Come journey with us as we explore and highlight the people and places that make the Blue Ridge and Southern Appalachian Mountains special and unique
Complete Guide For Exploring North Carolina Mountains
There is so much to explore and discover in the North Carolina Mountains. Exploration Local has compiled this extensive collection of resources that will become the only guide you will ever need to uncover all of the adventure & excitement that awaits you. We have literally distilled countless hours spent pouring over guidebooks, maps, websites, blogs, etc., and have infused our personal experiences and adventures over the years into one resource. You’re definitely going to want to bookmark this post for future reference.
“Although I deeply love oceans, deserts, and other wild landscapes, it is only mountains that beckon me with that sort of painful magnetic pull to walk deeper and deeper into their beauty.” – Victoria Erikson
For easy reference we segmented the North Carolina Mountains into three geographical regions; Smoky Mountains, Pisgah National Forest, and High Country, and have listed each region’s major towns and cities. We have compiled links to each town’s tourism website where you will find tons of travel and visitor’s insider information on where to go, where to eat, where to stay, and what to do.
What would a guide or resource about North Carolina Mountains be if it didn’t highlight great hikes, waterfalls, and mountain biking? Don’t worry…we have that covered too in our section titled EXPLORATION LOCAL’S TOP PICKS.
Lastly, we’re also excited to share some great MOBILE APPS that make trip planning and exploration super easy and fun!
“You’re off to Great Places! Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting, so… get on your way!” -Dr. Seuss
LET’S EXPLORE EACH REGION
Many people associate the Smoky Mountains with Tennessee and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, America’s most visited National Park, but the “Smokies” actually extend into North Carolina running along the ridges of the Tennessee-North Carolina border. Visitors to the Smokies are in for a treat with ten mountain peaks that stretch above 6,000 ft. Check out this downloadable map of the some of the top attractions in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
The Smoky Region contains some of the wildest and most pristine land in all of the North Carolina Mountains. It is known for epic scenic drives with breathtaking views, world class fly fishing, hiking, mountain biking, rafting, and whitewater kayaking, boating on Fontana Lake, and a host of other outdoor pursuits.
Best Known For: Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Great Smoky Railroad, Nantahala Outdoor Center, Fontana Lake, Appalachian Trail, Fly Fishing, Epic Scenic Drives, Cherokee Heritage, Tail of the Dragon
EXPLORE THIS REGION
Bryson City I Cashiers, Dillsboro, Sylva I Cherokee I Franklin I Highland I Waynesville
Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains and Pisgah National Forest lies some of North Carolina’s most quaint and eclectic places. The towns in this region overflow with charm, character and endless opportunities to explore. Travelers to this region are treated to culinary delights, craft breweries, mountain inspired artisans, quirky shops, and mountain heritage. Outdoor enthusiasts flock to this area for its waterfalls, climbing and mountain biking.
Best Known For: Biltmore, Waterfalls, Blue Ridge Parkway, Apple Festival, Chimney Rock, White Squirrel Festival, Beer City USA, Mt. Mitchell (Highest Mountain Peak in the Eastern USA), Green River Race, World Class Mountain Biking, Looking Glass
EXPLORE THIS REGION
Asheville I Black Mountain I Brevard I Hendersonville I Hot Springs I Lake Lure I Marion I Marshall I Morganton I Saluda
The High Country region is aptly named, boasting some of the highest elevations of North Carolina’s northern Blue Ridge Mountains. The high elevations offer visitors panoramic and long range mountain views. Because of its elevation the region also offers something for visitors in all four seasons.
Best Known For: Winter Sports (Skiing, Snowboarding), Linville Falls, Crabtree Falls, Grandfather Mountain, Christmas Tree Farms, Linn Cove Viaduct (Most photographed section of the Blue Ridge Parkway), Appalachian Trail, Mast General Original Store, Rough Ridge, Tweetsie Railroad, The Blowing Rock
EXPLORE THIS REGION
Banner Elk I Beech Mountain I Blowing Rock I Boone I Jefferson I Linville I Spruce Pine I Sugar Mountain I West Jefferson
“The mountains are calling and I must go” -John Muir
EXPLORATION LOCAL’S TOP PICKS
As you can tell, there is no shortage of adventure in the North Carolina Mountains. Each region offers something unique to its travelers and visitors, but all of the experiences are truly world class. As easy as we’ve made it we still know it can be overwhelming to read through each section and know where to start. So, we’ve compiled this short list as a quick start for your next adventure. These are some of the top resources we’ve used to plan out our adventures.
SCENIC DRIVES
18 Drives Near Asheville: Collection of 18 different scenic drive options with turn by turn directions.
Blue Ridge Parkway: Experience America’s Favorite Drive; broken down by each section.
FUN DAY TRIPS
Gorges State Park – Rainbow Falls
HIKING
Asheville Trails: It’s hard to choose a favorite hiking trail because there are so many variables with age, physical conditioning, interests. This is one of the most comprehensive trail guides I’ve seen. We use it all the time. Great resource for all levels.
WATERFALLS
MOUNTAIN BIKING
MTB Project / REI Co-Op: One of the coolest resources I have seen!
“Nature is one of the most underutilized treasures in life. It has the power to unburden hearts and reconnect to that inner place of peace.”
-Janice Anderson
MUST HAVE OUTDOOR MOBILE TRAVEL APPS
We have found four dynamic and immersive outdoor related apps that are rapidly changing the way people travel and experience the world around them. These exciting apps are helping travelers and outdoor enthusiasts easily find, organize, pre-plan, and record their hikes, rides, and drives. They can actually be stand alone travel guides all by themselves. These are real game changers and we love them!
The Blue Ridge Parkway Travel Planner App
There has never been a more complete guide to the BRP. This app is broken into the four sections (Ridge, Plateau in Virginia) and (Highlands and Pisgah in North Carolina) and includes mile by mile guides & maps of the entire Parkway.
It includes descriptions, overviews, history, wildlife, geology, access points to the various sections, suggested itineraries, gas and automotive services, dining & lodging, campgrounds, attractions, museums, and basically ANYTHING you would need to know when visiting the area.
AllTrails
The beauty of nature doesn’t need to be hard to find. Our goal is simple – build the largest collection of hand-curated trail guides, so you can explore the outdoors with confidence. Anytime. Anywhere. ~ AllTrails
AllTrails has done just that. They have created the most robust and comprehensive trail map ever created. Each trail is color coded as easy, moderate, hard, for easy reference. When you click on the trail you can see a description, directions to trailheads, elevation, photos and reviews. The best part is that there is a FREE option. This works really well as long as you have internet service. I would highly recommend that you upgrade to the Pro version so you can download maps straight to your phone and hit the trail with confidence.
TrailForks
The Trailforks app was designed to support all types of outdoor activities including mountain biking, hiking, horseback, trail running, and others. It includes topographic layers, points of interests, heat maps, routes, trail conditions, photos, and videos and so much more. TrailForks is a world-wide app that contains 317,457 miles of 246,586 trails in 123 countries.
If you mountain bike, you need this app – plain and simple.
Our Hope
We hope this guide will help you explore and discovery the beautiful North Carolina mountains in a virtual way for now, and as a planning resource for when we are all free to travel again. We also hope you will bookmark this for future reference and download these awesome mobile apps!
Happy Exploring!
