Bryson City Attractions & Things To Do
The Great Smoky Mountains surrounding Bryson City and Cherokee, NC are a beautiful place to visit all year around. There are many things to do during the Spring, Summer, and Fall, but there are also plenty of fun things you can do in the winter time! Below is a map that that shows you where many of the Bryson City attractions are and below that is a list telling about some of the most popular places to visit while staying with us!
The Most Popular Bryson City Area Attractions:
Fingerlake Day Use Area
The Finger Lake Day Use Area is part of Fontana Lake, but it is cut off from motorized water-crafts making it a great spot to take the family and enjoy a day in the water! You can rent paddleboards or kayaks and paddle around the whole lake, or take a picnic and swim right off the shoreline. This area is free to use and is a great place to enjoy the water and escape the summer heat!
Biltmore Estate
Explore the wonders of Biltmore Estate in Asheville for a day or a week. Discover America’s largest home, magnificent gardens, award-winning winery, great shopping and delicious dining.
Harrah’s Cherokee Casino
The ultimate Western North Carolina destination for gambling and late night entertainment. Harrah’s is the only casino in the state of North Carolina and is continually growing and upgrading. The main attraction is a “Vegas worthy” gaming floor with live dealers on blackjack, roulette, and craps; with the majority of the gaming floor being video slot machines.
Cherokee
Cherokee, comes from a Creek word “Chelokee” meaning “people of a different speech.” It is a city filled with a rich history and lasting culture of the Cherokee Indians. This city has much to offer from outdoor activities, cultural arts and crafts, to family entertainment. This popular stop in Western North Carolina is sure not to disappoint.
Clingman’s Dome
Rising 6,643 feet above the Great Smoky Mountains, Clingman’s Dome is the highest point along the Appalachian Trail and provides a 360 degree view of the surrounding mountains. From it’s 54 foot observation tower the average viewing distance is about 22 miles, but on a clear pollution free day, views can amplify as far as 100 miles into 7 states.
Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail is a 2,159.1-mile foot trail along the ridge crests and through the major valleys of the Appalachian Mountains from Katahdin in the central Maine wilderness to Springer Mountain in a designated wilderness area in north Georgia. The goal is to maintain the entire Trail environment as a place for everyone to hike, backpack, or otherwise enjoy the Appalachian mountains and wildlands, while at the same time conserving the natural, scenic, historical, and cultural resources of this one-of-a-kind park.
The Road to Nowhere
“The Road To Nowhere”, as most local residents call it, is a 6-mile scenic drive into the North Carolina side of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park where it dead-ends. It provides spectacular views of Fontana Lake and the Appalachian Mountains and was originally named “Lakeview Drive”, but since the road was never completed (as the government promised) residents, who were forced to leave their homes in order for Fontana Dam to be built, gave it the name of “The Road To Nowhere”.
US 129 Tail of the Dragon
318 curves in 11 miles is the ultimate thrill ride for many motorcyclists and sports car enthusiasts when visiting Western North Carolina. The beautiful views and hairp-pin turns bring many people all the way out to the Tennessee border and back again and again.
Nantahala River
The Nantahala River offers the thrill and excitement of riding river rapids in a raft, canoe or kayak while enjoying the scenic Nantahala National Forest that surrounds it. Eight plus miles of constant waves and swift, clear currents with an overall gradient of thirty-five feet per mile make the Nantahala River a delight for almost all ages interested in learning whitewater rafting.
Tsali Recreational Area
Tsali Trail is named after a Cherokee Indian who gave his life so that a remnant of his people might stay in the Great Smoky Mountains. 41 campsites are available at the Tsali campground along with showers and flush toilets. You may also backpack and camp anywhere on forest land, except in designated wildlife fields and in trailhead parking lots. Tsali also offers a free boat launch site and ample parking is available.
Fontana Lake & Dam
The highest dam east of the Rockies is located just 35 miles West of Bryson City, North Carolina. Towering 480 feet in height this dam backs water for 29 miles and provides a major source of energy for the Tennessee Valley. With 10,640 acres of water surface Fontana provides great recreational water activities such as boating, knee-boarding, water-skiing and some of the best Pike and Bass Fishing anywhere.
Blue Ridge Parkway
A scenic roadway, which travels 469 miles to connect the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee. Bicyclists, Bird-watchers, Hikers, Photographers, and Siteseers all will enjoy the opportunities offered while traveling on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, established in 1934, covers 520,408 acres of land with heights ranging from 840 feet at Abrams Creek to 6,643 feet at Clingmans Dome. Although not advertised as highly as the Tennessee side, the North Carolina side offers many great hiking and horseback riding trails at Deep Creek, Round Bottom, Smokemont and at the end of The Road To Nowhere.
Deep Creek
Deep Creek, located in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, has a campground complete with showers if you like spending the night in the great outdoors. Horse and tube rentals are just a short walking distance away and provide you and your family with hours of entertainment. Hiking the many trails will keep you occupied for days plus Juney Whank, Tom’s Branch, and Indian Creek Falls are all within a 1 mile hike.