Home to the five tallest peaks east of the Mississippi, countless waterfalls, adventurous hiking trails, bustling mountain towns, and spectacular scenery, the North Carolina mountains have practically everything you could want if you’re looking for a nature getaway. After a full day of exploring the great outdoors, you’ll obviously need a place to come back … Read more
Western North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains are renowned for their rugged beauty, and the Linville Gorge Wilderness Area ranks among the most dynamic places to see it. This 12,000-acre section of Pisgah National Forest is locally referred to as “The Grand Canyon of the East.” It is one of only two wilderness gorges in the … Read more
From Blue Ridge and Clayton GA to Asheville and Burnsville NC, nearly every great mountain town we’ve visited has had a fantastic, foodie-friendly assortment of restaurants to lure visitors. The Hendersonville eateries we explored during our recent visit proved the town, which lies just 20 miles south of Asheville, was no exception. From … Read more
Most people know Western North Carolina for its beautiful national forests, beloved state parks, charming mountain towns, and scenic routes like the Blue Ridge Parkway and Forest Heritage Scenic Byway. But what may surprise some visitors is the abundance of apple orchards you can find scattered across the state. In fact, North Carolina is the … Read more
In a region wrought with spectacular waterfalls, no place has as many as Transylvania County, North Carolina. Encompassing 381 square miles, the area is home to some 250 waterfalls. The county seat of Transylvania is the tiny mountain town of Brevard, North Carolina, which has a population of less than 10,000 residents. With a smattering … Read more
The Western North Carolina mountains have practically everything you could possibly want if you’re looking for a back-to-nature getaway. Home to the five tallest mountains east of the Mississippi, countless cascading waterfalls, adventurous hiking trails, and bustling mountain towns, the region offers beautiful scenery every which way you turn. After a full day of exploring this nature-lovers’ … Read more
For me, the monolithic majesty of Grandfather Mountain preceded itself. On a few occasions in the past, my wife Emma and I visited friends who had a distant view of it from their mountain cabin. They were always thrilled to point the iconic summit out as a centerpiece of the High Country landscape. In a … Read more
When we drove up the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina for the first time, we didn’t have much time to plan our trip because a plumbing issue forced us to vacate our home for 4 days. Starting at the entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Milepost 469.1), we gradually made our way north … Read more
As anyone who has ever visited will tell you, Western North Carolina is truly a haven for nature lovers. The region is home to the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forest, nearly a dozen beloved NC State Parks, and famous scenic routes such as the Forest Heritage Scenic Byway and Blue Ridge Parkway. In the Blue … Read more
Located about 35 miles northeast of Asheville and 40 miles southwest of Banner Elk, the town of Burnsville NC has long lived in the shadow of its more famous neighbors. In fact, when we told a friend who lives near Boone that we were headed to Burnsville for a 4-day visit, his first reaction was, … Read more