NC Mountains

At the western end of the state, the Appalachian and Blue Ridge Mountains set the stage for endless miles of beautiful drives and breathtaking hikes. In fact, both America’s Favorite Drive (The Blue Ridge Parkway) and its favorite hike (The Appalachian Trail) wind through this region of lush wilderness and mountaintop vistas.

Among the state’s soaring peaks are Mount Mitchell, which boasts the highest peak in the Eastern U.S. at 6,684 feet, and Grandfather Mountain, with its unmistakable profile and nerve-wracking Mile High Swinging Bridge. The state’s mountains also provide its visitors with endless hours of outdoor fun, from hiking and mountain biking in the warmer months to the South’s best skiing, snowboarding, and tubing in the winter.

In addition to the mountains, Western North Carolina’s rivers, lakes and streams are also recreational havens. Transylvania County boasts the largest concentration of waterfalls in the country, with 250 cascades within a few miles of each other. The Nathahala River is a whitewater rafting and kayaking paradise, and large mountain lakes like Fontana and Hiwassee provide boating and fishing opportunities galore.

But there’s more to North Carolina’s mountains than recreation. These mountains are the ancestral home of the Cherokee Indians, and the Qualla Boundary is a living showcase of Native American history and heritage. The region is also a hotbed of Appalachian music, art, and culture, much of which is on display in artsy mountain towns like Brevard, Blowing Rock, and Bryson City.

In the middle of it all is Asheville, a vibrant highland hub bustling with life. From the stately elegance of The Biltmore to Friday night drum circles downtown to the city’s nicknames such as “Foodtopia” and “Beer City USA”, Asheville is a fun, funky, and beautiful microcosm of everything North Carolina’s mountains have to offer.