Temperatures are starting to cool in Western North Carolina but that doesn’t mean your family shouldn’t visit. Our fall break sent us to Maggie Valley in Western North Carolina. These mountains are special to me. I spent many long weekends in the mountains of Western North Carolina. In my childhood, we camped, my dad kayaked, we hiked, and we had many lazy days along the banks of a creek. These mountains feel like home to me, and they always bring us peace.
Soco Falls
For those of us in the South, Maggie Valley is known for the ski slope that churches and school groups visit in winter, but there is so much more to do in and around Maggie Valley. Here is what our family did each day during our break in Maggie Valley.
Day 1: An adventurous morning hike to Soco Falls and an afternoon visit to Waynesville and Lake Junaluska. Soco Falls is located right off of US-19 outside of Maggie Valley. It is a short but steep, slippery, and technical hike. The trail begins at the guardrail and descends easily to an observation deck. Stop here if you aren’t prepared for slippery and more technical hiking (be extra careful). The deck offers a beautiful view of the waterfall. We continued on and looking back, we probably shouldn’t have, because we weren’t prepared. Continuing from the deck, the trail is steeper and there are ropes to help navigate the rocks and trails. We did splash and play in the the cold creek below the falls and even found a Smoky Mountain Shark. After lunch, we made are way to downtown Waynesville to walk through the shops. The kids played at the Lake Junaluska playground, and we took a quiet, slow walk around the retreat center. Visit https://lakejunaluska.com/ for more information.
Waterrock Knob
Day 2: After a slow morning (all of them were slow), we made the short drive from our Airbnb to the Blue Ridge Parkway and headed to Waterrock Knob. At 6,273 ft, Waterrock Knob is highest peak on the parkway, and it offers awe inspiring views. The hike to the peak is 1.2 miles roundtrip and worth every step. Our family of four made the trek with ease, and our 5 year old handled the trail with no problems. Put this hike on your itinerary. After our hike we took a short drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway. We highly recommend your family spend some time on those winding roads. In the afternoon, we took the kids to a playground outside of Waynesville. Located at, 128 W Marshall St, this playground is awesome! Castles, swings, slides, and all kinds of activities for kids of all ages. It was the perfect afternoon fun!
Elk Calf at the Oconaluftee
Day 3: After another beautiful drive on the parkway, we made our to Oconaluftee Visitors Center for the Great Smoky Mountains. This is one of the best, most interactive visitors center. We walked through the Mountain Farm Museum that features preserved buildings from Western North Carolina farms, along with chickens and pigs. A kid favorite. After the museum we hiked the very flat and easy Oconaluftee River Trail. It follows the river, and watch out for elk. That’s right – elk. The Oconaluftee River is popular spot to see elk. The story of elk in Western North Carolina is one of devastation and revitalization. Elk were reintroduced to the area in the early 2000s and are now thriving in the area gain. We saw a few elk including some bulls while at the visitor center. We also checked out Mingus Mill. Built in 1886, Mingus Mill is functional grist mill.
Clingman’s Dome
Foggy View
Day 4: After a quiet morning wondering around Waynesville, we made our way to Clingman’s Dome. The weather changed from warm and sunny to cold, rainy, and foggy as we make our way to the peak. It was fascinating in a unique way. Clingman’s Dome, at 6, 643 ft, is the highest peak in Great Smoky Mountain National Park and is the third highest peak east of the Mississippi River. The trail to the summit from the parking lot is 0.5 mile and is steep AND paved. Our family navigated with ease, huffing and puffing. Again, it’s steep. Typically you are greeted with stunning views. We were greeted with a dense fog that limited visibility to next to nothing, but still created a special, eerie experience. I was in awe.
Day 4 was our last day of discovery as we made our back to Georgia for Day 5.
We hope this inspires your family to plan a trip to Maggie Valley, to hike, to play, to rest, and to discover.
Places to eat and drink coffee:
- Panacea Coffee
- Pancake House
- Dillsboro Chocolate Factory
- Smoky Mountain Sandwich Shop
*Kara, our Chief Discovery Officer’s favorite part was our treacherous hike to Soco Falls.
Be Kind. Be Bold. Be Thankful.
The Four Discovery Family.
