Welcome to Western NC
Western North Carolina is known for its stunning mountains, scenic drives, and adorable small towns.
Lace up your hiking boots, breathe in the mountain air, and soak it all in.
Western NC on the Map
Interactive Map of Western North Carolina (Created with Google Maps)
This map, like those dedicated to Central and Eastern North Carolina, is alphabetized and includes specific counties and attractions for each one.
Western NC Travel Guides
The best places to visit in Western North Carolina include the High Country, the Blue Ridge Parkway, the city of Asheville, breathtaking waterfalls, and much more. We’ve featured them all in our Western NC travel guides collection!
Mountain Towns
Ranging in size and shape, North Carolina mountain towns come packed with unique attractions and wait with warm, welcoming smiles. These are some of the best.
Asheville (and Surrounding Towns)
Asheville is known for having fantastic food and some of the state’s best breweries, but we know there’s some well-preserved history and an amazing art scene.
Black Mountain is an easy day trip from Asheville (next town over!) and a convenient I-40 stop.
Brevard is known for the many nearby waterfalls, but the town itself is certainly worth exploring.
Hendersonville is known for apple orchards, great food, and amazing outdoor adventures.
Where Main St. meets the mountains, Marion is home to local shops, gorgeous scenery, and more!
The gateway to the Linville Gorge, Morganton serves as the hub for all things Burke County!
This lovely small town near Asheville is known for its rich history, Catawba Falls, and more!
The High Country (Boone, Blowing Rock, and More!)
North Carolina‘s High Country is home to the highest elevations in the state. It’s largely associated with the Blue Ridge Mountains and towns like Blowing Rock and Boone (also Banner Elk).
This wonderful region also hosts some of the most iconic North Carolina attractions, like the Blue Ridge Parkway, some of the best hiking trails, gorgeous waterfalls, and so much more!
Blowing Rock is filled with fun shops and great eats, and lovely scenery around every corner.
Grandfather Mountain and some of our best Ski Resorts, and more surround this town.
The 5,506-foot town is one of our favorite places, thanks to fun events, great food, and more!
Burnsville is the gateway to Mount Mitchell, but the town is also home to plenty of other great attractions.
Spruce Pine has it all, including gem mining, small businesses, outdoor fun, and more.
Smoky Mountain Towns
Bryson City is where you’ll find world-class whitewater rafting, scenic train rides, and much more.
The largest town west of Asheville offers an adorable downtown and gorgeous outdoor surroundings.
Maggie Valley is known for motorcycle rallies, bluegrass and clogging, and plenty of mountains to hike.
Foothills and NC Mountains-Adjacent Towns
These towns sit in the foothills and the areas around our mountains, and absolutely deserve a visit!
You may know the Hickory Furniture Mart and the Hickory Crawdads, but there’s more to Hickory.
Saluda is home to Story-filled historic buildings, beautiful outdoor spaces, and small-town vibes.
Western NC Outdoor Spaces
The Blue Ridge Parkway stretches for 469 miles from Virginia to Western North Carolina.
You’ll find the fewest North Carolina State Parks sites in the mountains, but also where the biggest names await.
The mountains of Western NC are home to beautiful landscapes, waterfalls, and of course, the best hiking trails.
These are the best waterfalls in North Carolina, based on our years of traveling around the state and searching for them.