Wow. What a coincidence! We were just THERE!
We got back (yesterday) from 5 days at the
Smokey Mountain Meadows Campground off of Alarka Rd, just outside of Bryson City with the Carolina Canoe Club at their Week of Rivers - which happens every year the week of 4th of July. The campground can accomodate over 500 campers for a week! (using their overflow site - which is an open field) They have full RV hookup, water/electric only sites, and tent sites all along a small creek. The most of the sites are shaded in some fashion or another - RV/water/electric sites for sure, tent sites - mostly.
Unless the Lost Mine Campground has changed radically in the last 15 years, I would personally recommend against it. The sites are very small, right on the creek, and definitely shaded - but TOO shaded. Nothing ever dries out and the area can be very much like a temperate rain forest - unless it is in the current weather conditions where it is almost a drought there. Also, the sites are literally right on the road and you hear EVERY car that drives past the campsite. Picture a winding 1.5 lane road following a stream uphill that crosses that stream multiple times. The campsites are in those curves between the stream and the road - sometimes on one side of the road and sometimes on the other. Oh, and I did mention the rainforest right? And the fact that you are RIGHT on the creek? The creek has been known to flood the campground on occasion.
I haven't been out Rt 28 to the other campground that was discussed, but it is a beautiful area out that way and may be right off of Fontana Lake. There are lots of mountain biking trails in the area.
Nantahala Outdoor Center is a major complex at the "end" of the river. They have two restaurants, a small eatery, a store for outdoor gear to rival few others, and have rental canoes/kayaks/rafts/duckies/mountain bikes/etc available. They will also let you demo a particular canoe/kayak on the river behind the store.
Yes, Nantahala Falls (just upstream of the NOC complex) is a class III rapid with lots of carnage. It is a good place to spend the afternoon watching people flip / swim the falls. And the 8 miles of river upstream of it are lots of fun in a raft/ducky/canoe/kayak. Just keep in mind that the water is very cold! Maybe 45 degs? Dress appropriately.
Oh, and the Appalachian Trail comes right thru the Nantahala Outdoor Center complex, so there is plenty of hiking locally.
Restaurants. Yes, Rivers End - which is right at the takeout - serves very filling food. It is geared to the thru hiker and has generally high carb meals that are very filling. I had one of the best calzones that I have ever had there on Friday night - I think I will be eating the rest of it for dinner tonight! Relia's Garden - the dress-up restaurant (coat/tie recommended) on the far side of the river - is also very good, but expensive, too. However, some people are looking for that kind of thing. The small eatery that I mentioned is basically a hot dog stand with a few other things added to it.
Oh, and who can forget about Ropers BBQ? It is a small roadside stand that is about 2 miles upstream of the NOC complex and is perfectly placed for those people who want to stop for lunch on the river or are running shuttle at the end of the day to stop and get a bite to tide you over.
Oh, wait! I forgot about the ice cream store in downtown Bryson City. I don't remember the name of it, but it was really good. And you can't forget Guyabitos - the Mexican restaurant in town. Yummm.
What else can I say? Other than that the Ocoee (sp?) river is only about 1.5 hrs away and raft trips are available on it. The 2004 olympic whitewater course is also on the Ocoee (sp?), upstream of the normal run.
Can you tell I've been there recently????? And, believe it or not, we only ate out ONCE! This most recent trip, of course!
My recommendation for timing would be either May or late August / early September. The Nantahala gets really busy with lots of rubber in the summer time when kids are off.
Andrea.
On the boarder though.... It had a hand full of whooptedoos and bunches BFR's!!! Wish I had some pics of it.
I just meant it looked familiar. I just couldn't remember if Danville was in NC or VA.
if you are seriously considering a May 2008 date, you might consider talking to Ross and see if he would be willing to move the Spring Fling to the Bryson City area one year. It might be worth talking about.