Nantahala Mountain Resort
Sightseeing Attractions of the Nantahala
The Carolina mountain's most outstanding features
Nantahala Area
| Historic Fontana Dam | ||
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Historic Fontana Dam is a year-round haven of
nature's treasures. Nature lovers enjoy the landscape. There are escorted hikes and thirty
miles of mountain bike trails. You can also saddle up and view the majestic scenery from
horseback, or get a taste of old-time entertainment pitching horseshoes. There
are organized
activities such as cookouts, square dances, mountain bike races and craft
classes. Fontana Lake is an ideal vacation destination for water lovers. At the marina, you can rent deck boats, Wave Runners, pontoon boats, ski boats, and fully equipped houseboats. Tour beautiful Fontana Lake on one of the popular pontoon boats. Lake canoes and fishing boats are available on Fontana Lake. And don't forget your fishing tackle: Fontana is renowned for both its stream and lake fishing. |
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| Click to see the Fontana Village web site. | ||
| Great Smoky Mountain Railroad | ||
| The Great Smoky Mountains Railway is now in its ninth
year of providing a full season of over 600 tourist railway round trip excursions. The
history of this rail dates back to the 1840's when the railroad created passage through
this scenic rural mountain land. On passenger schedules, the Railway operates four die-electric locomotives and one Baldwin steam locomotive, No. 1702. This steam locomotive served the Army during World War II and starred in the movie, This Property is Condemned. Passengers ride in comfortable, reconditioned coaches, crown coaches, club cars, dining cars, cabooses and open cars, which are ideal for viewing and picture taking. The club cars and dining cars have a historic past and have been faithfully and beautifully restored. Beverages and snacks are available on the trains. There are convenience stations, food service and gift shops at the depots. |
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| Click to see the Great Smoky Mountain Railway web site. | ||
| Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest | ||
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The largest old growth preserve in the eastern United States, North Carolina's Joyce Kilmer unveils the magic of a primeval forest on a 2 mile national recreation trail perfect for families! The 3,800 acre preserve commemorates Joyce Kilmer, a fallen World War I soldier and poet who was killed in action at the age of 31. His masterpiece poem testifies to the power of the remaining giants: "I think that I shall never see a poem lovely as a tree..." A National Recreation Trail winds through the dark enchanted forest, a perfect outing for families or anyone who has never experienced the magic of a true forest primeval. The immensity of the trees strikes one first. These specimens are truly behemoths hundreds of years old: poplars, hemlocks, chestnuts, and oaks stretch hundreds of feet toward the sky. While the trees symbolize centuries of growth, the floor itself holds much of the fascination of the mature forest. In the dappled sunlight reaching the ground on an April morning, wildflowers are blossoming, tiny purple irises peeking through the deadfall, others of yellows, reds, and whites scattered beside the trail. | |
| Click to see the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest web site. | ||
| Great Smoky Mountain National Park | ||
| The Great Smoky Mountains, the majestic climax of the Appalachian Highlands, are a wildlands sanctuary preserving the world's finest examples of temperate deciduous forest. The name Smoky comes from the smoke-like haze enveloping the mountains, which stretch in sweeping troughs and mighty billows to the horizon. The park boasts unspoiled forests similar to those inhabited by Native Americans. The Cherokee Indians called it Sha-co-na-ge, the "place of blue smoke". A matchless wilderness with 270 miles of roads, and 900 miles of trails that cover only a small percentage of its half-million acres. 16 peaks with an elevation above 6,000', the highest being Clingman's Dome 6,642'. Over 75 historic structures in the park; cabins, mills, barns and other buildings are the work of early mountain people who carved a living from the mountains up until the establishment of the park, on September 8, 1940. Some 10 million visitors annually, more than any other park in the National Park System. |
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| Picture is
compliments of Bill Lea - President of the American Bear Association Click to see the Great Smoky Mountain National Park web site. |
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| Cades Cove and other Historic Attractions | ||
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Historically, the Smoky Mountains
were remote, but not a wilderness. People settled throughout the mountains, especially in
places like Cades Cove, Cataloochie, Greenbriar and Proctor. Though a few stands of virgin
forest remain, almost all of the Smokies have been logged. Most signs of human habitation have been eliminated, but you can still come across a number of cemeteries and house foundations in the mountains, as well as old railroad beds and roads from logging operations. |
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| Click to see the Great Smoky Mountain Historical site. | ||
Cherokee Reservation |
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| Unto These Hills |
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America's most popular outdoor drama, Unto These Hills, is the tragic and triumphant story of the Cherokee. Set against the backdrop of the Great Smoky Mountains, the drama is presented under the stars on the three stages in our beautiful Mountainside Theatre. Since opening on July 1, 1950, Unto These Hills has been seen by over five million people. |
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| Harrah's Casino |
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Located at the intersection of Rt. 19 and business 441 on the Cherokee Indian Reservation, Harrah's Cherokee Casino opened to crowds of waiting people at 10 am Thursday, Nov. 13th. Games include video poker, video blackjack, video craps and video pulltabs. There's live entertainment, three restaurants, and child care facilities. The casino is open 24 hours a day. |
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Click to see the Cherokee web site |
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| Maggie Valley | ||
| Ghost Town Where else can you re-live the daily thrills of life on the frontier in a beautiful Smoky Mountain setting-- nowhere but Ghost Town in Maggie Valley, NC. Begin your journey with a ride to Ghost Town in the sky, on either the chairlift, the incline railway, or the Ghost Town shuttle bus. Once you reach the top, the fun begins. The atmosphere of the Old West surrounds you. Stroll the streets and enjoy the nostalgic shops and displays. You can even have your name in the headlines of the Ghost Town Gazette. Will you be a bank robber or a hero? The fantasy is yours. |
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| Click the picture at the left to see the Maggie Valley Ghost Town site. | ||
Parkways |
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| Blue Ridge Parkway |
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| Click the picture at the left to see the BlueRidge Parkway site | ||
| Cherohala Skyway There are few places east of the Rockies which boast "mile-high" overlooks. The Cherohala Skyway is such a place. Conceived in 1958, the "Skyway" name is a combination of the two National Forests it connects: Cherokee and Nantahala. One of twenty highways deserving of the distinction, the Cherohala Skyway lives up to this high expectation One trip to the Cherohala is only the beginning. Season after season the Cherohala Skyway is becoming the most talked-about scenic drive in the East. Click the picture at the left to see more Cherohala pictures
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Mountain Waters Scenic Byway Click the picture at the left to see the Mountain Waters Scenic Byway site |
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