 Bryson City is a small, friendly town located 60 miles west of Asheville and 44 miles south of Galinburg, TN, on the banks of the Tuckasegee River and on the southern side of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Bryson City, population 1,411, is the county seat for Swain County, which has a total population of just 12,341 for the whole county. This beautiful little mountain town is within the Nantahala National Forest, near Fontana Lake and the Cherokee Indian Reservation and boasts spectacular mountain scenery and outdoor recreational opportunities. The Nantahala River, located in the National Forest, is considered to be one of Americas top whitewater rafting spots, with crystal clear water and swift currents.
Popular areas in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park include Deep Creek, Lakeview Drive (The Road to Nowhere), Mountain Farm Museum, Smokemont, Clingmans Dome, Mingus Mill, Cataloochee Valley and the north shore of Fontana Lake. The area around Bryson City offers some of the best waterfalls in the Smokies, including Juneywhank, Toms Branch and Indian Creek Falls. There are dozens of other smaller falls that cascade down the mountains and tumble over rocks and hillsides into the creeks and streams below. Outdoor activities include, hiking, biking, fishing, horseback riding, rafting, and more. |
