Outdoors Adventures to explore
Elevate Your Golf Game
at two 18-hole mountain courses – Smoky Mountain Country Club and Sequoyah National. The spectacular landscape of the Great Smoky Mountains has been luring vacationers for generations. And now, it’s attracting golfers who enjoy the unique challenges that a true mountain golf course can deliver.
Boating for recreation and fishing
Boating for recreation and fishing on two mountain lakes in Swain County, two beautiful mountain lakes — the 26 mile-long Fontana and the smaller Cheoah — provide exceptional boating for recreation and fishing.
Deep Creek Waterfalls, Hiking, Fishing
Just minutes from The Everett Hotel, the Deep Creek area of Great Smoky Mountains National Park offers hiking and nature trails, mountain trout streams with waterfalls and incomparable pristine beauty. During the summer months, a section of Deep Creek is extremely popular for tubing. While Deep Creek is the closest Park access to Bryson City, the half-million acre Park offers much more — scenic mountain-top vistas, historic structures, fishing for native trout and more than 500 miles of trails.
Stand-up Paddleboarding
Stand-up Paddleboarding is available on Fontana Lake and on the Tuckasegee River in downtown Bryson City. An outfitter is across the street from the Everett Hotel.
Fishing
Fishing is big in Swain County. So big, in fact, that it has its own website – GreatSmokiesFishing.com. This comprehensive guide to fishing in the NC Smokies features a map and descriptions of twenty-six fishing destinations — mountain trout streams, creeks, rivers and two large lakes. These waters offer more than 17 sporting species from trout to bass to Muskie. A 2.2-mile stretch of Delayed Harvest Waters rund through downtown Bryson City.
Road Cycling and Off-road Mountain Biking
Road Cycling and Off-road Mountain Biking – In the Western North Carolina Mountains, the word “flat” is seldom used to describe our landscape. So, needless to say, biking these hills can be a challenge for road bikers and off-road bikers alike. Tsali Recreation Area Trail System, 15 miles west of Bryson City. Pronounced “SAH-lee” and named after the 19th century Cherokee Indian martyr, the 42-mile network of multi-use trails is consistently rated one of the top ten riding destinations in the United States.
Whitewater Fun for All Ages
The Nantahala River is one of the most popular whitewater rafting rivers in the Southeast luring more than 200,000 paddlers to its waters every year. A perfect combination of exciting whitewater and placid pools, the Nantahala is a great introduction to the sport of whitewater paddling.
In the mood for something more sedate? Try the Tuckasegee River. With its Class I and II rapids, Tuckasegee rafting trips provide great outdoor entertainment for the entire family.
For experienced paddlers, the Cheoah River offers a nine-mile stretch of Class IV – V rapids between Santeetlah and Calderwood lakes west of Bryson City. Dropping 150-feet per mile, the Cheoah is three times as steep as the Gauley – and equally challenging. Unfortunately, the Cheoah is a controlled-release river with a very limited number of release dates. Check with an outfitter for times.
The Ocoee has been rated one of the ten best whitewater rivers in the country by Canoe Magazine. A number of local outfitters take trips down the Ocoee, about 1-1/2 hours southwest of Bryson City. It has been chosen as the site of national whitewater championships on several occasions as well as home of the 1996 Olympic Whitewater competition. Fully guided due to the challenging water.
Elevate Your Golf Game
Boating
Hiking & Fishing
Mountain Biking
Whitewater Fun