Topics Related to Western North Carolina

Marshall sits snug as a town can be in a mountain river valley, making use of both banks of the French Broad River, not to mention the river itself. The town 25 minutes north of Asheville makes for a most adventurous day trip. Morning

You have an adventurous side, a side that loves exploring the best that the outdoors has to offer. Yet there’s also your creative side, a side equally in need of nurturing. With a weekend in Spruce Pine you can satisfy both needs.  Day 1MorningSince it’s easier to sit still after expending some energy, begin the day with a hike -- or two. And since you are on the Blue Ridge Escarpment, where mountain runoff abruptly contends with steep drops, how about a couple of hikes that feature impressive waterfalls?  

In one location in Lansing you can fly-fish for trout, take a hike, go mountain biking – even play horseshoes! And less than a half mile away you can visit the Lost Province. That’s a big day in a town that covers less than a half square mile! Morning

Imagine being within a half hour or so of not one, but five of the state’s top adventure destinations. Well, imagine yourself in Morganton, where a short drive takes you to two state parks, three state trails, a wilderness area and “the Grand Canyon of the East,” offering a range of hiking, mountain biking, cycling, paddling, fishing and more. Plan to spend a day, at least, at each location.South Mountains State ParkAdventure options: Hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, fishing

Old Fort is all about escape, whether it’s deep into the woods on a trail or into the past in a museum.  A weekend in Old Fort offers a diverse mix of history, hiking, and hucking.Day 1Morning

Time was, driving I-40 to the Smokies you passed the paper mill town of Canton with nary a thought of stopping. Adventure? There!? Yes, as it turns out, adventure there! Adrenal adventure, wilderness adventure, even underwater adventure. Day 1Morning

Nothing says Trail Town more than having a trail – the Appalachian Trail, no less – run smack dab through downtown. Thus, it’s no surprise that a weekend in Hot Springs would be dominated by hiking on the AT, the longest dedicated footpath in the world. Day 1Morning

With temperatures 10 to 20 degrees cooler, Western North Carolina provides a welcome escape during the dog days of summer. Imagine your face sprinkled with the mist of a waterfall as you rest on a cool rock under a forest canopy. If this sounds good to you, Western North Carolina is the place to be.Find your waterfall in North Carolina’s mountains. Here are five of our favorite places to chill with waterfalls:   

On November 3, 1835, Elisha Mitchell, a professor at the University of North Carolina, announced that a peak in the Black Mountains of North Carolina was the highest in the eastern United States.

On May 6, 1976, the town of Old Fort in McDowell County rededicated its once nationally-known Andrews Geyser.