While Fall is still in the air, it’s the perfect time to grab some of your favorite people, jump in the car, and explore. Check out the sights offered by the best scenic drives in and around Franklin, North Carolina!
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
With more than 500,000 acres of scenery nestled within this park, it’s the perfect place to take a fall drive. Entering the park is free, and daily parking passes are inexpensive if you want to make stops along the way. While there is one main road through the park that runs between Cherokee, NC, and Gatlinburg, TN, there are many side roads that lead to other amazing drives within the park. Some of these include Clingman’s Dome, Cades Cove, Chimney Tops, and more.
Blue Ridge Parkway
Perhaps one of the best-known drives in the Southeastern United States, the Blue Ridge Parkway offers 469 miles of nature views to the left and right. One entrance to the parkway offers a short adventure with access to overlooks and outposts. The other point of entry takes drivers for a full-day adventure through the twists and turns of the road. You might even see some elk along the way!
Mountain Waters Scenic Byway
Wayah Road out of Franklin leads adventurers straight to the Mountain Waters Scenic Byway! This route offers the opportunity to trek up to Wayah Bald Tower and scenic overlook. Head further out to Nantahala Lake for boating and whitewater adventure on the Nantahala River. At the end of the day, travelers can either go back the way they came or continue around the circle through Dillsboro, NC for a bite to eat before arriving back home in Franklin.
The Moonshiner 28 Scenic Drive
This 103-mile road originally got its name from the moonshine runners who used it to avoid law enforcement while traveling between South Carolina and Tennessee. It’s now one of the most well-known motorcycle drives in the country, as it contains the famous Tail of the Dragon and winds from Franklin to Highlands and down into South Carolina. Be sure to stop off to see some of North Carolina’s most beautiful waterfalls along the way!
These are just a few of the best scenic drives in and around Franklin, and there are plenty of other great drives to explore. For more information about starting your new life in the perfect small town of Franklin, please email us at ContactUs@SanctuaryVillage.com and view our beautiful Homes for Sale in Franklin NC.
Resources