Take A Hike Outdoor Itinerary

DAY ONE TourtheBlueRidgeParkwayThe46milesoftwistingmountainroadsthatrunthroughHaywoodCountyareoneofthemostpopularattractionsinthearea.AfterbreakfastheadtotheparkwayentrancejustoutsideofMaggieValleyandheadNorthtowardsCantonforanexquisitedrivethroughtheBalsamMountainRange,whichiswhereHaywood‘snativebluegrassband,BalsamRange,gottheinspirationfortheirname.Stopandstretchyourlegsattwoofthecountiesmostpopularhikingareas,GraveyardFieldsorDevilsCourthouse,whicharesuretoinspireyouaswell!

SkinnyDipFallsCooldownthisafternoonatalocalswimminghole,SkinnyDipFalls.LocatedontheBlueRidgeParkway,pulloffnearmilemarker417,whichisneartheLookingGlassRockoverlook.Amoderate,shorthikewilltakeyoutoanaturalwaterfallandswimmingholeontheYellowProngoftheBigEastForkofthePigeonRiver.Takeacooldiporsunyourselfontherocks.IfyoucontinueonthetrailpastSkinnyDipFallsontheMountainstoSeatrailyouwillreachGraveyardFieldswhereyouwillUindmorehikingtrailsandwaterfalls.CheckoutourCraftBreweries!Youmustbegettingthirsty!HaywoodCountyistheproudhomeoffourmicrobreweries:BoojumBrewing,BearWatersBrewingFrogLevelBrewing,andTippingPointTavern&Brewery.Eachhadtheirowndistincttastesospendtheafternoonatone(ormore)tryingtheirvarioustaps.OrderupafrostyUlightanddon’tforgettograbagrowlerofyourfavoritetotakehome.

DAY TWO MountainHeritageTroutWatersTheysaytheearlybirdgetstheworm…wellsodothetrout!Purchasea3-day,$7.00UishinglicensetoUishinthedesignatedMountainHeritageTroutWatersinWaynesvilleandMaggieValley.Thisspecial3-daylicensecanbepurchasedonlineatwww.ncwildlife.orgorbytelephoneMonday-Friday,8-5at888-248-6834.DidyouforgetyourUishingpoleandtacklebox?Noworries!StopbytheHaywoodCountyVisitorCenterandpickupafreetackleboxUilledwith6lures/UliesandyoucanborroweitheraUlyrodoraspinnerrod.

PurchaseKnobHikeSwingbytheHaywoodCountyVisitorCenterinMaggieValleyandpickupaPurchaseKnobHikingGuide.ThisbeautifullyillustratedmapwascreatedbyalocalcertiUiednaturalistandhighlightsoneofHaywoodCounty’sbesthikinggems.PurchaseKnoboffersawiderangeofbiodiversityandotherappealingaspectsallencompassedinafour-hourorlesswalk.Itswinteraccessibility,summerbutterUlyandwildUlowerabundance,andamazingpanoramasmakePurchaseKnobtheperfecthike.EasytoModerategrade.

CataloocheeValleySpendyoureveningwithanadventuretoseethereintroducedelkofCataloocheeValley,whicharemostvisibleduringdawnanddusk.ThevalleyisonethemostremotepartsoftheGreatSmokyMountainsNationalParkandisrichinmountainhistoryandbeauty.TheareaislacedwithabundantwildUlowersandwildlifeincludingelk,white-taileddeer,blackbears,wildturkey,butterUliesandmanyspeciesofbirds.Thetranquilsceneryissuretoinspiretheinnerartistineveryone.Withseveralhikingtrails,streamsforUishing,andpreservedbuildingsfromtheearly1900’s,thereisplentytoexploreinthevalley.

**Note**TheaboveitineraryisaSAMPLEitinerary.Otherattractionsandactivitiescanbesubstitutedbasedonyourpreferencesandthecurrentseasonalitytocreateauniqueitineraryforyournextvisit.

RestaurantSuggestions-HaywoodCountyishometosuchawiderangeoflocallyownedandoperatedrestaurantsthatwecouldn’tjustpickafew!Fromcasual,down-homeeateriestogourmet,Uine-diningandeverythinginbetween,wehaveitallhereHaywood.Forafulllistingandmoreinformation,visitwww.visitncsmokies.comorcallus-800-334-9036.