Waynesville

Around Waynesville

Photo: Harrison Keely · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Town and around · North Carolina · 63k people

Waynesville

Locals say The Smokies · “Gateway to the Smokies”

The friendliest town in the Smokies

Western Carolina PurpleWestern Carolina Gold

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Welcome to the Smokies! Whether you're here for the mountains, the music, or the small-town charm, you'll find a friendly wave and a good story. Grab a cup of coffee, watch the mist lift off the ridges, and settle in.

Clubs for Waynesville

No clubs for Waynesville yet.

The room

One room for everyone around Waynesville. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.

Ask the neighbours

All

A good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.

Coming up

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Marketplace

Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Waynesville. Sign in to sell something.

Things to do

  • Great Smoky Mountains National Park Most-visited national park, with elk and ancient forests.
  • Blue Ridge Parkway Mountain road with overlooks and hiking.
  • Cataloochee Ski Area Skiing and snowboarding in Maggie Valley.
  • Lake Junaluska Scenic lake with walking trails and events.
  • Western Carolina University Home of the Catamounts, in Cullowhee.
  • Museum of the Cherokee Indian Tells the story of the Cherokee people.
  • Outdoors Hike to Mingo Falls
  • Outdoors Fish for trout in the Pigeon River
  • With kids Visit the Museum of the Cherokee Indian
  • With kids Ride the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad
  • Evenings Catch a show at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts
  • Evenings See a movie or concert at the Strand at 38 Main
  • Locals love mountain cabins
  • Locals love trout streams

Through the year

  • Waynesville Apple Festival October Celebrates the apple harvest with food, crafts, and music.
  • Smoky Mountain Folk Festival July Traditional mountain music and dance.
  • Synchronous Fireflies Viewing June Natural light show in the national park.
  • Cataloochee Ski Area Opening Day December Kickoff of the ski season.

Mountain climate with four distinct seasons. Best time to be out is spring and fall. Best: Spring and fall are mild and beautiful.

Talk like a local

“holler”
a small valley or hollow
“crick”
creek
“fixin' to”
about to
“y'all”
you all

Getaways

Local flavour

Teams

  • Western Carolina Catamounts NCAA Division I

Also rooting for Asheville Tourists (MiLB), Charlotte Hornets (NBA), Carolina Panthers (NFL)

Eat and drink

  • Biscuits and gravy Staple of Appalachian breakfasts
  • Country ham Cured local ham, often served with red-eye gravy
  • Pinto beans and cornbread Classic mountain meal
  • Fried apple pies Made with local apples from nearby orchards
  • Cherokee frybread
  • Trout Fresh from mountain streams, often pan-fried

Where people go

  • Great Smoky Mountains National Park The most-visited national park, offering hiking, wildlife, and scenic drives
  • Blue Ridge Parkway Scenic highway with overlooks and mountain views
  • Waterfalls Numerous cascades like Soco Falls and Mingo Falls
  • Mountain lodges and cabins Cozy accommodations with fireplaces and mountain views

Heritage and traditions

This region is proud of its deep Cherokee heritage, mountain music, and the breathtaking Smokies that shape daily life.

This time of year in Waynesville

  • Fall leaf peeping October Peak colors in October draw visitors.
  • Cherokee Indian Fair October Traditional Cherokee games, food, and crafts.

Say it like a local: “fixin' to” — about to

Festivals

  • Folkmoot USA July International folk dance and music festival in Waynesville.
  • Greening Up the Mountains April Spring festival in Sylva with crafts, music, and local food.
  • Cherokee Indian Fair October Traditional Cherokee games, food, and crafts.
  • Mountain Heritage Day September WCU's celebration of Appalachian culture with music, crafts, and demonstrations.
  • Haywood County Fair August County fair with livestock, rides, and exhibits.
  • Waynesville Christmas Parade December Holiday parade through downtown with floats and lights.

Landmarks with a story

  • Judaculla Rock Ancient Cherokee petroglyph with mysterious carvings.
  • Shelton House 19th-century farmhouse in Waynesville, now a museum.
  • Bethel Rural Historic District Cluster of historic farmsteads and churches in Haywood County.
  • Haywood County Courthouse Historic government building in downtown Waynesville.
  • Mountain Farm Museum Collection of log buildings representing Appalachian farm life.
  • Cherokee Ceremonial Grounds Site of traditional Cherokee ceremonies and gatherings.

Food traditions

  • Ramp dinners Wild leeks gathered in spring and cooked with potatoes, bacon, and cornbread.
  • Apple butter stirring Community pots of apples cooked down with sugar and spices over an open fire.
  • Sorghum molasses making Local mills press cane and boil the juice into sweet syrup.
  • Cherokee bean bread Cornmeal and bean mixture wrapped in corn husks and boiled or baked.
  • Stone-ground cornmeal Local mills grind corn for cornbread, mush, and grits.

Music and arts

  • Bluegrass and old-time music Central to mountain culture, with jams and festivals.
  • Cherokee traditional music Drumming, flute, and storytelling passed down through generations.
  • Mountain craft Basketry, pottery, and weaving, especially among Cherokee artists.
  • WCU Fine Arts programs Bring contemporary arts and performances to the region.

A little history

  • 1838 Cherokee removal and the Trail of Tears
  • 1810 Founding of Waynesville
  • 1880s Arrival of the railroad
  • 1889 Founding of Western Carolina University
  • 1934 Establishment of Great Smoky Mountains National Park
  • Game day Friday night lights
  • Game day Catamounts basketball
  • Outdoors Hike to Max Patch
  • Outdoors Fish the Tuckasegee River
  • With kids Visit the Shelton House
  • With kids Attend Folkmoot

Locals speak a Southern Appalachian dialect with a drawl. You'll hear 'y'all' for everyone, 'fixin' to' for about to, and 'holler' for a hollow valley.

Only here

  • The Qualla Boundary, the Cherokee reservation, is the only one in North Carolina.
  • The Eastern Band of Cherokee is the only federally recognized tribe in NC.
  • Richland Balsam is the highest point on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
  • The Cherokee language, with its unique syllabary, is spoken here.
New here? A few tips
  • Pack for all four seasons; weather changes quickly in the mountains.
  • Learn to pronounce local names: Waynesville is 'WAYNEZ-vil', Cullowhee is 'CULL-oh-wee', Junaluska is 'JOO-nuh-LUS-kuh'.
  • Respect Cherokee culture; visit the Museum of the Cherokee Indian first.
  • Try local foods like ramps in spring and apple butter in fall.
  • Get a pass for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park; it's free, but you'll want to explore.

Make this page better

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Part of Asheville area

Nearby

Every area
SylvaNorth CarolinaMountain air, Cherokee spirit, small-town warmth.BrevardNorth CarolinaWhere the mountains sing.AshevilleNorth CarolinaWhere the mountains meet the arts.FranklinNorth CarolinaWhere the mountains sparkle with gemsNewportTennesseeWhere the mountains meet the riverSeviervilleTennesseeThe Smokies' front porchGreenevilleTennesseeWhere the hills hold the history.MorristownTennesseeApple country and lake life in the foothills.

Waynesville, NC. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.

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