At a Glance

Fall color in the Blue Ridge Mountains is rolling downhill from the highest reaches this week, Oct. 22 to 29, 2026. Northern McDowell County, around Linville Falls, Little Switzerland and the upper Linville Gorge, is …

At a Glance

The North Carolina towns worth leaving the Blue Ridge Parkway for include Blowing Rock near milepost 292, Little Switzerland at milepost 334, Waynesville via Balsam Gap near milepost 443, and Cherokee near the Parkway's southern …

At a Glance

Old Fort is a small McDowell County town off I-40, about 25 to 30 minutes from Asheville. Highlights include Catawba Falls, which reopened after Hurricane Helene with some areas still closed, the Point Lookout Trail, …

At a Glance

Green Grass Cloggers: The History, Part 1: The 1970s is a 2026 documentary by Leanne E. Smith and M. Chad Smith that traces the North Carolina percussive dance team from its start in 1971 through …

At a Glance

The Pisgah Inn on the Blue Ridge Parkway reopened on schedule April 1, 2026, with the parkway completely open after Hurricane Helene hit in September 2024. Owner Bruce O'Connell says the hotel filled its first …

At a Glance

The Blue Ridge Parkway runs 469 miles from Shenandoah National Park to Cherokee, NC, with more than 200 overlooks and a 45 mph speed limit (sometimes 35). Peak fall color at 4,000 to 5,000 feet …

At a Glance

Asheville's tourism recovery remains uneven nearly two years after Hurricane Helene. Explore Asheville reports year-to-date hotel occupancy through July 2026 at 62%, four points below 2025 and nine below 2019, while vacation rentals are running …

At a Glance

The Blue Ridge Parkway has finished a multiyear, $100 million-plus rehabilitation of 75 miles of road between milepost 229.6, north of Doughton Park, and milepost 305.1, near Grandfather Mountain. The National Park Service announced completion …

At a Glance

Mitchell County has three gem-mining destinations near the Blue Ridge Parkway: Rio Doce Gem Mine in Spruce Pine and Gem Mountain, both under five minutes from the Parkway entrance, and Emerald Village near Little Switzerland. …

At a Glance

Highlands, at 4,118 feet, has organizations such as the Highlands Biological Station, the Highlands Cashiers Land Trust and The Mountain Retreat and Learning Center that make time outdoors easy to enjoy. The Highlands Biological Station …