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 1
Morning
Chestnut Mountain Nature Park It wasn’t all that long ago that you had to drive to Tsali outside Bryson City for an epic mountain biking experience on flowy, well-maintained trails. Now, as you head to the mountains on I-40 you can take Exit 31 just west of Asheville and in about 10 minutes you’ll be at Chestnut Mountain Nature Park, where the town of Canton has built 9 miles of flowy, challenging trail for all levels of riders. This professionally built trail network opened in 2022 and includes Backcountry and Frontcountry sections, as well as a Berm Park, “an oasis for mountain bikers who are seeking a more active biking experience.” Not a mountain biker? The park also has six miles of trail you can hike.
- Address: 2153 Asheville Highway, Canton Website: https://www.chestnutmountainnaturepark.com/
Afternoon
Blue Ridge Snorkel Trail It also wasn’t all that long ago that you had to head to the Caribbean for decent snorkeling. Well, guess what? You can now get a top-notch snorkeling experience from that same Exit 31 – in this case, after just a 7-minute drive! In 2023, the NC Wildlife Resource Commission launched the Blue Ridge Snorkel Trail, 10 locations on mountain waters where you can go all Mike Nelson and immerse yourself in the underwater world of Appalachian. In the case of Canton, that adventure begins at the Canton Boat Ramp. Slip on your mask, snorkel and fins (you’ll need to supply your own), then float a placid, shallow section of the Pigeon River and see who you’re sharing the water with (a kiosk at the site helps with this, identifying the 10 species you’re most likely to see, from the River Chub to the Northern Hogsucker.
- Address: 77 Penland Road, Canton Website: https://ncfishes.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/BRST-Canton-X3.png
Evening
Canton rounds out its basecamp reputation by offering a variety of opportunities for rest and recovery in its downtown area. Check out your options at the website below.
- Website: https://www.cantonnc.com/#
Day 2
Backdoor to the Shining Rock Wilderness. Nearly everyone familiar with the outdoors in North Carolina is familiar with the Shining Rock Wilderness, an 18,000-acre expanse that belongs to the Class of ’64 original wilderness areas in the U.S. Alas, the main thing most associate Shining Rock with is crowds, or of the endless line of parked cars along Black Balsam Knob Road, of vehicles circling buzzardlike for a spot at the Graveyard Fields entrance, the two most popular entrances, both off the Blue Ridge Parkway. But like the speakeasys of old, those in the know know to enter from a backdoor, of which Shining Rock has three, all within a 30-minute drive of Canton:
- Off U.S. 276 is the East Fork of the Pigeon River Trailhead, where two trails will get you up to Shining Rock (both about 5 miles) and one takes you up to Graveyard Fields (4 miles)
- From the Daniel Boone Boy Scout Camp Trailhead off Little East Fork Road, where you can take the Art Loeb Trail 4 miles up to Deep Gap and another mile to Cold Mountain (yes, that Cold Mountain)
- From a trailhead off NC 215 just south of the Sunburst Campground you can hike to Sam Knob, Black Balsam, or into the adjoining Middle Prong Wilderness.
You may spot another hiker or two on these trails, but not many more.
- Website: https://www.alltrails.com/
The Near Future
Pisgah View State Park And if that wasn’t enough, Canton is just over 20 minutes from Pisgah View State Park. Haven’t heard of Pisgah View? Well, depending upon when you read this the park, North Carolina’s 35th, may not have opened. North Carolina’s newest State Park sits on land initially occupied by five federally recognized tribal nations and later, for more than 200 years, by the Cogburn Family. At one time it was home to the "Pisgah View Ranch," offering horseback riding, rental cabins, a swimming pool, a tennis court, and other amenities. The park includes the Pioneer Cabin Museum in a cabin built in 1790. The park is expected to open in 2026.