ABOUT US

Bryson City and the North Carolina Smokies

Bryson City is a small western North Carolina town on the banks of the Tuckasegee River. With just 1500 full-time residents, downtown activity is mostly clustered around two short streets — Main and Everett. It’s pure small town Americana with gorgeous scenery, local bookstores, galleries with working artisans, family friendly museums, craft breweries, and a surprising variety of restaurants. Lodging options run from mom ‘n pop motels, to country inns and B&Bs to mountain cabins and small chain hotels.

Yet the town’s size and easy-going, laid-back atmosphere belies Bryson City’s reputation as a premier outdoor adventure capital. It’s the activities surrounding town that draw thousands to the area each year.

Just 5 minutes outside Bryson City is the Deep Creek Recreation Area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park  – known for waterfalls, trails, swimming holes, creek tubing, and fly fishing – and not taking a bite out of your wallet ($6/day for tube rentals). And we’re just 20 minutes from the main NC entrance to the National Park, which has no entrance fee.

Scenic roads curve up the sides of mountains, along the Blue Ridge Parkway and up to Kuwohi (formerly Clingmans Dome). Hiking and biking opportunities abound in the National Park and on the Tsali trails. The Nantahala River is ready to shoot you down rapids and over falls. Fish are biting in Fontana Lake, rivers, splashy trout streams and in the Tuckasegee River that flows through downtown. Like something a little tamer? Let the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad show you the sights from the comfort of an historic railroad car.

Bryson City is one hour west of Asheville, two hours from Chattanooga, Knoxville and Greenville/Spartanburg, and three hours from Atlanta and Charlotte.

Photos available at
 GreatSmokies.com/media
Contact: Karen Wilmot, 
Executive Director
Swain County Chamber of Commerce