Run to Black Rock Mountain State Park! From the moment we arrived at the visitor center, we enjoyed…read morebreathtaking views. The views throughout the park are epic and the hiking is superb. Jack the gentleman at the entrance was beyond helpful and likely saved us from our own demise. As we were wandering about, he kindly interjected and offered us a map along with some detailed instructions regarding the various trails. We then explored a few trails to include the Ada-Hi Falls Trail and the Tennessee Rock Trail. We enjoyed all the views but would recommend a walking stick. The guide shop at the visitor center has some great merchandise including many items from local businesses. Furthermore, the prices were fair.

What a beautiful campground, especially in October when the leaves are changing…read more Each reserved lot has access to electricity, a picnic table, and a nice fire pit. Dogs are more than welcome. In fact, most of the people there brought one or two dogs. The lots vary in size from canvas tent and car all the way to travel bus. It's great for a weekend trip away from the city noise!

I never met a waterfall that I didn't like. We did a driving tour along Little River in Great Smoky…read moreMountains National Park to see if we could spot some wildlife. The Sinks is a lovely waterfall along the river. There is a small parking lot with about a dozen spaces where we found parking. An observation area is a short walk from parking. A sign describes the area and that the falls were manmade. During the late 1800's the river was used to transport logs/timber to the nearby town of Elkmont. After a storm, flood waters caused a jam in the river. Dynamite was used to restore water flow. The blast resulted in a twist in the river and creation of the waterfall. A set of stone steps leads up a hill, offering lovey views of the falls. There are dozens of waterfalls in the Park. Sinks is one of the few that is drivable, which is great for people that cannot hike. I picked up a Waterfalls map at the visitor center that I found interesting and informative. Parking passes are required to park in the lot. There are no amenities at the falls. Plan 15-30 minutes for a stop and photos.

We found a prime parking spot at The Sinks and looked at the area from above the bridge. People…read morewere cliff jumping from the cliffs using ropes, and just free jumping into the water below. Saw the waterfall, but we did not venture into the water. Very small parking lot, but worth a quick stop if you can find a spot to park the car.

This is a paved walk that follows the river in Franklin and is about five miles long. The park is…read morebusy with walkers, runners and people wandering about. Lots of places to sit if you want to enjoy the scenery. the path crosses over the river a few times and is easy to reach from town. You can request the bus to drop you off near the path.

How hasn't the Little Tennessee River Greenway been reviewed yet? Nicely kept, convenient, and…read morelovely, so much so that I almost hesitate to let the cat out of the bag. Wish the mileage was a little clearer so will have to come back when I have time to sneak in a longer run. I kid, of course. Go check out the greenway and support the good work of Friends of the Greenway or FROG.

It's a beautiful spot for swimming, or to launch your kayak from. Great for picnics and it's very…read moreeasy to access and handicap accessible. The con is the putrid smell from the unclean restrooms and the garbage is overflowing. I went up several times with my grandchildren and truly it was not kept up. Such a shame as it is a popular tourist and local destination.

Good place to visit!…read more Duke Energy worked with the city/state/County? to build this beach/Park. Nice parking spots on both sides of the road. Bathrooms located up in the parking area. A nice ramp down all the way to the water. Seriously, you could wheel a wheelchair all the way into the lake. The sand is very nice. And you can easily swim out to and hold onto the barriers. There's a dock off to one side where you can fish off of. We'll thought out and done pretty well. They even have donated life jackets for kids hanging here at the beach! My reasons for 4 instead of 5 stars: Dogs. The path down to the beach was littered with dog poop. On the path, on the side, everywhere! It was gross and unsanitary. Don't know if dogs are allowed on the beach, but they've turned the park area to crap. The beach is quite small. I do believe too small to support all the parking. The beach is very steep. I know it's the mountains, but if you're going to drain the lake and make a beach, a gentler slope to the beach for the little ones would've been preferable. A larger swim area. Some people just want to swim! Maybe another 10 feet out into the lake for swimming, not just waking.

I was trying to figure out a place to catch a sunset and wandered by this visitor center. It should…read morebe noted that at this altitude, visitor center does not imply running water, and the building is closed well before the sun sets. There is a parking and picnic area, a short trail up to the peak of the mountain that connects to other trails, and ample opportunity to catch a view. I was surprised at the prevalence of wildlife. I'm told the grass was tick-heavy so I avoided it as a frequent tick-borne illness sufferer. Wandering up a bit of trail yielded a snake and a population of spitbugs colonizing the local plants. The views in this area are uninterrupted over a wide area of wilderness, and weather-permitting, provide a fantastic experience. This is past the peak visitation areas on the Blue Ridge Parkway, but it's well worth it to keep driving until you get here.

A super challenging (very very steep) short hike up a tall knob. A longer hike if, like me, you…read morestarted at the trailhead at the Fork Ridge Overlook farther up the parkway. The views are spectacular, the hike is challenging (even for fit and athletic folks). Take your time, but the climb is worth it. And I definitely recommend the longer trail if you are up for the hike!

Another hidden gem in Pisgah National Forest is this place. To enter, you need to go through the…read moregated entrance which is currently unmanned until the tourist season begins which I believe is coming up soon. Then it will be $5 per person, not car. It was nice watching people enjoy the water.

This site definitely did not disappoint! We enjoyed a wonderful afternoon with the family. I was…read moresurprised that my granddaughters were not afraid to go down the rock slide. I was the family photographer. I certainly had lots to photograph! There was ever a great rock to lean against for taking pictures. My suggestion is that you bring along a change of clothes, wet shoes, snacks, a camera, sunscreen and life jackets for the little ones. I forgot my wet shoes and my son forgot a change of clothes. There is a rest room where you can change clothes. There are also lifeguards until 5 PM. They stayed open after 5, but did not charge admission. When we return we will go later in the afternoon. The lines are shorter and after 5 you don't have to pay the $5 per person admission charge. I definitely will return when we visit the area again. We enjoyed a great time!

Its a long hot hike in the summer, but when you finally make it to the falls, the water is cold!…read more The climbing rope is not very safe, I slipped due to so many people being there and the rock being so slippery and had massive bruises on my knees for weeks. A little overcrowded in the summer.

Turtleback Falls was always so much fun. Everything in this area is spectacular. It is a giant…read morefalls shaped like a turtle's back and you can slide off of it! The rock surface is so smooth and when you slide off the turtle's back you fall 10-15 feet into freezing cold water. There is a hole on turtle back that you can slide into and lean your head back to find an air pocket. You can also swim behind the waterfall and just chill. On the opposite side of the catch pool (natural), you find a giant rock that you can jump off of. I'd say it's roughly 15-20 feet so you may want to wear shoes to assuage the impact on your feet.

Great park! Tons to do at the playground, plus picnic area and trail nearby. Most of it is made…read moreof wood and seems to fit the mountain motif around here. The tire swing goes nice and high and the slides are slick. I'm giving 4 stars instead of 5 because it is a little bit run down. I imagine this park 10 or 20 years ago was fantastic. This is still worth a visit, and the kids are sure to enjoy it!

Very nice park nestled in a lovely neighborhood. We walked on the fairly short trail and enjoyed…read moreit. Some of the trees are massively impressive! There is a structure for the kids to play on that looks really fun, kind of like a fort.