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
- Annie Lee Bryson Cornhusk crafter, Jackson County
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- During her youth in Jackson County, Annie Lee Bryson learned a variety of crafting skills from her mother, including sewing, quilting, and crocheting.
- Visit the Traditional Artist Directory
Featured Destination
- Whitewater Falls
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- Upper Whitewater Falls, near Cashiers, North Carolina, drops over 411 feet and is the highest falls east of the Rocky Mountains. Lower Whitewater Falls, located just across the border in South Carolina, drops another 400 feet.
- 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.
