Local Sites & Activities

  • Local Hiking Options – We have 6.7 miles of trails available right on campus which is open to hikers and mountain bikers – learn more about the trails here. There is a ton of hiking in the area, here is a guide to get you started.
  • Blue Ridge Parkway – The Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP) is known for outstanding scenery and recreational opportunities. BRP is 469 miles connecting the Great Smokey Mountains National park in North Carolina to the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. There is an entrance to the BRP within 15-20 minutes of campus.
  • Harrah’s Cherokee Casino – Harrah’s Cherokee Casino offers 24/7 gaming, restaurants, shopping, and more. To see everything they have to offer visit their website, by clicking here.
  • Local Breweries – There are three breweries in Sylva, NC which are all within a 10 minutes from campus – Innovation, Heinzelmannchen, and The Sneak E Squirrel.
  • Cherokee, NC – A culture, a people, and a place that’s actually a sovereign nation, Cherokee is located right in the heart of Western North Carolina. It’s also base camp for hiking in the Great Smokies, arts and crafts shopping, native elk herd viewing, hours of fishing fun, and home to a history that spans millennia. Ready? Let’s go. -See more at: http://visitcherokeenc.com/#home
  • Great Smoky Mountains National Park – Ridge upon ridge of forest straddles the border between North Carolina and Tennessee in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. World renowned for its diversity of plant and animal life, the beauty of its ancient mountains, and the quality of its remnants of Southern Appalachian mountain culture, this is America’s most visited national park. Get all the information at – https://www.nps.gov/grsm/index.htm.
  • Asheville, NC – There’s more to life than the climb. There’s the view. Come up for air in Asheville. There’s something unexpected around every bend. Make plans to visit Asheville and find yourself immersed in our unmistakable mountain vibe. Some things you wouldn’t want to miss if you visited Asheville would include the Biltmore Estate*, highest peaks, food & drink, and the Downtown area.  To learn more about Asheville visit, https://www.exploreasheville.com/.
  • Waynesville, NC – Waynesville, North Carolina, is the largest town in Western North Carolina and is a short drive from Asheville, NC. Downtown Waynesville has a quaint, urban charm, perfect for walkable shopping in local boutiques and gift shops for artisan goods. Waynesville is a 20-25 minute drive from campus. To learn more about Waynesville click here.

* We would recommend getting tickets beforehand if you are interested in visiting the Biltmore Estate.