GREENVILLE, S.C. (FOX Carolina) – There are a lot of areas of Western North Carolina still in recovery mode and unable to welcome visitors quite yet. Some places like the Blue Ridge Parkway are going to require time and a lot of work to get to a place where it’s safe to allow people back.

But there are also a lot of spots which are back up and running and ready to welcome visitors. The fall is prime time for leaf-peeping tourists in these areas so now, more than ever, it’s important to shine a spotlight on where we can go to enjoy the beauty of the mountains.

Before you go, but sure check your routes to get there. You can use DriveNC.gov for the latest updates. And be sure to be cautious while traveling the byways. While these roads are open, it doesn’t mean there might not be areas down to one land or even some lingering debris in some areas. The goal is to enjoy the scenery and support local towns all while doing it safely.

WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA TOWNS OPEN FOR VISITORS

CHEROHALA SKYWAY

The Cherohala Skyway is a National Scenic Byway in Great Smoky Mountains National park stretching from southeast Tennessee and southwest North Carolina. It connects the Cherokee National Forest to the Nantahala National Forest, hence the name “Cherohala.” Starting in the east, the skyway begins in Robbinsville, North Carolina, about 3 hours from Greenville and 2 hours west of Asheville. Robbinsville is a tiny mountain town with a big history. It‘s where the last surrender of the Civil War east of the Mississippi occurred. Grab a bite to eat before hitting the road and traveling 50 miles west to Tellico Plains, Tennessee. The Cherohala Skyway is a wide, paved two-lane road making for a pleasant drive to enjoy the changing of the leaves. The rides along the higher elevations from 900 to over 5400 feet reaching its highest point at the Tennessee-North Carolina border.

TAIL OF THE DRAGON

For the motorcycle and sports car enthusiasts, check out the Tail of the Dragon in Swain County. It’s a short 11 mile stretch of road, but it has 318 curves making for a thrilling ride. You can access Hwy 129 from Bryson City, just take US 74 west to NC-28 north and enjoy the scenery along the way.

FONTANA BYWAY

The Tail of the Dragon is part of the larger Fontana Byway which snakes its ways through the Great Smoky Mountains near the Little Tennessee River for 54 miles. The byway is one of the more rural routes which means there is a lot of uninterrupted fall foliage to see. It starts at Deals Gap near the Tennessee-North Carolina boarder and travels southeast through Swain, Graham and Macon counties, ending in Franklin which is about 2 hours an 15 minutes from Greenville and an hour and 15 minutes from Asheville. Along the way, you‘ll pass by Cheoah Lake and Fontana Lake as you weave through hills and farmland. There’s not many towns to stop in so make sure to plan ahead and pack a picnic. There are plenty of places to pull off to eat surrounded by the changing leaves. You can stop by Fontana Village, which is a resort community, for a bite to eat.

NANTAHALA BYWAY

The Nantahala Byway traverses 47 miles from Marble in Cherokee County through the Nantahala National Forest to the northeast, coming to an end east of Bryson City where it intersects with the Great Smoky Mountains Expressway. It’s about a 3 hour drive from Greenville and 2 hours and 15 minutes from Asheville to get to Marble in the west. The road brings a variety of scenery from the Nantahala River to the farmland of the valleys to the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains and along the way you can catch glimpses of the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad. The railroad is another great way to see the scenery of this gorgeous landscape while letting someone else do the navigating. The byway snakes through the Nantahala Gorge an area the Cherokee once referred to it as the “Land of the Midday Sun” for its deep valley and steep walls. Along the way you can stop in Andrews or Bryson City for snacks and shopping.

WATERFALL BYWAY

The majority of the Waterfall Byway is open to leaf-peepers. But before you go, be aware there is small section of the road closed in both directions east of Cashiers. There is a detour around the closure which takes about 12 minutes through a windy section of the mountains.

If you love a gorgeous waterfall surrounded by the stunning fall foliage, and who doesn‘t, check out the Waterfall Byway. This 98 mile stretch of road is named after the 200 waterfalls scattered along the route. The byway starts just west of Rosman in Transylvania County and travels west towards Murphy in Cherokee County. Rosman is located an hour from Asheville and an hour and 15 minutes from Greenville. Along the way, you can stop in several mountain towns to check out the shops and grab a bite to eat. Cashiers, Highlands and Franklin are all right along the route.

NEWFOUND GAP ROAD SCENIC BYWAY

Newfound Gap Road is located inside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park giving leaf-peepers a stunning 33 mile show. The scenic byway starts just north of Cherokee near the Qualla Boundary which is two hours and 15 minutes from Greenville and one hour and 15 minutes from Asheville. It then travels northwest into Tennessee, ending in Gatlinburg. Along with the beautiful of the Smoky Mountains, historic landmarks along the byway illustrate the Southern Appalachian pioneer culture of the past. There’s not many food options along the way so be sure to stop in Cherokee to stock up for the ride.

WHITEWATER WAY

Whitewater Way is another great drive to drinking the fall beauty of Western North Carolina along side stunning waterfalls. The route is named for Whitewater Falls, the highest waterfall east of the Rocky Mountains rushing down 411 feet. Enter the road in Sapphire which about an hour and half from Greenville and an hour and 15 minutes from Asheville. The route continues past Gorges State Park and Upper Whitewater Falls, ending at the North Carolina-South Carolina state line.

SOUTH MOUNTAIN SCENERY

The South Mountain Scenery travels from the Piedmont of North Carolina into the mountains along a 34 mile road. It starts in Metcalf in the Piedmont which is about an hour and half from both Greenville and Asheville. The route travels northwest rolling through farmland and hills then moving into the steeper terrain of the South Mountains, ending in Marion. Check out Shelby, just south of the entry to the byway, for shopping and food. Or check out Polkville and Marion along the way.

BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY

The Blue Ridge Parkway is open on the Virginia side, but the majority of the Blue Ridge Parkway is closed in North Carolina. However, a small 20 mile portion of the Parkway is open around Blowing Rock. Milepost 285.5 at Bamboo Gap to milepost 305 at Beacon Heights is now open for tourists to check out the leaves. The north end is just southeast of Boone and travels southwest when you have to hop off near Grandfather Mountain State Park. Sites within this stretch that are open to visitors include Bass Lake, Moses Cone Manor House parking and carriage trails (no restrooms), Price Lake Picnic Area and the trails in between these mileposts. The National Park Service is reminding visitors to use extreme caution when hiking as the trails have not be completely assessed and there may still be debris, landslides and wash-outs over sections of the trails. Be sure to check with the National Park Service for the latest updates.

There are several byways which aren’t currently accessible due to extensive damage from Helene.

• Appalachian Medley in Haywood and Madison cos.
• Forest Heritage Scenic Byway in Haywood, Jackson and Transylvania cos.
• French Broad Overview in Buncombe and Madison cos.
• Drovers Road in Buncombe and Henderson cos.
• Mount Mitchell Scenic Drive in Yancey and Madison cos.
• Pacolet River Byway in Polk Co.
• Black Mountain Rag in Buncombe, Henderson, and Rutherford cos.
• Highlands of the Roan Byway in Yancey and Mitchell cos.

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