Natural Heritage

With the highest mountain peak in the Eastern United States, the oldest river in North America, some of the oldest mountains in the world, the deepest gorge east of the Grand Canyon, the highest waterfall east of the Rockies and the two most visited National Park lands in the country, the natural heritage of the North Carolina Mountains is surpassed by none.

Visitors seeking outdoor adventure, communion with nature, breathtaking vistas, wilderness solitude or simply a relaxed drive in the country will find it here in spades.  The Blue Ridge Parkway, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests, Scenic Byways, and State Parks and Forests offer hundreds of square miles of majestic scenery, hiking trails, bike trails, waterfalls, whitewater, rare and unusual ecosystems and more.

Come and discover this natural wonderland in the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area.