Dillsboro - Activities Help (Bryson City, Highlands: to rent, home, closing)

[stopgo1]

We will be taking a long weekend vacation in a rented home in Dillsboro in late August with another family. There will be 5 kids with us ranging in age from 5 -12 years old. We are going on a half day rafting trip the fist day and then will have the following two days to explore, hike, swim and do whatever else we want.

I'm looking for some recommendations on:

1. good and safe places to swim in lakes or rivers in the area
2. some good hiking trails that are not so technical that the kids wouldn't be
able to handle them.
3. Must See sights in the area - parks, mountains, museums etc...

Thanks in advance to all who can help!

[orulz]

I recommend the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad. That's a major attraction in Dillsboro. The train doesn't go fast or anything, but they have open air cars and it's pretty fun. The trips are about 4 hours long, so if the 5 year olds tend to get restless, bring some sort of game along to play with them.

In addition to rafting, I also recommend tubing at Deep Creek in nearby Bryson City. Just start driving out Deep Creek Road and you'll pass half a dozen places to rent tubes for a couple bucks each.

There are lots of trails in the Smokies for hikers of all skill levels, though many of them are only accessed by long winding dirt roads. I recommend you explore the higher elevations if it's particularly hot.

You could also do my favorite hike in NC, the Horsepasture River - near Cashiers. It's not too tough, and it can't be beat for "impressive waterfalls per mile hiked." Google says it's a 1hr drive from Dillsboro. While you're out there you could stop by Highlands, a neat 1920s era resort town.

[Asheville Native]

Originally Posted by orulz

I recommend the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad. That's a major attraction in Dillsboro. The train doesn't go fast or anything, but they have open air cars and it's pretty fun. The trips are about 4 hours long, so if the 5 year olds tend to get restless, bring some sort of game along to play with them.

GSMRR just announced the closing of the Dillsboro link of their railroad in early August, due to the the economic downturn and the cost of fuel. You will have to go to Bryson City to ride the GSMRR.