We have been to this trout farm over the years with kids, grand kids, friends, etc. I read a…read morereview that claimed someone had to pay $95 for five fish! I think that is not true. Yes, it does add up, but I've never paid over $30-$40 for a bunch of fish, cleaned and iced! That's not bad to supply a large fish fry with fresh mountain trout. I read another review by hikers who claimed the owner "terrified them" with his mean ole rudeness and his barking dog. Get a life! These folks are awesome.

The host was friendly and pleasant and fun to fish.My wife and daughter enjoyed this experience so…read moremuch that this will be a spot to stop by every time we in this area. It remote and beautiful country

Scam Alert -- Avoid at All Costs…read more My family arrived at Cherokee Ruby & Sapphire Mine at 3pm and immediately realized we had made a mistake. We were charged $30 per person just to stand on the property, plus a 10% credit card fee. Moments after taking our payment, the only employee on site, Zach, announced he was leaving for the day and that we could "stay on his property." No staff. No guidance. Nothing. When I politely asked how we were supposed to identify any gems without an employee present, he became agitated and hostile. I asked for a refund since we had just arrived and no services had been provided. That's when things escalated--Zach began yelling and got in my face aggressively. We immediately returned to our car and left. The property itself is nothing but piles of rocks. No buckets or tools are provided -- you're expected to scavenge everything yourself. Bags cost $20 each unless you post a positive review on the spot, and they charge another $75 just to evaluate anything you might find. It's pure extortion. I have since filed a police report and am actively working to recover the $165 we were charged for absolutely nothing. Please sort reviews by "lowest" before visiting--many people describe similar experiences. This place feels unsafe, unprofessional, and predatory. Stay far away.

DON'T GET SCAMMED!! READ THIS FULL REVIEW FOR ALL THE DETAILS. I really wanted to love this place…read more The fact that Cherokee Ruby & Sapphire Mine is unsalted is what brought us here--it felt like a rare opportunity to experience an honest dig and possibly find something special. And we did. I found what appeared to be a naturally formed ruby crystal: very clear, vivid red under lighting, and visibly fluorescent--something gem-quality by any measure. Unfortunately, the excitement ended in the dark room, where we were invited to examine the stone. A staff member, Eric, took it to look more closely and never gave it back. We left empty-handed and deeply unsettled. Eric was extremely excited about the stone, literally did a little jump and said "WOW!!!" while examining it, and then the stone disappeared while he was holding it. Before we left, he said he thought one of the other miners there "swiped it," but there were no other miners working in the dark room at that time. Makes me wonder if this is business as usual when someone makes a good find--encourage them to hand it over in the dark room and then palm it. We trusted Eric at that point. He had been helping us with our questions and giving us great guidance all afternoon. We called the next morning to speak to Eric about the situation, but no one answered and after leaving a voicemail he didn't return our call. I'm sharing this not out of anger, but because others should be aware. If you visit: Keep all stones in your line of sight at all times. Examine them in daylight if possible, before entering any enclosed spaces.Politely decline if someone offers to take the stone from you to "look closer." If you make a great find but want to continue mining, put the find in a safe spot in your car and lock the car. Show it to no one. I hope this was just a misunderstanding. But it didn't feel right, and I wouldn't want anyone else--especially children or first-time rockhounds--to lose something they worked hard to find. This could still be a great experience, but only if you advocate for yourself and protect your finds. I encourage the mine to put better safeguards in place.

We've been to the other mines in the area and this one is by far our favorite…read more.... Great Experience!!! Highly Recommend!!!

We decided to mine here on our last trip it was a great experience! Staff are friendly…read moreknowledgeable and helpful! We brought back the star ruby we found and had our wedding rings made. Highly recommend!

When you look at the price of the tour, you might be thinking wow! But let me tell you! This Rail…read moreTour is so Worth Every Penny! We loved every moment! The staff was so nice, friendly and funny! The lil gift shop was well stocked and we bought snacks and drinks for the ride... upon our return we bought some really soft AVRT shirts and hats to match to remind us of our ride. Let me tell you about the ride! Oh my goodness! So we started off listening to a safety speech, which was so helpful! They showed us how to break, how to use the electric motor assist and the hand signals to use when we stop or if we have trouble. So helpful! We started out on our bike and the electric motor helped a lot! We would use it a little and the then pedal, repeat. We passed through fields and trees, streams and rivers! We even had to slow down for a sweet cow and her calf crossing the track! We saw a bunch of wild turkeys and an albino turkey! When we started up the mountain the motor assist really helped! The tunnel was amazing and it felt so fresh driving through it! We stopped at the top, just past the tunnel, and there we dismounted and we had time to wander around we walked down to the river and saw a trout! Ate our snacks at the picnic tables and then walked back up the hill and across the bridge to the tunnel, where our tour guide Holly took our picture and then told us about the history of the tunnel and how to date the rails! So cool! We then headed back to our bike"Gulf Wind" and headed back down to the depot. It was so much fun! All of us came back with giant smiles on our faces! We can't wait to come back in the Fall and ride again!

Me and two friends enjoyed the rail tour on a recent trip to Andrews, NC. The views are absolutely…read morepicturesque! Enjoy the countryside, rolling fields of grain, cows, streams and mountain scenery. We literally had to stop to let cows cross the track on the way down! This is a unique attraction that lets you see the area in a new way. We had a lot of fun and felt like kids peddling up and down the mountain. The hand carved tunnel at the top was fascinating! It's hard to imagine the scale and effort that went into creating it in the 1800s. I would definitely pack a snack and drink for your break. You have about 20 minutes to look around and take pictures. If you have small children, I'd recommend a small activity to keep them entertained. Here are a few logistics: They are serious about arriving 30 minutes before your scheduled ride. I would actually recommend arriving 45 minutes before if you want to use the restroom, apply sun screen, pack your bag, etc. They begin the safety speech and loading at exactly 30 minutes before. My advice would be to go into this with a good attitude. The pedal assist does really help, but you still need to be pedaling. The way up requires some effort, but going downhill is always easier. If you are not physically able to pedal, I'd recommend their rail cart that does not require pedaling. Our rail bike worked great the entire way up and down. The bike in front of us did experience some issues, but the staff was great at helping and multiple solutions. This is a great locally owned attraction that I recommend supporting to boast the local economy!

Brought the kids yesterday. It was a lot of fun. Unfortunately too many beer cans and alcohol…read morebottles along the shore and in the water. I wish people knew how to clean up after their self. It was beautiful tho. The water was low but it did get deep pretty quick. The shore was muddy, you could see where the water used to be. It wasn't busy but everyone was nice. Easy access to the water, the picnic area and bathrooms were relatively clean. Will definitely keep coming back til it starts to cool down. A changing area would be convenient and the hike trail was clear. Great place to bring the kids.

Had a great time at creek and tubing and hiking. Next time will bring food to grill!read more

This is a beautiful picnic and hiking area at the start of the Nantahala National Forest. We GPS'd…read moreourselves to Leatherwood Falls, and started our hike off at the waterfall. The trails are well maintained, and you walk along a raging river. The trails were very easy with little to no elevation, so this would be a great spot to take kids and pups. It would also be the perfect location for a romantic hike and picnic. I highly recommend checking it out if you're ever in Murphy, NC.

I've been going tubing with Cherokee Rapids on the Oconaluftee River for years and it never…read moredisappoints. The process is easy: they bus you a couple of miles upstream and you float back down to their spot on the river. The trip usually takes 1 to 2 hours depending on the water flow. The river is beautiful and the float is a great balance of peaceful drifting and fun. Most of it is calm and relaxing, but there are a few stretches of mini-rapids that make things more exciting. There's also a swimming hole and a rope swing along the way that make the trip even better. What I like most about Cherokee Rapids is the flexibility. Unlike the other company in the area, you don't have to be back at a set time to catch a bus. You can take your time, enjoy the float, and finish at their riverside landing as long as it's before 5 pm. The staff is friendly, the setup is convenient, and the overall experience is excellent. I definitely recommend Cherokee Rapids if you want a mix of relaxation, adventure, and great service.

The staff was super helpful and wonderful at responding to any test questions you may have. The…read moreriver is super clean but not as full as we would have liked. We took my great niece age 9 for her first adventure. We all enjoyed and would definitely go again !!

My wife and I just spent the day fishing with Jared and had a really great time. We have taken…read moreguided trips in FL, SC, TN, NC, CO, and AK and have had some great experiences. However, fishing yesterday felt like we were fishing with a long-time buddy or neighbor. He was very knowledgeable about the area and passionate about the fishing but also so very relaxed and laid back, it really did feel just like we were out on the lake fishing like any other Saturday. We highly recommend booking with Jared and I can't wait to bring my son back and also a buddy of mine who I take on fish trips a couple of times a year. I know they will love the opportunity to get on a great lake with really good fishing.

Jared does a good job. He has an intimate knowledge of the lake and provides top quality equipment…read moreand service. I hope to use his service again.