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NANTAHALA AND BRYSON CITY |
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ake a ride on the Nantahala Gorge Excursion from Bryson City to the Nantahala Gorge and back. The ride will take a bit more than four hours, and will provide mountain vistas and views of the Tennessee River and Nantahala River. In addition to comfortable coaches, passengers can capture the moment from open cars, or retreat to the dining car for refreshment.
It’s one way to see the magnificent area around the Nantahala, but it’s not the only way.
The Tsali* Recreation Area is one of the top mountain biking destinations for North Carolina.
With nearly 40 miles of trails, three main overlooks provide fantastic views of Fontana Lake with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on the other side.
Of course, white water rafting offers yet another approach to experiencing nature firsthand.
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bout a dozen miles west of Bryson City, the scenic Nantahala River is one of the most popular whitewater rafting destinations in the Southeast. With its Class II and III rapids, it is a family river suitable for beginners – with exciting stretches along the way. It is challenging enough to have been used several times for training by the U.S. Olympic Kayaking Team.
In fact, National Geographic Adventure magazine and ABC’s “Good Morning America” teamed up to identify “Top 10 Trips with a Splash,” and whitewater rafting at the Nantahala Outdoor Center was ranked #1.
Janet Mason is originally from Miami, but lives and works in Atlanta. Several years ago, she and her partner, Chris, vacationed in the Nantahala area and went whitewater rafting. They loved it!
“We decided to investigate mountain property for vacations and ultimately, retirement, and through our research discovered some tips on buying second home property,” she explained. Suggestions included being less than two hours from a major airport, and less than two hours from a city with arts, culture and colleges. A temperate climate was another plus, as were natural beauty and recreational opportunities.
“We realized that the Nantahala area met every one of those criteria,” she laughed.
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About one-half of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is in North Carolina, mostly in Swain County.
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Bryson City is the county seat, and the Cherokee Reservation is nearby. The tiny communities of Ela, Nantahala, and Topton are found along the highway.
Macon County, just south, contains more National Forest land than any of the region’s eight counties. There are also small communities that dot its landscape, including the charming village of Highlands, and Franklin, Macon County’s seat which has achieved some fame as a gem-mining destination.
Back in Bryson City, the Nantahala Gorge Ruby Mine provides professional gemstone evaluation and cutting. Many of the area shops feature artisans who have been drawn to these mountains for inspiration. Handcrafted musical instruments, unique jewelry pieces, pottery, and more are available for the discerning eye.
Shops devoted to the outdoors are plentiful, and beginners can gain a valuable education before starting out on that first whitewater trip, or mountain biking excursion. And although there are wide open spaces and protected areas, the buzz is all about Western North Carolina. In fact, the experts at
EscapeHomes.com rank nearby Murphy, North Carolina, as the sixth readiest-to-grow escape destination in the United States.
Janet Mason knows she’s
found a treasure, yet
she’s barely scratched
the surface. Years of
adventure are waiting.
_______________
*
"Tsali"
is the name of a Cherokee Indian who gave his life so
that some of his people could remain in the Great Smoky Mountains
region. During the U.S. government-ordered removal of the Cherokee
nation to Oklahoma, he and others managed to escape to hide in the
mountains. The government agreed to let some Cherokee people
remain, provided he, his oldest son, and his brother-in-law
volunteer themselves as sacrifices. They were executed and buried
under what is now Fontana Lake. More than 1,000 people hid in the
mountains, and were finally allowed to remain. Their descendents
form the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians.
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Katherine O. Pettit has worked as a writer, magazine editor,
printer and public relations consultant. The Columbia resident has published more than 250 articles in magazines
and newspapers. Her writing explores a variety of subjects including travel, lifestyles, business and management.
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