ASHEVILLE, NC -- Children and adults, by the hordes, gingerly navigate a slippery rock while clinging to the side of a hand railing. As they near the top of the huge 60-foot flat, sloping boulder, most hold their noses and take the plunge, sliding into the clear cool water below.
Sliding Rock is just one of a hundred or so waterfalls that grace the mountains around Asheville, and one of many adventures waiting in Western North Carolina.
Whether your pleasure is a pleasant hike through virtually undisturbed wilderness, seeking out a 400-foot waterfall, embarking on a rollicking whitewater raft ride, or rock hounding for precious gems, the mountains around Asheville offer outdoor activities to suit every taste.
The area includes the highest mountain peaks east of the Mississippi, and a cornucopia of outdoor delights that include whitewater rafting, hiking, rock climbing, mountain biking, camping, golfing, fishing, and rock hounding.
"Western North Carolina makes a prime ecotourism destination because of all the outdoor activity," said Professor Gary Miller, director of the Environmental Studies Department at the University of North Carolina at Asheville. "People come here to see clear whitewater and green mountains; they come to fish and hike. Pristine beauty brings crowds, no matter what the destination."
It also means adventure.
"Soft adventure is the buzz word for the 90s vacation set, and we are seeing that in the increase in the number of visitors who embark on whitewater adventures," said Glenn Goodrich, former general manager for a whitewater company and tourism consultant.
With some of the most beautiful and exhilarating wilderness rivers in the eastern United States, western North Carolina has become the capitol of whitewater recreation.
The French Broad River, which runs through Asheville, N.C., has long, peaceful stretches that can accommodate family raft rides, and whitewater rapids for kayaks and canoe enthusiasts. The wide river winds among the mountains of the Pisgah National Forest, offering eight miles of numerous small rapids and several larger ones, with placid pools that are perfect for swimming.
The Nantahala River, near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Bryson City, N.C., offers ideal whitewater rafting conditions for families and beginners. The river rushes through the beautiful Nantahala Gorge, and even the most inexperienced paddler can enjoy this beautiful river that is dam controlled, making water release regular and predictable.
The more adventurous rafter can challenge the fast-moving Nolichucky River, located near Spruce Pine and Burnsville, N.C. Hemmed in by one of the steepest and most beautiful gorges in North Carolina, the river requires considerable maneuvering around rocks and boulders to get through its many rapids and pools as it winds through the Pisgah and Cherokee National Forests.
A number of professional companies with headquarters along the riverbanks provide rides and lessons in guiding your craft over the roller-coaster rapids. The only equipment you'll need is a pair of sneakers and a change of clothes.
Rock hounding is also a popular outdoor activity in the mountains. The state has more than 400 different varieties of minerals and gems for the collector.
Rubies and sapphires are found in Buncombe, Haywood, Jackson, Clay, Macon and Iredell counties. Cabarrus and Stanly counties offer sites for gold panning.
It’s not unheard of for someone to occasionally "strike gold," or ruby, or sapphire.
Some semi-precious gem minerals found in the state include moonstone, amazonstone, sunstone, dark blood-red rutile, peridot, almandite, pyrope, and rhodolite garnets.
The Franklin and Little Switzerland areas have many mines, where rock hounds can dig for their own stones or search through buckets of soil and minerals that have been dug from the mines by the operators.
With the great percentage of the state's 1.2 million acres of national forests, and 1,300 miles of trails located in the mountainous western part of North Carolina, it’s no wonder the region is considered a hiker's paradise.
The most rugged section of the 2,015 mile Appalachian Trail runs through North Carolina and the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.
The 469-mile long Blue Ridge Parkway, considered the most scenic highway in America, winds through Asheville and Western North Carolina and provides access to several shorter hiking trails. The majority are rated easy to moderate and are designed to give the hiker the best view of wildflowers and local wildlife.
From the visitor's center at milepost 364.6 (Asheville is at the 382 milepost, and the numbers on the mile markers go down as you go north) it's a steep, short hike to the 5,900 foot summit of Craggy Gardens, but the views are spectacular, especially in June when the rhododendron are in bloom.
From the parking lot (milepost 422.4) it's an easy climb of less than a mile to the 5,462 foot summit of Devil's Courthouse. An area rich with rhododendron, laurel and wild flowers, the summit provides views of the mountains and four states.
The Joyce Kilmer Memorial Trail in the Nantahala National Forest, a wilderness area not far from the North Carolina-Tennessee border, is an easy trail, but one that offers virgin stands of timber, rotted remains of giant chestnut trees and abundant flowering trees, shrubs and wildflowers. Spared from loggers saws, yellow poplars have grown to more than 100 feet. Some have trunks several large men can't link arms around.
The Art Loeb trail, in the Shining Rock Wilderness area of the Pisgah National Forest, can be reached on U.S. 276, one mile west of U.S. 64. It offers hiking trails ranging from 3.8 to over 30 miles traversing 6,000 foot peaks.
Just south of the Shining Rock area on U.S. 276 north of Brevard, N.C., is Sliding Rock, which provides fun for kids of all ages. The slide area has a handrail and the Forest Service usually has an attendant on hand as a safety measure. Dressing rooms are also available.
A llama's friendly disposition, the beauty of the mountains and the animal's ability to carry limited supplies provide guests with an extraordinary outdoor experience in the Pisgah National Forest, less than a 30-minute drive from Asheville.
The ecological benefits of llama trekking preserve the experience for future guests.
"A llama has many natural adaptations, which make it friendlier to nature than a horse," said Laura Moser, an owner of Avalon Llama Treks. "They have soft feet, they don't paw at the ground, causing erosion problems, they can be staked away from trees to avoid damage and you can assure that no litter is left behind; everything is carried out."
Recently Western North Carolina has been hailed as a mountain biker’s paradise, and it’s home to one of country’s top races. Biking trails throughout the region are diverse enough to accommodate both beginners and the more experienced. The Blue Ridge Parkway and other area roadways are also conducive to biking.
Western North Carolina has numerous camping areas in its national forests and parks suitable for family outings. These well maintained areas have spaces for tents and trailers, and sites are furnished with grills, picnic tables, tent pads, conveniently located water pumps, and sanitary facilities with flush toilets.
The campground on the Davidson River in the Pisgah National Forest, on U.S. 276 five miles north of Brevard, has 161 sites, fishing, and hiking trails. The Davidson is also popular with those who enjoy riding the river in inner tubes.
Limited camping is available at Mount Mitchell State Park, 35 miles north of Asheville, just off the Blue Ridge Parkway. The park includes an observation tower, which offers a spectacular view from the highest peak (6,684 feet) east of the Mississippi River.
Access to North Carolina state parks and recreation areas is free; however, there is a nominal fee for overnight camping.
The shining lakes that dot the countryside and the numerous rivers and mountain streams make western North Carolina an angler's paradise.
There are more than 1,800 miles of trout waters in the mountains, from native trout streams to waters that are stocked regularly by the state Wildlife Resources Commission.
In addition to trout, smallmouth bass, white bass, muskie and walleye challenge the fisherman. The N.C. Division of Boating and Inland Fisheries, 512 N. Salisbury St., Raleigh, N.C. 27611 [(919) 733-3633] can tell you the streams and reservoirs available, which varieties of fish are where, the best times of year to fish, and even the types of lures to use to ensure that the big one doesn't get away.
For more information about Asheville outdoor adventures or other aspects of the Asheville area, call (800) 280-0005, or write to Asheville Convention and Visitors Bureau, P.O. Box 1010, Asheville, N.C. 28802-1010. Visit our Web site, www.exploreasheville.com, or send us an e-mail at cvb@exploreasheville.com.
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