Hiking trails, concert series, scenic train rides: Western NC summer options voted top 10 in US

Iris Seaton, Asheville Citizen Times
·4 min read

Western North Carolina has made appearances on summer-related USA TODAY 10Best reader polls once again, earning spots on three different lists for outdoor fun.

Polls released May 22 include Best Hiking Trail, Best Scenic Train Tide and Best Outdoor Concert Series. Candidates for 10Best lists are chosen by expert panels and voted on by readers to determine the final top 10 for each list.

Here are the WNC choices this time around, information on each winner and more.

More: WNC city voted among 10 Best Small Towns in the South: Here's why

Best Hiking Trails

Bluets add spring color to the base of Bridal Veil Falls in DuPont State Forest.
Bluets add spring color to the base of Bridal Veil Falls in DuPont State Forest.

Bridal Veil Falls loop, located in DuPont State Forest, came in at fourth place on this list. The trail has seen plenty of attention in the past, in part due to its role in two famous movies, The Hunger Games and The Last of the Mohicans.

The 10Best list also mentioned the elevation gain of only 109 feet and, of course, views of the stunning, 120-foot cascade of Bridal Veil Falls. Round trip, the trail is 4.6 miles and also passes creeks, horse pastures and Lake Julia.

While it was outside of the N.C. border, Porters Creek Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park also placed on the list in second place. Another waterfall trail, the 4-mile round-trip hike leads to a view of the 60-foot Fern Branch Falls. On the way, hikers can view the remnants of historical buildings and, in April and May in particular, the trail is also an excellent site for spotting wildflowers.

The full list of winners was:

  1. Whispering Cave - Hocking Hills State Park

  2. Porters Creek Trail - Great Smoky Mountains National Park

  3. Fairyland Loop - Bryce Canyon National Park

  4. Bridal Veil Falls - DuPont State Recreational Forest

  5. Fairy Falls Trail - Yellowstone National Park

  6. Indigo Trail - J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge

  7. Cliff Walk - Newport, Rhode Island

  8. Scenic Overlook via Bald Mountain Trail - Ketchum, Idaho

  9. Tunnel Creek Trail - Incline Village, Nevada

  10. Hollywood Sign via Innsdale Trail - Griffith Park

More: 7 Cutest Small Towns in NC: How many are in the Asheville, Western NC area? What to know.

Best Outdoor Concert Series

Concerts on the Creek in Sylva came in at sixth place on the 10Best list of outdoor concert series in the country.

The series is produced yearly by the town of Sylva, Jackson County Parks and Recreation Department and Jackson County Chamber of Commerce. All concerts featured are free with donations encouraged and, as mentioned by the 10Best list, all are welcome -- including your pets, as long as they're leashed.

Concerts on the Creek begins for the 15th annual season this Friday, May 24. Shows are held at the Bridge Park gazebo in Sylva every Friday from 7-9 p.m. until the end of the season on Friday, August 30.

The full list included:

  1. Hot Summer Nights - Vail, Colorado

  2. Somers Point Beach Concert Series - Somers Point, New Jersey

  3. Clematis By Night - West Palm Beach, Florida

  4. Levitt AMP Cumberland Music Series - Cumberland, Maryland

  5. SummerSounds - Greensburg, Pennsylvania

  6. Concerts on the Creek - Sylva, North Carolina

  7. YLC Wednesday at the Square - New Orleans, Louisiana

  8. Levitt Pavilion Denver Concert Series - Denver, Colorado

  9. Kirkland Summer Concerts - Kirkland, Washington

  10. Millennium Park Summer Music Series - Chicago, Illinois

More: Western NC glamping spot voted No. 1 in the US for 2024: Here's why it's the best

Best Scenic Train Rides

Steam engine no. 1702 snakes its way through the mountains beside Lake Fontana Friday July 29, 2016. The steam engine, built in 1942 and part of the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad, had its first run in 12 years on Tuesday July 26. It is one of three working steam engines of its kind it the country.
Steam engine no. 1702 snakes its way through the mountains beside Lake Fontana Friday July 29, 2016. The steam engine, built in 1942 and part of the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad, had its first run in 12 years on Tuesday July 26. It is one of three working steam engines of its kind it the country.

The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad in Bryson City made fourth place on this list. The railroad runs year-round, with steam and diesel-powered locomotives transporting passengers past views of Fontana Lake, the historic Fontana Trestle, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Nantahala National Forest and the Nantahala and Tuckasegee rivers.

The railroad also offers special events including adults-only rides with wine, beer, special menus and more, as well as seasonal options like the Bunny Hopper Express Easter Train and Polar Express.

The full list included:

  1. Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad - Durango, Colorado

  2. Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad - Chama, New Mexico

  3. East Broad Top Railroad - Rockhill Furnace, Pennsylvania

  4. Great Smoky Mountains Railroad - Bryson City, North Carolina

  5. Skunk Train - Fort Bragg, California

  6. Blue Ridge Scenic Railway - Blue Ridge, Georgia

  7. Western Maryland Scenic Railroad - Cumberland, Maryland

  8. The Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway - Manitou Springs, Colorado

  9. Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad - Fish Camp, California

  10. Georgetown Loop Railroad - Georgetown, Colorado

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Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at iseaton@citizentimes.com.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Western NC sites on USA TODAY 10Best: Great Smoky Mountains Railroad