wilderness, and
a whitewater river that cuts through a magnificent gorge so deep that it
only gets direct sunlight at mid-day. The Cherokee called the gorge
"Nantahala," which means "land of the noonday sun." Adjacent to the Great
Smoky Mountains National Park, the Nantahala National Forest is the
largest of the four National Forests in North Carolina. Within its
boundaries are three designated Wilderness Areas and two Wild and Scenic
Rivers. The Nantahala National Forest is distinguished by a number of
treasured natural attractions.
Tsali Recreation Center is
located near Fontana Lake and is known
for its 42-mile trail system. The 4-loop
network is open to hikers and horses,
but the system is best known as a
challenging mountain bike course. The
42-site campground includes accessible
showers and restrooms. The nearby boat
ramp, providing lake access, is
especially popular with anglers. Tsali
is the closest national forest
campground to the popular Nantahala
Gorge.
The Nantahala Ranger District
crosses Macon, Jackson and Swain
counties and includes a variety of
recreational experiences. It is a
diverse, rugged, and mountainous area
with raging rivers, granite walls and
waterfalls. From the remoteness of
the Southern Nantahala WIlderness to a
scenic drives and Whitewater Falls, the
highest falls east of the Rocky
Mountains, there is something for
everyone. Four long distance trails pass
through the Nantahala: the Appalachian,
Bartram, Foothills, and Mountains-to Sea
Trails.
The Tusquitee Ranger District
has three large lakes: Hiwassee
Lake, Chatuge Lake, and Appalachia Lake
which offer boating, water skiing,
fishing, and swimming, as well as a
quiet place to relax and enjoy nature’s
wonders. Chatuge Lake is excellent for
sailing. Hiwassee and Appalachia are
located west of Murphy, along the
Hiwassee River. Chatuge Lake spans the
Georgia-North Carolina State line, south
of Hayesville. Two major rivers,
the Hiwassee and Valley, provide
canoeing.
501,691 acres
stretch across the eastern edge of
Western North Carolina's mountains in
Pisgah Forest offering hiking trails, fishing, camping, picnic
sites, and spectacular waterfalls. Some of Pisgah National Forest's
attractions include Looking Glass Falls, Sliding Rock, Pisgah Forest State
Fish Hatchery, Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education, The Cradle of
Forestry and the North Mills River Recreational Area. The North Mills
River Recreational Area is located in Henderson County, just 13 miles from Downtown Hendersonville picnic sites, campsites, river fishing
and tubing.
Pisgah Forest Camping Facilities.
The Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education Open
Monday - Saturday with exhibits and
The N.C. Wild Store offering
nature-oriented merchandise. A variety of
educational programs including "Nature Nuts", "Eco
Explorers", Fly Fishing classes, Group Programs, Educator
Workshops and Special Events for ALL ages.
Cradle of Forestryis the site of America's first school of forestry.
The Cradle is a place of people, nature, history and the future. The story of the
birth of forestry in America is told here through exhibits, guided tours along.
Facilities and Recreation:
Discovery Center with Exhibition Hall, helicopter
simulator, kids activities. Gift Shop and Cafe.
Biltmore Campus Trail with historic buildings
and machinery, locomotive. Special events, Educational programs and
services.
The Linville Gorge, near the town of
Linville NC, is the deepest and one of the most rugged and scenic
gorges in the Eastern United States. Nicknamed the Grand Canyon of the
East, it is protected by the 12,000-acre Linville Gorge Wilderness
Area, one of the first to be included in the National Wilderness
System with the passage of the Wilderness Act in 1964. The steep walls
of the Linville Gorge
enclose the Linville River for 12 miles. The river, which begins at
Grandfather Mountain, enters the Gorge at the spectacular
Linville Falls then descends over 2,000 feet before breaking into the
Catawba Valley on its way to Lake James. Located in
Linville NC near
Little Switzerland.
Table Rock - short trails
along the rim of the Gorge to the summit
and chimneys of Table Rock.
Panthertown Valley is unique to Western North
Carolina, with a broad, flat valley floor flanked by granite
walls rising 200-300 feet. The scenic valley offers excellent hiking with
a network of 25 miles of trails and old logging roads leading to waterfalls and
spectacular overlooks. In 1989 the North Carolina Chapter of The
Nature Conservancy purchased 6,295 acres of the valley from Duke Power as an
addition to the Nantahala National Forest and to protect many
natural plants that thrive there, including the rare southern
Appalachian bog and the swamp forest-bog community. Located near Cashiers,
Sapphire Valley, Lake Toxaway, Highlands.
Grandfather Mountain is the highest mountain in the
Blue Ridge Mountain range at an elevation of 5,964 feet. The Mountain is
owned by a nonprofit Stewardship Foundation and is operated as a scenic travel attraction and a
world-class nature preserve.
The Mile High Swinging Bridge was one of
the original features of the attraction giving
visitors easy access to the breath-taking view from Grandfather
Mountain's Linville Peak. Today, there are dozens of of things to do
and events offered including walking and hiking
trails; Naturalist programs; the Nature Museum;
birding and geology; wildlife habitats; Mildred's
Grill and The Fudge Shop. Grandfather Mountain
is located at 2050 Blowing Rock Highway in
Linville NC.
Standing atop Chimney Rock, 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 state owned
park, located in Chimney Rock North Carolina,
encompasses 1,000 acres, including the Chimney
itself and Hickory Nut Falls.
The Park, located
25 miles southeast of Asheville North Carolina, offers a variety of
experiences including 75-mile views,
guided hikes and hiking trails
for all ages, a 404-foot waterfall, special events and nature
programs, rock climbing, bird watching and
more.
Lake James State Park is tucked away in rolling hills at the base
of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Linville Gorge is Lake James, at
6,510-acres, the centerpiece of Lake
James State Park. Scenic vistas of the
Appalachian Mountains and a variety of
planned education and recreational activities are offered
including boating, fishing, seasonal swimming,
hiking and biking..
Lake James was created between 1916 and
1923 with the construction of dams
across the Catawba River and two
tributaries, Paddy Creek and Linville
River. Lake James Park , one of the
newest in the NC Park System, was
established in 1987 by the North
Carolina General Assembly, the first
park in the state's history to receive
funds for development and operation upon
its acquisition
As much a spiritual experience as an outdoor
adventure, Mount Mitchell rises more than a mile high
and is embraced by a gentle mist of low-hanging
clouds. The summit is cradled in the crest the Black Mountains
and is the highest point east of the Mississippi.
A moderate walk up to the new
observation tower rewards visitors with breathtaking views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, rolling
ridges and fertile valleys. Forested and forever both in and above the
clouds, the 1,855-acre Mount
Mitchell State Park will provide you with some of the most tranquil
moments you'll ever experience. Accessed from the Blue Ridge Parkway
Milepost 355 near
Little Switzerland,
Burnsville and
Spruce Pine.
One of
North Carolina's newer parks, DuPont offers more than 10,000 acres of
forest, trails, and 10 waterfalls and is located in Cedar Falls NC between
Brevard and Hendersonville North Carolina. You can enjoy the
trails by foot, bike or horse or bring the fishing gear and picnic basket. For current Park conditions
CLICK HERE.
The Pilot Mountain "knob" is the focal point of
the Park and has been a landmark for centuries,
rising more than 2,000 feet.
The mountain summit remains the principal park area, connected to the Yadkin River section by a 6.5-mile trail corridor. An extensive trail network is augmented by a bridle trail and a canoe trail section on the river. Family camping in a 49-site campground is augmented by riverside group camps and canoe-in sites. Rock climbing and rappelling are allowed on portions of the park’s steep cliffs, and those cliffs perched around the mountain’s summit offer seemingly endless views of
the piedmont, Sauratown Mountains and Blue Ridge Mountains.
Carl Sandburg spent a lifetime exploring what it meant to be an American and
asked the eternal questions, "Who am I, where am I going and where have
I been?" He did this through poetry, song, lectures, writing and
lasting friendships with kindred spirits.
Carl Sandburg Home NHS is
located on 264 acres in Flat Rock North Carolina. In addition to tours of the
Sandburg Home, visitors can enjoy over five miles of trails, stroll through
gardens and greet the descendents of Mrs. Sandburg's dairy goat herd. A
typical visit lasts 2 hours.
Come on a journey to remember and commemorate the
survival of the Cherokee people despite their
forced removal from their homelands in the Southeastern
United States in the 1830s. The Cherokee
people in the southeastern United States
built European-style homes and farmsteads, developed a written
language, established a newspaper, and wrote a constitution. But
they had no equal protection under the law and could not prevent being removed
from their homes on the Trail of Tears.
NC places to visit along the Trail of Tears
NC
Parks Guide for Visitors
The Mile High Swinging Bridge was one of
the original features of the attraction giving
visitors easy access to the breath-taking view from Grandfather
Mountain's Linville Peak. Today, there are dozens of of things to do
and events offered including walking and hiking
trails; Naturalist programs; the Nature Museum;
birding and geology; wildlife habitats; Mildred's
Grill and The Fudge Shop. Grandfather Mountain
is located at 2050 Blowing Rock Highway in
The state owned
park, located in Chimney Rock North Carolina,
encompasses 1,000 acres, including the Chimney
itself and Hickory Nut Falls. 
