Things to see and do North Carolina

Long before the first pioneers came to their slopes, the Great Smoky Mountains were known to the Cherokee Indians. They called him sha-kon-o-hey (the land of blue smoke) because of the blue haze that constantly floats on the horizon.

It was with the help of private funds ($ 5 million was donated by John Rockefeller Jr.), added to the $ 15 million provided by the US government, and with a significant mobilization of the residents of Tennessee and North Carolina, that the park was created on June 1934. It was finally inaugurated by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1940. It was declared Biosphere Reserve in 1976 and then classified as UNESCO World Heritage in 1983. It covers a mountainous area ranging from 267 to 2 025 m (at the peak, the Clingmans Dome) and whose area reaches 2 110 km ². It houses 400 species of vertebrates (200 birds, 66 mammals and 55 fish), 5 000 plant species and 100 kinds of trees… Its forest is just one of the oldest in the world.

With over 10 million visitors each year, it is the most visited of all U.S. national parks. The main entries are in Cherokee (North Carolina) and Gatlinburg Tennessee. Between the two, the U.S. 441 (or Newfound Gap Road) passes through the park and gives access to many trails and viewpoints, such as the Rockefeller Memorial, which offers a beautiful view of the park from the Newfound Gap Pass (1 538 m) on the border between North Carolina and Tennessee. Roaring Fork, Cataloochee, Elkmont, Oconaluftee and Cades Cove, a valley west of the park that houses pioneers and preserved churches, are other points of interest in the park.

The park has four visitor reception centres. Two are located near Gatlinsburg and Cades Cove, in the part of the Tennessee side park, the third on the border of the two states (Clingmans Dome) and the last near Cherokee, North Carolina. Please note that a free email booklet is available for smartphones on the park website.

It is the largest network of dunes on the east coast of the United States. You can visit them on foot, and make you calves by climbing the three superior dunes, before descending them while jogging. It is possible to do kite, sand boarding or hang-gliding. From up there, you will have a beautiful view of the village on one side, and the river on the other. Probably a point of visiting the Outer Banks.

If you want to immerse yourself in the local atmosphere and participate in university life, don't miss to see the Durham Bull contest a Baseball game. The legendary stage in which they train attracts thousands of visitors, and we must go to understand the importance of this sport in American culture.

It is a large theme park located in Manteo Bay. It traces the history of the island in an extremely complete way. You will find a ship from the Colonization era, the Elizabeth II, period reconstructions and various museums focusing on several specific points of local history and geography. You will be able to discover how the first settlers lived, the customs and traditions of the Algonquin Indians, and the functioning of the region's ecosystem.

The park is located on a peninsula, a trail runs around it and offers beautiful views of the lush vegetation, Shallowbag Bay and the surrounding marshes.

Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest is about 12 miles (19 km) northwest of Robbinsville. This forest is one of the most impressive vestiges of ancient forest in the United States. it contains beautiful examples of more than 100 species of trees, many of which has over 450 years, and a little over 6 metres in circumference and 30 ft high. This 3,800 acre forest was named in 1936, in memory of the author of the poem Trees, Joyce Kilmer, who was killed in France during the First World War. This forest, part of Joyce Kilmer-Slick Rock Wilderness, is maintained in its original state. The only way of visiting it is on foot. A trail of 3.2 km leads to Joyce Kilmer Memorial and a loop around the giant trees. Picnic tables and toilets are at the beginning of the trail.

Cherohala Skyway, also known as Overhill Skyway, is a 51-mile (82 km) tourist route that connects Robbinsville, North Carolina, to Tellico Plains, Tennessee. Its name is made from Cherokee and Nantahala, the names of the two immense forests that the road passes through. Many ridges and viewpoints are located on the most beautiful path south of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The location, particularly appreciated by bikers and pilots of sports cars, is also a popular family destination.

At the beginning of the Deal' Gap, on the border of North Carolina and Tennessee, queue du Dragon (the queue du dragon) is a winding road to perfection in an enchanting setting. Its 11 miles (18 km) and 318 bends have brought for several years for motorcyclists of all jars and horizons. Obviously, this beautiful road is also accessible to other users.

De Deap' S Gap in Walhalla, South Carolina, Moonshiner 28 is a very popular tourist route 105 miles (170 km) long crossing landscapes where forests, mountains and waterfalls alternate. Its name traces the history of the clandestine distillery that was important in the Appalachian Mountains, from the beginning of the 20th century. Indeed, the illegal distillation of alcohol took place, hidden at night and the moon. Whisky of smuggling that bears the same name (Moonshine) is made of corn. It is with distilled 95°. Because of its extreme inflammability, its preparation is very dangerous.

A stroll in the Pea Island refuge is an opportunity to observe the marshes and the wildlife they contain. You can, in particular, admire different species of birds and turtles. On the other side of the road, the sand dunes await you, take a moment to stroll along the huge beach at the end of the world.

Mount Mitchell State Park is located on the Blue Ridge Parkway, approximately 33 miles northeast of Asheville. This park of only 790 ha was created in 1915 as the first state park in North Carolina. Its particularity is to understand Mount Mitchell (2 037 m), which is the highest peak located east of Mississippi. From the Blue Ridge Parkway, a 4,5-mile road allows you to visit the Mount Mitchell observation tower. The latter offers spectacular views of the Black Mountains massif. Near the parking lot is Elisha Mitchell's Tomb (1793-1857), the geologist who determined in 1835 the exact altitude of the peak that bears his name. The park has approximately 13 km of hiking trails. Attention to the presence of bears that are quite numerous in this area.