Visit Haywood
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Visit Haywood
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Visit Haywood
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Welcome Center

91 North Lakeshore Drive, Lake Junaluska, NC 28745
(828) 944-0761
Monday – Saturday, 9AM – 5PM
  • Things to Do
    • Attractions
    • Outdoors
    • Arts & Culture
    • Shopping
    • Farm & Food Experiences
    • Family Fun
    • Online Store
    • Blog
    Things to Do
    • Attractions
    • Outdoors
    • Arts & Culture
    • Shopping
    • Farm & Food Experiences
    • Family Fun
    • Online Store
    • Blog
  • Eat & Drink
    • Restaurants
    • Beer, Wine & Spirits
    • Farm to Table
    • Cafes & Bakeries
    • Breakfast & Brunch
    Eat & Drink
    • Restaurants
    • Beer, Wine & Spirits
    • Farm to Table
    • Cafes & Bakeries
    • Breakfast & Brunch
  • Places to Stay
    • Bed & Breakfasts
    • Cabins, Cottages & Vacation Rentals
    • Resorts
    • Hotels & Motels
    • RV Parks & Campgrounds
    Places to Stay
    • Bed & Breakfasts
    • Cabins, Cottages & Vacation Rentals
    • Resorts
    • Hotels & Motels
    • RV Parks & Campgrounds
  • Events
    • Ice Festival
    • Fat Burger Month
    • Labor Day Festival
    • Apple Festival
    • Christmas
    • Submit an Event
    Events
    • Ice Festival
    • Fat Burger Month
    • Labor Day Festival
    • Apple Festival
    • Christmas
    • Submit an Event
  • National Parks
    • Great Smoky Mountains National Park
    • Blue Ridge Parkway
    • Pisgah National Forest
    • Cataloochee Valley
    National Parks
    • Great Smoky Mountains National Park
    • Blue Ridge Parkway
    • Pisgah National Forest
    • Cataloochee Valley
  • Mountain Towns
    • Canton
    • Clyde
    • Lake Junaluska
    • Maggie Valley
    • Waynesville
    Mountain Towns
    • Canton
    • Clyde
    • Lake Junaluska
    • Maggie Valley
    • Waynesville
  • Plan Your Trip
    • Welcome Center
    • Visitors Guide
    • Where is Haywood
    • When to Visit
    • Weddings
    • Pet Friendly
    • Day Trips
    • Itineraries
    • Elk Bucks
    Plan Your Trip
    • Welcome Center
    • Visitors Guide
    • Where is Haywood
    • When to Visit
    • Weddings
    • Pet Friendly
    • Day Trips
    • Itineraries
    • Elk Bucks
  • Local Partners
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    Local Partners
    • About HCTDA
    • Board Meetings
    • Partner Resources
    • Occupancy Tax
    • Grants
    • Committees
    • Destination Master Plan
    • Brand & Marketing
    • Partner Portal Login
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© 2026 Haywood County Tourism Development Authority

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PLAN YOUR TRIP TO HAYWOOD

Carve out time to recharge

How to Be a Responsible Traveler
How to Be a Responsible TravelerRead More
  1. Home
  2. Plan Your Trip
Father and daughter overlooking a mountain in Haywood

The views are worth the venture

Haywood feels worlds away from the hustle and bustle. In reality it's just 35 miles away from Asheville international, and an intersection of several major driving routes. However you arrive, you’re in for a scenic welcome.

Where is Haywood

Tips from our Appalachian experts

A person viewing Haywood's Visitors Guide on the phone

Discover your pocket-sized tour guide

Download or order a copy of our destination guide for all things Haywood at your fingertips. Get access to hiking tips, outdoor activities, local events and everything you need to plan your mountain escape.

Download Digital Guide
Order Paper Guide
Exterior view of Haywood's Welcome Center

Stop by the Welcome Center

Don’t stress about a thing. Call the welcome center for some pre-trip wisdom, or stop there on the way to for brochures, maps, and answers to all your Haywood questions.

Welcome Center

WHEN TO VISIT HAYWOOD

Relax in every season

Each season in Haywood brings its own rhythm, scenery and experiences. Imagine walking through spring blossoms, patio hopping in the summer, soaking in fall color or slowing down fireside in the winter.

When to Visit
Family hiking up a mountain in Haywood
spring
Waterrock Knob
Waterrock Knob
ModerateDogs on Leash
Moderate
Vibrant spring

Watch the spring season breathe life into Haywood with your own eyes.

Experience Spring
Group of friends swimming at a cascade of waterfalls in Haywood
summer
Sunburst Falls
Sunburst Falls
CantonAttractions
Canton
Refreshing summer

Summer invites chasing waterfalls and long days outside with a fireside nightcap.

Experience Summer
A family of four walking along Lake Junaluska in Haywood NC
fall
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Lake Junaluska Walking Trail
Lake JunaluskaEasy
Lake Junaluska
Scenic fall

Fall wraps the Smoky Mountains in glowing shades of red, orange and yellow.

Experience Fall
A couple tubing down a snowy slope in Cataloochee Ski Area in Haywood NC
winter
Tube World
Tube World
Maggie ValleyAttractions
Maggie Valley
Peaceful winter

Experience an Appalachian winter and wind down the year with a quieter kind of charm.

Experience Winter

Your itinerary, inspired

Each season in Haywood brings its own rhythm, scenery and experiences. Explore pre-made itineraries designed for every kind of traveller, from adventure seekers and food lovers to families, solo wanderers and those travelling with furry companions.

Discover All Itineraries
What's Your Haywood Quiz
Arts & CultureWhat's Your Haywood Quiz
Your Sizzling Summer Itinerary for Waynesville
Your Sizzling Summer Itinerary for Waynesville
WaynesvilleSeasonal Events
Waynesville
Escape to Haywood County: A 3-Day Itinerary for the Ultimate Nature Lover's Getaway
Escape to Haywood County: A 3-Day Itinerary for the Ultimate Nature Lover's Getaway
CantonWaynesville
Canton
Family Adventures in Haywood County: A 3-Day Itinerary for Memory-Makers
Family Adventures in Haywood County: A 3-Day Itinerary for Memory-Makers
CantonLake Junaluska
Canton
Paws & Peaks: A 3-Day Pet-Friendly Itinerary in the NC Smokies
Paws & Peaks: A 3-Day Pet-Friendly Itinerary in the NC Smokies
Lake JunaluskaWaynesville
Lake Junaluska
People horseback riding in Cataloochee Valley in Haywood

A few things before you wander

A little planning goes a long way in the Smokies. Secure your stay and map out a few adventures before your trip so that you’re set up for the most relaxing mountain journey.

Things to Do
Friends water tubing in Haywood NC
Places to Stay
Glamping huts in Haywood NC
Western North Carolina Mountains stamp

Bring paws to the peaks

Haywood is full of pet-friendly lodging, hikes, trails and patios. Bring your favorite (and furriest) piece of home to Haywood for some added fun.

Pet Friendly Planning
A couple hiking with their dog in the Smoky Mountains in Haywood
Black Balsam Knob
Black Balsam Knob
EasyDogs on Leash
Easy

We’re ready when you are

Wedding in Haywood
Weddings
Two people jumping from a rock to swim in Haywood
Day Trips
Two people hiking in Haywood NC
Sustainability