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
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    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
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    Places to Stay
    • Bed & Breakfasts
    • Cabins, Cottages & Vacation Rentals
    • Resorts
    • Hotels & Motels
    • RV Parks & Campgrounds
  • Events
    • Ice Festival
    • Fat Burger Month
    • Labor Day Festival
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    • 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
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    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
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    • Clyde
    • Lake Junaluska
    • Maggie Valley
    • Waynesville
  • Plan Your Trip
    • Welcome Center
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© 2026 Haywood County Tourism Development Authority

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WHERE IS HAYWOOD

Find your way to Haywood

Haywood shines as Western North Carolina’s best-kept secret. It comes to life in the family polaroids, road trips, outdoor adventures, folklore, and southern hospitality—all within a day’s drive of much of the Eastern U.S.

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Person camping on a mountain in Haywood NC

The beating heart of NC mountains

The gem of the Great Smoky Mountains, about 40 percent of Haywood county lies within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Blue Ridge Parkway also lines the county, connecting scenic overlooks, trailheads, and sweeping Appalachian views.

See All Parks
Great Smoky Mountains
View of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Haywood
Blue Ridge Parkway
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Western North Carolina Mountains
Map of Haywood County, North Carolina

This way to Haywood County

The county sits in Western North Carolina, just 30 minutes west of Asheville and about 35 miles from Asheville Regional Airport (AVL), as shown on this Haywood map. It’s also within easy reach of many major cities.

How to Get to the Smoky Mountains
Map of North Carolina
Car driving down the highway in Haywood NC

Nearby urban hubs

The mountain charm may feel far away, but nearby cities are just a short drive from Haywood County.

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ARRIVE BY CAR

Choose your route to Haywood

Haywood County is a hub for the Southeast’s most scenic drives, situated at the intersection of several key routes.

Map of Interstate 40 in Haywood NC
Interstate 40
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Interstate 26 in Haywood NC
Interstate 26
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Map or US Route 74 in Haywood NC
U.S. Route 74
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Map of US Route 276 in Haywood NC
U.S. Route 276
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ARRIVE BY PLANE

Hit the tarmac in Asheville

Asheville International Airport or AVL is a quaint regional airport offering flights to 26 unique destinations, and roughly 280–300 weekly departures. It often offers quick security for a less stressful experience, and has multiple onsite rental car companies available.

QUICK FACTS
300

Weekly departures

26

Unique destinations

35

Miles from Haywood

7

Rental car brands on-site

Aerial view of a road in the mountains of Haywood NC
Outline of two elks and a car driving on a road in Haywood NC

HAYWOOD MOUNTAIN TOWNS

Explore our mountain towns

After getting a feel for the broader landscape of Haywood County, dive into our mountain towns, complete with helpful Maggie Valley and Waynesville maps to guide you.

Explore Mountain Towns
Western North Carolina Mountains stamp
Family walking on a trail path in Haywood NC
Family walking on a trail path in Haywood NC
A man holding a phone showing Visit Haywood's visitors guide
Two men jumping from a rock in Haywood
A boy and his dog walking in Lake Junaluska in Haywood NC
A couple sitting in front of their camper van and a bonfire in Haywood
A couple in their wedding in Haywood

Plan out your perfect getaway

When to VisitVisitors GuideDay TripsPet FriendlyItinerariesWeddings

Now that you’ve got your footing

Welcome Center in Haywood
Welcome Center
Friends water tubing in Haywood NC
Things to Do
A family looking at a map in Haywood
Plan Your Trip