APPALACHIA, TAKE THE WHEEL

The ultimate NC mountain road trip.

Pack up the car with your best adventure gear, strap in your most lovable travel companions, stash some snacks and road candy in the glove box, and hit the road for the ultimate North Carolina mountain road trip.

Take Highway 74 due west for just under two hours to land at your first stop: Lake Lure.

This beautiful hideaway is nestled in the Hickory Nut Gorge. Crystal blue water pools at the base of rounded mountains and rugged granite cliffs. Hike up Chimney Rock or tackle the Bearwallow Trail for an aerial view of the lake. Alternatively, take a dip in the lake at the town beach or explore lake level in a rented canoe or kayak. Dine at La Strada before tucking yourself in at The Lodge on Lake Lure.

The next morning, drive 30 minutes southwest along Highway 64 to Hendersonville. Stop here for breakfast on Main Street, either at Arabella or 1950s-style Mikes on Main Street, then pick up a sandwich or wrap to go from Three Chopt Sandwich Shop. Take a moment to appreciate the first of many excellent western NC small town main streets before hopping back aboard and jetting north to Looking Glass Falls.

If you’re feeling industrious, navigate to the Looking Glass Rock Trail, which chugs up 1,700 feet in a little over three miles, offering multiple vantage points to view the neighboring foothills, as well as trailside rhododendron. If your legs are tired from hiking Chimney Rock the day before, opt instead to continue straight past the turnoff for Looking Glass Rock Trail directly to the Looking Glass Falls parking area. Descend the stairs to a breathtaking swimming hole that pools beneath a 60foot cascade of thundering water. Take a dip and then sunbathe on the rocks while enjoying your picnic lunch from Three Chopt.

From here, head back south to the charming small college town of Brevard, located only 15 minutes away from Looking Glass. Spend the afternoon exploring Brevard’s galleries, shops, and craft breweries, then commit to an evening of good food and live music. If you have the wiggle room in your itinerary, tack on an extra day in the Brevard area to explore the many waterfalls and hikes of DuPont State Forest or link up with Davidson River Outfitters for an exceptional fly fishing expedition.

It’s nearly the midpoint of this North Carolina mountain road trip, and, as all well-seasoned travelers know, it’s important to build rest and recovery time into any grand ad- venture to avoid burning out. To this end, head to Highlands, a cozy, small town that has a population of about 3,000 year-round residents and perches atop a plateau. If you’re still feeling spunky, there’s plenty to do, like exploring Whitewater Falls. It’s the tallest waterfall east of the Rockies. Or, head out to fish the Nantahala and Cullasaja. But if you can feel the need for a day’s rest, book yourself some time at The Spa at Old Edwards Inn. Expect European elegance articulated through wood and stone, a robust menu of services, and precisely the rejuvenation needed to launch into the next trip leg with a bit of spunk and curiosity.

From Highlands, head north to Sylva. Walkable and quaint, Sylva is saturated with breweries. You’ll find over 100 beers on tap just on Main Street and less than 3,000 residents around to drink them. Indulge with care, because this town is the perfect springboard for a whitewater adventure that you won’t want to miss. Neighboring Dillsboro not only offers the charm of a bygone railroad town and small business shopping haven, but also convenient small boat access to the

Tuckasegee River and a number of nearby outfitters offering whitewater rafting excursions to the Nantahala.

Dry off and head north to Cherokee, where 11,000 years of tribal history are on display just a few miles from the presentday, vibrant home of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation. This culturally rich destination affords visitors a glimpse into a different time and an appreciation of the arc of this land’s history. By virtue of its location at the edge of Smoky Mountains National Park, Cherokee is also a great location from which to explore this wilderness. The Smokies are America’s most visited national park and with good reason. Fog-shrouded ridges stretch for miles and miles, teeming with incredibly diverse ecosystems of flora and fauna. If you can spare the time, spend a few days exploring this wilderness by foot or by car.

Sufficiently tuckered out by a few days spent deep in the forest, return to civilization by way of Asheville, western North Carolina’s largest city. With a buzzing live music scene and brewery presence rivaled only by Charlotte, Asheville is a hip hub for the weird and funky. Pop into its galleries and unique shops; sample its award-winning restaurants like Cúrate, Chai Pani, and Rhubarb; catch a concert at the Orange Peel; and raise a craft brew to your ultimate North Carolina mountain road trip.

When the time comes to say goodbye to Asheville, soften the sting of your departure by hopping on the Blue Ridge Parkway. This one-of-a-kind roadway may not be the most direct path to your destination, but it will offer the greatest journey, winding through Pisgah National Forest and delivering unparalleled views of the Blue Ridge. Experience stunning vistas at Craggy Pinnacle thirty minutes north of Asheville, then see the highest peak east of the Mississippi, Mt. Mitchell. Another great stop for a short hike on your way north is the picturesque cascade of Crabtree Falls. Then, be sure to see the iconic views of Table Rock and Hawksbill from Chestoa View Overlook. Near here, you can pull off the parkway and detour to Linville Gorge, a dramatic outcropping of crags with zigzagging trails that climb with an intensity made worthwhile by the staggering views at their height. Then, back to the Parkway to complete a short hike to Linville Falls.

Depending on how much gas you have left in the tank (both yours and your car’s), proceed north to Beacon Heights and Grandfather Mountain and then off the Parkway towards Banner Elk. Roan Mountain will be your one last adventure on this Carolina mountain road trip. Here you can explore the balds of the Blue Ridge and see why they support so much wildlife. Hike along the mountain’s spine, bordered by lush rhododendron gardens, and even camp in the highlands which is arguably the most scenic area along the Carolina stretch of the AT). Or, return to Banner Elk for one last dose of small town mountain charm. Visit the Banner House Museum for a glimpse of 19th century mountain life, or sample high country wines at Banner Elk Winery and Grandfather Vineyard and Winery before winding down at The Lodge at River Run.

Return home, intrepid traveler, feeling perhaps weary but also wide-eyed with wonder at all that western North Carolina has to offer.

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