Click on each attraction for a full description.
This is a guide of
local information, attractions and activities that are located within easy
traveling distance of the scenic Nantahala River Gorge. Some of the things that
you may want to enjoy during your stay in addition to the whitewater rafting on
the Nantahala River include the Appalachian Trail, Biltmore Estate, Blue Ridge
Parkway, Bryson City and Swain County, Cherohala Skyway, Cherokee Indian
Reservation, Cherokee Indian Village, Fishing, Fontana Lake and Fontana Dam,
Gatlinburg, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Great Smoky Mountains
Railroad, Hiking, Horseback Riding, Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, Mountain Farm
and Museum, Nantahala River Gorge, Pigeon Forge, Tsali Bike Trails, Western
North Carolina Waterfalls and Unto These Hills Outdoor Drama.
THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL
The
Appalachian Trail is a 2,174 mile footpath which travels along the ridge crests
and across the major valleys of the Appalachian Mountains from Springer
Mountain in northern Georgia to Katahdin in Maine. The trail traverses Georgia,
North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New
Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and
Maine.
BILTMORE ESTATE
George Vanderbilt
created Biltmore Estate in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina in 1895
as a retreat for family and friends. The Biltmore House is a magnificent
250-room French style chateau filled with priceless art and antiques. Renowned
American landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmstead designed the spectacular
Biltmore Estate Gardens. The estate is home to the award-winning Biltmore
Estate Vineyards and Winery. The fabulous Biltmore Estate offers over 8,000
acres of forests, farmlands, and rivers.
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY
The Blue Ridge
Parkway provides both stunning scenery and close-up views of the natural and
the cultural history of the southern Appalachian Mountains. The Parkway
meanders 469 miles and connects the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia and
the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee. There
are many overlooks, picnic and camping facilities, hiking trails, and natural
and cultural areas for visitors to enjoy. There are many historic structures,
museums, folk art centers, visitor centers, and points of interest along the
way.
BRYSON CITY AND SWAIN COUNTY NORTH
CAROLINA
Bryson City, rich in natural beauty, is a quiet country
town located in Swain County in the Great Smoky Mountains of Western North
Carolina. It has a beautiful natural setting with long range mountain vistas,
trout streams, mountain lakes, rushing rivers, waterfalls, lush forests, and a
profusion of beautiful native plants and flowers. Swain County is home to the
largest portion of The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and has long been a
popular vacation destination.
CHEROHALA SKYWAY
The Cherohala
Skyway is a 36 mile long scenic highway traversing nearly 6,000 foot tall
deeply forested mountains in North Carolina and Tennessee. The road travels
through bith the Cherokee National Forest and the Nantahala National Forest
from which its name "Chero…hala" was taken. There is little evidence of
civilization from the spectacular views enjoyed on the Cherohala
Skyway.
CHEROKEE INDIAN RESERVATION
The
Cherokee Indian Reservation is home to the Eastern Band of the Cherokee. It is
located in the Great Smoky Mountains of Western North Carolina and has been a
part of the Cherokee's homeland for thousands of years. Today, Cherokee is the
center of the tirbe's history and culture and they welcome worldwide visitors
to their homeland with activities and experiences for all ages.
FONTANA DAM AND FONTANA LAKE
Fontana
Dam is located in Western North Carolina and is the highest Dam in the Eastern
United States. It rises 480 foot high and stretches 2,365 feet across the
Little Tennessee River forming the 10,230 acres of Fontana Lake. The Lake
stretches 29 miles in length and has 238 miles of unspoiled shoreline. Fontana
offers some of the best lake fishing in the Southeast and it provides
recreational opportunities for water sports including swimming, water skiing,
jet boating and motor boating.
GATLINBURG
Gatlinburg is a popular
resort town known as the "Gateway to the Smokies" because it joins the Great
Smoky Mountains National Park in East Tennessee. Gatlinburg is known for its
resort atmosphere, scenic natural setting, & its great variety of unique
shops & restaurants. Visitors stroll the inviting streets of this quaint
resort town all hours of the day & night all year long!
GREAT SMOKY
MOUNTAINS
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park was established by
Congress in 1934 and is the largest national park in the Eastern United States,
consisting of over 500,000 acres of wilderness in the Appalachian Highlands of
North Carolina and Tennessee. It encompasses over 800 square miles, and it is
the most popular of our national parks with over 9 million visitors per year.
The Park offers panoramic views, many miles of unspoiled mountains, lush
forests and tumbling mountain streams like those found by the early American
Settlers. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is renowned for the multitude
and 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.
NANTAHALA RIVER GORGE
The Nantahala
River flows through the scenic Nantahala River Gorge in Swain and Macon
Counties in the Nantahala National Forest of Western North Carolina. The 8
½ mile stretch of the river from the Beechertown Power Plant to Fontana
Lake is home to the most popular whitewater rafting, canoeing and kayaking in
the Southeast. In addition to the whitewater sports, the Nantahala River Gorge
provides for a variety of additional recreational activities including fishing,
hiking, gemstone mining, picnicing, photography, plant and wildlife viewing,
bird watching and viewing the popular whitewater sports.
PIGEON FORGE
Pigeon Forge is a
popular action packed tourist town located within easy driving distance to the
Nantahala River Gorge. Pigeon Forge grew steadily after the formation of the
Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Pigeon Forge has a large variety of dinner
shows and music theaters. It is home to the famous Dollywood theme park and the
Dixie Stampede Diner Show. It has excellent shopping with its over 200 factory
outlet stores in shopping malls.
THE TAIL OF THE DRAGON
The Tail of
The Dragon, a popular motorcycle and sports car road, is famous for its 318
curves in eleven miles. It begins at Deals Gap in North Carolina, winds through
the remote and scenic mountain area bordering the Great Smoky Mountains
National Park, and ends at the Tabcat Bridge in Tennessee. Tour groups from all
over the United States, and worldwide come to experience the thrill of "Riding
the Dragon".
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