Welcome to Blue Ridge National Heritage Area,
a place unlike any other on earth, where ancient landscapes enchant the eye and age-old traditions warm the heart.
Congress designated the mountains of North Carolina the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area in recognition of their natural abundance and richly varied cultural history.
The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area nonprofit organization works to preserve, interpret and celebrate this heritage for the enjoyment of residents and visitors alike.
The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area includes the Cherokee Qualla Boundary and 25 Western North Carolina counties.
Traditional Artists
- Bill Carson Storyteller, McDowell County
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- Bill Carson has owned and operated the Orchard at Altapass since 1995, immersing himself in local history and lore and giving presentations that draw on skills developed during his earlier professional career.
- Visit the Traditional Artist Directory
Featured Destination
- Bluff Mountain Nature Preserve
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- One of the most beautiful and ecologically significant natural heritage sites in the southeast, Bluff Mountain Nature Preserve, near Warrensville, NC, offers visitors scenic beauty, unusual landforms, and an amazing botanical variety.
- Attractions Directory
Sights & Sounds of the Blue Ridge
The Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center in Asheville, NC features an award-winning film about the Parkway and exhibits on natural and cultural heritage.
