Bluff City Canoe Club

The Nantahala River area :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

• Additional links at the bottom of this page.
• Jump to Lost Mine campground.
• Bluff City Canoe Club Home page.
•  

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Wesser (Bryson City), North Carolina (Southwest N.C., near Smokies)

The River and Outfitters:

Nantahala River
Whitewater Rafting

The "Nanty" is a family-friendly adventure, great for kids young and old. It offers a thrilling taste of whitewater fun and excitement as it rushes through the beautiful Nantahala National Forest. The Nantahala Outdoor Center (Wesser) has the most ideal location on the river - situated right at the takeout - and boasts the convenience of daycare, dining, retail services, mountain bike rental and whitewater kayak and canoe instruction with private instruction available. Raft and inflatable kayak (1 or 2 person "duckies") rentals available, along with wet suits, boots, and heavy nylon paddling gear. Most of the gear is free.

http://www.noc.com/ 

 

Area Attractions:

Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest ..........Great Smoky Mtn. National Park.....Fontana Dam & Village....Chilhowee Parkway….Santeelah Lake….Blue Ridge Parkway….Cherokee Indian Reservation.....Appalachian Trail....Trout Fishing....Great Smoky Mtn Railway (used in filming many recent movies including The Fugitive). See complete movie list below.

 

 

 Blow Off Some Steam This Fall on the Great Smoky Mountain Railway
Travel the rails and view the glory of the North Carolina mountains aboard the Great Smoky Mountain Railway (GSMR). Highlight your Fall with a trip through beautiful mountain terrain offering flora, fauna, forests and wildlife, two old-fashioned tunnels and 15 bridges. Dillsboro to Bryson City to the Nantahala Gorge. If you board at Dillsboro, you can see the Locomotive run off the tracks in filming the movie, The Fugitive. Hop on for more.

 

 

Cheoah Ranger District , Link to The Nantahala River, 18 trails with descriptions and directions and The Joyce Kilmer National Forrest.

Cashiers and Highlands
Beautiful mountain towns like Boone, Blowing Rock and Asheville are all well known and popular, but there is a place where you can get two vacations in one. Cashiers and its dramatically different neighbor, Highlands, offer mountain getaways that envelope you in dramatic waterfalls, pristine lakes and rugged mountains and undisturbed forest. But don't take our word for it. Come explore for yourself. Start here.

 

 

Looking Glass Falls
Pisgah Ranger District Looking Glass Rock Area

Cradle of Forestry
Among the tall trees and peaks of the Pisgah National Forest lies the Cradle of Forestry. This magnificent area has been preserved as an interactive learning center focusing on the importance of forest conservancy along with its history. To learn more, click here. The Pisgah Ranger District is dominated by Mt. Pisgah on the Blue Ridge Parkway and extends on both sides of the Parkway. It is located roughly between the towns of Brevard, Waynesville and Asheville, NC. This area is especially noted for easy access to many beautiful waterfalls, wonderful hiking and camping opportunities, the Cradle of Forestry, and more. Pisgah Ranger District Map and Pisgah Ranger District link.

Topographic Maps of the Pisgah Ranger District from Topozone.com

Paddlesports in the North Carolina Mountains
Whether you enjoy viewing nature from the serenity of a canoe or dare to challenge the rough rapids by kayak, the North Carolina Mountains offer a diverse range of waterways for the paddle-savvy. Paddle to more information here. Whether a novice or a beginner, the range of water venues range from relaxing to challenging. From serene streams to rushing rapids, the NC terrain offers serenity and challenge.

  

Rippling Water Kennel A wonderful place to board your dog.

Campgrounds:

Lost Mine Campground ..............Phone 828-488-6445  or  www.LostMineCampground.com

 

1 mile from the N.O.C. at Wesser on Silvermine Road or 12.7 miles west of Bryson City on Hy. 19 in the Nantahala Gorge. 21' limit on trailers. Primarily tent and pop-up camping, but has several sites that will hold a small trailer or RV. (no RV hook-ups)

 

A small family run campground on Silvermine Creek; John and Anne King, owners. Many campsites on the creek with the sound of rushing water all night. Some sites have water and electricity (outlets on trees) (lights or fans; no heaters or A/C). This area is known for unbelievably cool nights. Many days in the summer don't see 70 degrees until 9 A.M. or so. From June-Sept. you can expect to see temperatures in the 50's to low 60's at night. At Memorial Day you could get down to the 40's. It's rare when it's not below 70 degrees by 9 PM. One of the few private campgrounds in the area that allows sociable dogs. There are no Forest Service campgrounds on or near the River. Reservations are required for many weekends and should be considered for weekdays if a number of sites are desired together.

(Silvermine road is a paved narrow road across the highway from the NOC Outfitters Store)

 

 

>>Highway 19/74 to Bryson City

 (Trailhead parking for Appalachian Trail at end of FS 1107)

 (you can hike, mostly down hill from there to the intersection of

highway 74/1103 (NOC) then 1 mile back to Lost Mine)

 

 Current Weather and Forecast

http://www.weather.com/weather/local/USNC0081

 

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Rocky Water Campground
Highway 19, Box 185, Topton, NC 28781
828-321-3660
Campsites located directly on the Nantahala River. Two islands, group sites, RV section with full hookup, hot showers, clean restrooms. Rafting, game room, sandwiches, pizza, ice cream, refreshments. Approximately 20 miles from Bryson City. Open May through September. No dogs. (2002-2003 season) may be under new owners for 2004.
Reservations recommended (10am-4pm) daily

Turkey Creek Campground
Michael and Ramelle Smith
PO Box 93, Almond, NC 28702
828-488-8966 info@turkeycreekcampground.com

Located on Hwy. 28N, 2 miles from Junction 19&74. Large campsites, 20 amp power service. Raised tent pads. Open March through November.

 

Other Links::::: (followed by movies filmed in North Carolina)

Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest is located about 15 miles from Robbinsville in the western part of Graham County and about 35 miles from the Nantahala Outdoor Center at Wesser. It is also just 3 miles from the start of the Cherohala Skyway, a ridge route between Tellico Plains, Tennessee and Robbinsville, North Carolina, opened on October 12, 1996, and was immediately acclaimed as one of the most scenic routes in the United States.

http://www.main.nc.us/graham/hiking/joycekil.html

http://www.main.nc.us/graham/cherohal.html

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• Bryson City site with numerous links:::::: http://www.greatsmokies.com/
• Link to State :: Main link for entire state.
• The official web site of the National Forests in North Carolina,
  including the Nantahala, Pisgah, Croatan and Uwharrie National Forests.
• Western Mountains :: Good link from State Tourism Dept
• Link to Trails: This link covers hundreds of rivers and trails in both N.C. and the U.S.
• For Northern Georgia Rivers, try this: http://www.trails.com/explore/activity.asp?AreaID={3B1165FB-6421-11D4-9BF3-00104BC9463C}&AffID=trails034
• Other Campgrounds in the Area:::::::::: http://www.greatsmokies.com/camping.htm
• Nantahala Power Co. site ; History and relationship with The Nature Conservancy regarding the Needmore 4500 acre tract near the River.:::: http://www.nantahalapower.com/

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Movies filmed in North Carolina with several in the Southwest part of the state.

Below is an abbreviated list of movies that were filmed in the mountains of North Carolina. See if a few of these titles sound familiar:

Hannibal (2001) - Biltmore House; downtown Asheville; Blue Ridge Parkway; Hot Dog King on Biltmore Avenue

28 Days (1999) - Black Mountain; Asheville

The Green Mile(1999) - Moses Cone Manor, Blowing Rock

Patch Adams (1998) - Biltmore Estate

Forrest Gump (1994) - Biltmore Estate; Blue Ridge Parkway; Grandfather Mountain

Nell (1994) - Robbinsville; Graham County Courthouse; Snyders Department Store; Joyce Kilmer Restaurant

Richie Rich (1994) - Biltmore House

The Fugitive (1993) - Great Smoky Mountains Railroad, Dillsboro; Cheoah Dam, Bryson City Area, Graham County

The Last of the Mohicans (1992) - Chimney Rock Park, Hickory Nut Falls, Skyline and Cliff Trails, Table Rock Mountain; Linville Falls Recreation Area; Biltmore Estate; The Manor Hotel in Asheville; Lake James

My Fellow Americans, Jack Lemmon. Used the Great Smokie Mountain Railroad out of BrysonCity.

Dirty Dancing (1987) - Lake Lure. Today, guides at Bob’s Marina in Lake Lure, North Carolina, offer a pontoon boat tour of the Dirty Dancing set.

And diehard film fans often are pleasantly surprised to learn that the beautiful scenery in Last of the Mohicans is in North Carolina and can be the backdrop for their next pleasure trip.