Take a Drive In Brevard This Fall - Brevard North Carolina
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Take a Drive In Brevard This Fall

Fall is a stunning time to visit Transylvania County, and we are ready to welcome you!  So, whether you’re cruising in a sleek convertible or packing the family into the minivan, a fall drive through Transylvania County is an experience you won’t want to miss. Now more than ever, it is important for you to Explore Responsibly by being mindful of your footprint and making choices that support our community. Make sure to stop by our locally owned shops, restaurants, and attractions, all eager to provide you with a warm and memorable experience. We encourage you to book a night or two in one of our many lodging options

PISGAH HIGHWAY TO CRADLE OF FORESTRY AND BACK

Pisgah Highway, US 276, serves as both a wonderful introduction to the county and a splendid opportunity to see fall color thanks to the dramatic elevation changes along the route. To start, enter the Pisgah Ranger District of Pisgah National Forest on US 276 and begin heading north. You’ll encounter several great attractions and stops, including the Pisgah Ranger Station and Visitor Center, Looking Glass Falls, and the Cradle of Forestry. Sliding Rock Recreational Area is currently closed for the season.  Once you reach the Cradle of Forestry, a 6,500-acre site nestled in the Pisgah National Forest, you can stop by the Discovery Center to learn about the history of forest conservation and management in Pisgah National Forest. It is filled with informative and interactive displays – including a helicopter simulator that takes you on a firefighting flight. After learning about Pisgah National Forest, be sure to venture out on the Cradle of Forestry’s 3 miles of accessible and interactive trails where you’ll find several historic buildings.  After spending a couple hours there, head up to the Blue Ridge Parkway where a good portion of this scenic road is open in Transylvania County. You can head north for about 6 miles to the Elk Pasture Gap, passing by the Pink Beds Overlook, Pisgah Inn, and the Mount Pisgah area. Campgrounds, picnic areas, and other visitor services in this section of the park are closed for the 2024 season. The area north of milepost 405.5 remains closed due to a landslide from Helene.  Or you can also head south from US 276 on the parkway for about 9 miles to Black Balsam, passing the Looking Glass Rock Overlook, Graveyard Fields, and John Rock Parking Area. All trails & trails crossings in this corridor are open, but please use extreme caution and obey the National Park Service signage. Once you are done on the parkway, you will turn around and head back down Pisgah Highway to the town of Pisgah Forest. Here you can enjoy some of the dining options and shops located just outside the forest. Or for more shopping and dining adventures, head to Downtown Brevard for some al fresco dining in one of Brevard’s notable restaurants. It’s very easy to make a full day of it and see what makes Transylvania County a land of pure adventure.

Directions: Start on US 276 and go north for 11 miles to the Cradle of Forestry, then continue on US 276 for about 4 miles to the Blue Ridge Parkway. After driving the open area of the Parkway, return the same route on US 276, traveling approximately 15 miles. Turn right at US  276 / US 64 and travel 3 miles to downtown Brevard.

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OUT AND BACK ON THE TOXAWAY TREK

There’s no need for elaborate directions on this one – most of this lovely route is on US 64. Leaving Brevard, head southwest, where you will soon cross “Milepost 0” on the French Broad River. You’ll then begin twisting and turning upward through wooded tunnels of fall color all the way to Lake Toxaway and beyond. The communities of Toxaway and Sapphire offer plenty of reasons to stop for a casual lunch or a mini shopping excursion or even a chainsaw-carved bear.​ Turn left on NC 281 and you’ll be just a stone’s throw from gorgeous Gorges State Park,’s Grassy Ridge Access Area. Its world-class visitor center is now open along other popular areas such as Bearwallow Falls, Bearwallow Valley, Picnic Connector, and Rainbow Falls trails; RV/tent/trailer campsites and cabins; and picnic areas. The Frozen Creek Access remains closed. Please obey all Gorges State Park signage for your safety and safety of others. From here you can reverse course and drive back to Brevard on the same scenic roads – or you can check one more item off your waterfall bucket list: Whitewater Falls, the tallest waterfall (at 411 feet) east of the Rocky Mountains. To reach it, continue south on NC 281 for 8.9 miles. A short ¼ mile hike on a paved walkway brings you to the Upper Falls overlook. You can also descend a 155-step walkway to a second viewing platform from which you see both the upper and lower falls. From here you can reverse the course and drive back to Brevard on the same scenic roads.

Directions: From downtown Brevard, go west on US 64 for 21.8 miles. Turn left on NC 281 and continue ¾ of a mile to Gorges State Park. For Whitewater Falls, continue on NC 281 for 8.9 miles.

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A TASTE OF TRANSYLVANIA

Pressed for time? This is the drive for you. Head east from Pisgah Forest on US 65. Turn right on Crab Creek and you’ll soon be enjoying scenic long-range views and gently undulating roads.  Before long, turn right on Staton Road and start a climb that puts you right in the heart of DuPont State Recreational Forest. The forest has partially has reopened allowing visitors to enjoy limited recreational opportunities. Check here for a full list of road and trail closures

 

After leaving DuPont, you’ll soon reach the wonderful community of Cedar Mountain. While some of the local businesses are still closed due to Hurricane Helene, the community is showing its resilience with pop-up events and outdoor music, making it a great place to stop if you happen to catch one of these gatherings. From Cedar Mountain you’ll return to Brevard via US 276, a super scenic byway. Be sure to stop at Connestee Falls, an 85-foot waterfall. With its accessible 50-yard boardwalk and overlook, it’s easily viewed from the top by all.

Directions: From the intersection of NC 280 and US 64 in Pisgah Forest, go east on US 64 for 3.6 miles. Turn right on Crab Creek and continue 4.3 miles to Staton Road. Take a right and continue 5.3 miles to Cascade Lake Road. Go 2.5 miles and turn right on US 276 and go 9.9 miles to downtown Brevard.

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