Ridgeline to Coastline: The Ultimate North Carolina Road Trip Itinerary
From national parks to NASCAR, travelers looking for variety in their RV trip will have no problem finding plenty of it in North Carolina. This southern state takes road trippers from the mountains to the coast with miles and miles of history, culture and hospitality in between.
REGION #1: MOUNTAINS
The westernmost corner of the North Carolina is covered with the natural beauty of Great Smokey Mountains National Park, home to two not-to-miss National Forests – Nantahala National Forest and Pisgah National Forest and the ancestral home of the Cherokee tribe. With scenic drives, hidden waterfalls and roaring rapids, travelers with a taste for adventure will want this small but mighty region at the top of their itinerary.
Nantahala is the largest national forest in the state, covering over 531,000 acres with more than 200 hiking trails, dozens of waterfalls and its namesake River Gorge, with ample opportunity for year-round exploration. The Mountain Waters Scenic Byway winds 61 miles through the forest hitting many of its attractions along the way. Two campgrounds lie within forest boundaries—Standing Indian Campground and Van Hook Glade Campground.