NC Mountain Bucket List

A trip to the North Carolina mountains is a special trip! So much to see and do! But there are some hidden treasures and some special memories that you might miss.

Bucket List Item #1 Mountain Views! From the Blue Ridge Parkway overlooks to the top of Roan Mountain, our area is truly breathtaking. Be sure to visit Roan Mountain. You will hike through cool shaded paths of evergreens and then open up to expanses of mountaintop views. You will see rare flowers and plants only seen in this part of the world. If you come in June you can experience the 600 acres of blooming rhododendron. (that awesome view can be found on a Roan trail!) It is most definitely a bucket list item!

Bucket List Item #2 Waterfalls! You’ve seen pictures but have you ever stood behind a waterfall or watched one cascade from the top of a mountain? Mountain waterfalls are truly a beautiful natural wonder! There are several that you can add to your list too! For an easy, short hike to a local waterfall, check out Grassy Creek Falls in Little Switzerland. You can drive a portion of the way and then walk in the rest. For a more lengthy hike but worth it be sure to see Crabtree Falls. And of course, you have heard of Linville Falls. Just 13 miles from Spruce Pine, Linville Falls is also a great one to put on your waterfall tour.

Bucket List Item #3 Gem Mining! You might have seen gem mines before, but have you visited one of the most important mining districts in the world? The purest quartz in the world comes from the Spruce Pine mining district! In our area, there are some really cool gem mines where you can bring the family to find treasures, shop, explore, and more!

Bucket List Item #4 Toe River! Whether you want a slowing-moving lazy river or a ride through the rapids, you can check them off your list! The beautiful Toe River winds its way through the county (and goes straight through downtown Spruce Pine). You can contact a local guide service to rent tubes and lazily float down the river with your friends and family. If you seek a little more adventure, the guides can put you on the rapids.

Bucket List Item #5 Dellinger’s Grist Mill. Do you love history? Visit the last water-powered/stone ground grist mill of its kind left in the state of North Carolina. Meet Jack, 4th generation miller who will tell you all of the great stories and send you home with fresh ground grits, polenta, or cornmeal! Located just outside of Bakersville where you can grab a bite to eat at a local eatery and visit art galleries and shops.

Bucket List Item #6 Horseback Mountain Trail Rides There’s a horse for every rider so that the whole family can enjoy the beauty and serenity of a mountain trail ride. Through tree-lined trails and through mountain streams, this bucket list item will be one you want to do every season!

Bucket List Item #7 Visit a Heritage Apple Orchard! The orchard is right on the Blue Ridge Parkway and your family will love the storytelling hayrides, live music, homemade fudge, hiking trails, and the monarch butterfly experience.

Bucket List Item #8 Experience the Quilt Trail! Drive through the beautiful roads and follow the quilt trail map to see large colorful quilt blocks painted on the sides of buildings and barns. Each quilt tells a story!

Bucket List Item #9 Explore local artist studios and find amazing hand-crafted art created right here! Did you know our area has more artists' studios per capita than anywhere else in the country? From pottery to weavings, from hand-blown glass to jewelry…our local talented artists display their work and sometimes even demonstrate in their own studios.

Bucket List Item #10 Mitchell County sits right in the center of NC’s most famous peaks and from here you can visit each one and check them off your bucket list. From Roan Mountain (the world’s largest rhododendron garden) to Grandfather Mountain (think mile-high swinging bridge) and Mt. Mitchell (the highest peak east of the Mississippi), each peak offers a unique experience!