The Nantahala River flows through a deep gorge in the Nantahala National Forest located in western North Carolina. The Nantahala Gorge has become an outdoorsmen’s paradise with hiking, mountain biking, camping, horseback riding, and whitewater sports. The world famous Appalachian Trail crosses the Nantahala River and offers great hikes up to Wayah Bald and Wesser Bald. The Nantahala River has been the training grounds for many world class kayakers and Olympians.
The Nantahala Gorge is in the middle of what is considered the Appalachian culture. Fifty years ago the people in the area were considered poor but very full of life and culture. It is often said by the old timers that “we did not know we were poor until someone came and told us we were.” Today there is an active effort to preserve the mountain culture. To keep gardening, banjo music, and the mountain dialect alive. A lot of this culture is easy to see and hear in the Nantahala area and Great Smoky Mountain National Park.
If nature and adventure are what you are looking for than you will find the Nantahala Gorge to be paradise.