Day Trips from Highlands, NC: Gorges, Gem Mines, Rafting and More

Highlands sits on a plateau near where North Carolina, Georgia and South Carolina meet. Every road out of town drops through a gorge or over a ridge, so drive times are longer than the mileage suggests. Here are the day trips worth the drive, with rough times from Fairview House.

Franklin

Franklin is the Macon County seat, west of Highlands down US 64 through the Cullasaja Gorge. It is known for gem mining. Mines such as Sheffield Mine, Rose Creek Mine and Cherokee Ruby & Sapphire Mine sell buckets of ore that you sift in a flume, and kids love it. Most mines are open spring through fall, so call ahead. The Franklin Gem & Mineral Museum is in the old jailhouse on Phillips Street downtown.

The drive is half the point. US 64 passes Bridal Veil Falls and Dry Falls in the first few miles out of Highlands. The road is narrow and winding along the river. NCDOT has closed it for repairs in the past, so check DriveNC before you go. See our Waterfall Byway guide.

Dillard and Rabun County, Georgia

Drive south on NC 106 down the mountain and you reach Dillard, Georgia. The Dillard House (768 Franklin Street) is a historic restaurant that serves Southern Appalachian food family style. Platters are passed around the table, which suits a big group. It recently finished a renovation and added a front porch lounge. Its stables offer guided trail rides.

About 20 minutes farther south, Tallulah Gorge State Park (338 Jane Hurt Yarn Drive, Tallulah Falls, GA) protects a gorge nearly 1,000 feet deep and two miles long.

• Rim trails lead to several overlooks and are fine for most ages. Leashed dogs are allowed on the rim.
• The suspension bridge sways about 80 feet above the rocks. Reaching it takes about 1,000 stairs.
• Only 100 free gorge floor permits are issued each day, first come, first served at the Interpretive Center. They are not recommended for children 8 and under, and they are not issued on scheduled water release days. Check the park’s release calendar.
• There is a parking fee.

Whitewater Falls and Gorges State Park

East of Cashiers, off NC 281, Whitewater Falls in the Nantahala National Forest is one of the tallest waterfalls in the East. The upper falls is usually listed at 411 feet. A paved path of under a quarter mile leads to the upper overlook. A 154-step staircase goes down to a lower viewpoint. There is a small parking fee.

Nearby, Gorges State Park (976 Grassy Ridge Road, Sapphire) has a visitor center and the trail to Rainbow Falls. Some backcountry areas remain closed, so check the park’s alerts first. Both stops pair well with Cashiers. See our Cashiers and Sapphire guide.

Brevard and Pisgah National Forest

Brevard is a college and music town known for its white squirrels and for the summer Brevard Music Center festival. Just north of town, US 276 runs into Pisgah National Forest.

• Looking Glass Falls is a 60-foot waterfall right beside the road, with an observation deck.
• Sliding Rock is a 60-foot natural granite waterslide. Lifeguards are on duty and sliding is allowed from Memorial Day through Labor Day. There is a per-person fee, and the small lot fills before midday.
• DuPont State Recreational Forest is between Brevard and Hendersonville and has 12,500 acres of waterfalls and trails.

Bryson City and the Nantahala Gorge

Bryson City is a walkable river town at the edge of the Great Smoky Mountains.

• The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad leaves from the historic depot downtown. The Nantahala Gorge excursion is a 4½-hour round trip along Fontana Lake and the Nantahala River. The Tuckasegee River excursion stops in Dillsboro. Polar Express trains run in the holiday season and sell out early.
• The Nantahala Outdoor Center has run rafting trips on the Nantahala River since 1972. It also offers ziplines, kayak and ducky rentals, and riverside restaurants. Rafting is the classic big-group outing. Book everyone on the same launch time.

Cherokee

Cherokee is the home of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, at the southern entrance to the Smokies. The Museum of the Cherokee People (589 Tsali Boulevard) is open daily, and its current exhibition looks at Cherokee people and the American Revolution. In season, the Oconaluftee Indian Village recreates an 18th-century Cherokee village with craft demonstrations. The outdoor drama Unto These Hills plays on summer evenings. Check current schedules with the Cherokee Historical Association.

Asheville

Asheville is the longest trip here and is best as a full day or an overnight. Biltmore reopened weeks after Hurricane Helene. The River Arts District’s galleries, studios and breweries have reopened, and a long stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway near the city is open again. Some areas are still recovering, so check before you go.

How to run a day trip with a big group

• Caravan, don’t convoy. Phone service drops in the gorges. Agree on a meeting spot and time instead of trying to follow each other.
• Split by energy level. Grandparents can do the Tallulah rim and lunch at the Dillard House while teens take the gorge floor permits.
• Fill up in town. Gas stations are few and far between on the gorge roads and NC 281.
• Be back for dinner. Most of these trips get you home to Fairview House by late afternoon. Book the evening around a group dinner. See where to eat.