The Best Hiking in North Carolina is in the Western Counties

The hardest part about hiking North Carolina is choosing a trail. Western North Carolina is home to the Nantahala National Forest, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, The Appalachian Trail, Joyce Kilmer National Forest, and The Mountains-to-Sea Trail. There are so many amazing parks and hiking trails in the Smoky Mountains of Western North Carolina that you could spend a whole lifetime exploring this area and never see it all. But by all means, please try. Experts and novices alike will love hiking North Carolina trails. We have trails ranging from epic, week-long expeditions to casual day hikes, to handicap accessible trails.

Hundreds of miles of trail winds through thousands of acres of pristine wilderness in the Smoky Mountains of Western North Carolina. The rewards of hiking North Carolina are many: heart-stopping views, swimming holes and everyone’s favorite, waterfalls. Several waterfalls are also handicap accessible including Nantahala Forest’s Bridal Veil Falls and Dry Falls, and the Cullasaja Falls are viewable from the Mountain Waters Scenic Byway.

Legendary Hiking: North Carolina’s World Famous Trails

Natural wonders abound every season of the year in Western North Carolina. Hiking North Carolina gives you a chance to slow down and appreciate the beauty of this region, one step at a time.

The Appalachian Trail draws hikers from around the globe. See the incredible views from Charlie’s Bunion and Wesser Bald, two unforgettable sections of AT hiking in North Carolina.

Joyce Kilmer Memorial Trail is an easy two-mile loop through an ancient forest. Hike past 400-year-old trees in the last stand of old growth forest in the Southern Appalachians. This particular forest memorializes the poet Joyce Kilmer who penned, “I think that I shall never see a poem lovely as a tree” in his masterwork, Trees. If you want to take children hiking in North Carolina or have older family members in your party, don’t miss this trail.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park has been called the most biologically diverse place on earth. The park itself encompasses 200,000 acres of virgin forest, crisscrossed by 800 miles of hiking trails. Hiking North Carolina is not complete without visiting the Great Smokies.

Let Us Help You Plan An Amazing Vacation Hiking North Carolina

Smoky Mountain Host of North Carolina can help you plan the perfect vacation hiking North Carolina. There is so much more to see and do in addition to hiking in North Carolina, that you’ll want a guide to the best of what our region has to offer. Order our travel planner online or call 1-800-432-4678 to request one.

Our travel planner can help you find where to stay, where to play and where to eat a well deserved meal after hiking North Carolina’s spectacular trails.