Outdoor Fun in Haywood County, North Carolina
Haywood County in western North Carolina offers a wide range of outdoor activities. For some of the best golf courses, scenic hikes, mountain views, wildlife sightings, and fall colors, Haywood County is the place to be. We drove part of the spectacular Blue Ridge Parkway, golfed beautiful courses in Springdale and Lake Junaluska, hiked the Black Balsam Knob, and welcomed the morning with sunrise yoga at scenic Watterrock Knob.
Springdale Golf Course in Canton
Surrounded by the Appalachian Highlands, the18-Hole Par 72 Springdale Championship Course offers lush fairways and greens in a spectacular setting. Starting with a dogleg on Hole 1, the course is moderately challenging, especially on Hole 6, considered the toughest hole on the front nine. This hole plays uphill, and there’s a blind water hazard on the left side of the fairway that will affect your second shot.
I played with Ashley McKenzie, the head golf pro at Springdale, and the delightful Sebastian Dryjski from Travmedia. Ashley is a very friendly and knowledgeable golfer, and I enjoyed his pleasant conversations and his golf tips on each hole. It always helps to play with someone who knows the game and the course for helpful advice. I played my usual spotty game, with good shots mixed in with a lot of not so good ones, and had a great time. With perfect weather, wonderful playing partners, and a beautiful course, my afternoon at Springdale Golf Course was fantastic!
Lake Junaluska Golf Course
Lake Junaluska Golf Course is a fun 18-hole course overlooking the lake at the beautiful Lake Junaluska Resort in western North Carolina. I liked the fact that this course was located at the same resort we were staying at and hosting our SATW Conference. The 1919 Grill, featuring burgers, club sandwiches, and chili, was convenient for a bite before or after golfing.
The fairways and greens were in good shape, and I enjoyed the fun layout of the course. I had a great time on this short course (about 5,000 yards from the white tees) and seven Par 3 holes. For a leisurely round with spectacular views, Lake Junaluska is a great choice for most golfers.
Note: Ask about Hole 14, named by Golf Digest as “one of the 10 worst golf holes in America.”
Waynesville Golf Club
Because of time constraints, we did not golf at Waynesville Golf Club. However, we did have dinner at their beautiful facilities and had a chance to see a few holes on this historic course. It was originally designed as a 9-hole course by renowned golf architect Donald Ross on an old dairy farm in 1926. A complete renovation by Bobby Weed Golf Design completed in 2023 resulted in a beautiful 6,500 yard course nestled between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Smokies.
Part of the renovations included building state-of-the-art practice facilities, including a full driving range, wedge course, and a lighted Himalayan putting green. Waynesville Golf Club also has a new fleet of state-of-the-art golf carts and other on course amenities. Enjoy great golf, mountain views, festive dining, and special holiday packages at the newly improved Waynesville Golf Club.
Blue Ridge Parkway
The Blue Ridge Parkway is often referred to as one of most picturesque drives in America. This 469-mile scenic route reveals sweeping vistas, vibrant wildflowers and fall foliage, and rich cultural stops. The western North Carolina section of about 250 miles features Mount Mitchell, the highest peak in the Eastern United States and Linville Gorge, the deepest gorge east of the Grand Canyon.
Black Balsam Knob
Drive the Blue Ridge Parkway and you will notice many of the views are sweeping, wind-brushed, and seemingly endless mountain ranges. Black Balsam rises to 6,214 feet, and this high elevation offers panoramic vistas with very little effort required. The two-mile round-trip hike is approachable and family-friendly, yet the reward is vast. We saw many couples and families with small kids and dogs headed up the trail, enjoying the fun trip to the top for amazing views.
The trailhead for Black Balsam is easy to reach from the parkway, with parking on the shoulders of the road. We walked through forested areas, and soon left the trees behind as the path turned to a rocky climb. Many of the Knobs (or Balds) in this area are treeless above 6,000 feet, and allow for spectacular 360 degree views once you reach the top. Balsam is part of a rare Southern Appalachian landscape where grassy summits replace dense forest at high elevation. The views are amazing!
Elk at Cataloochee Valley in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Like many travelers, I get excited about seeing wildlife up close in their natural setting. While there are no guarantees of wildlife sightings, we felt our chances were pretty good driving up to the Cataloochee area of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. The Cataloochee is one of the most remote sections of the park, which we reached traveling narrow winding gravel and paved roads.
Our trip from Waynesville to the Cataloochee took us just under an hour. As we drove through the Cataloochee Valley, large green pastures opened up. We saw a small herd of about a dozen elk feeding in the pasture, including a large buck, who seemed to be the alpha male in charge. Along with about ten other vehicles, we stopped to admire these marvelous creatures. They all seemed tame and used to vehicles and humans along the road, and pretty much ignored us. Many people had left their vehicles to take photos. At one point, several elk made movements towards us, and we quickly entered our vehicle and closed the doors. At no time were the elk aggressive, but they are large and powerful, and taking precautions are always preferable than an unexpected attack.
Sunrise Yoga at Watterrock Knob
To start our morning on the right foot, we participated in a sunrise yoga session at Watterrock Knob. The summit reaches 6,292 feet, while the large parking area and visitor center sit at about 5,820 feet, making it the highest visitor center on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Our intimate yoga class gathered on a grassy area on scenic Waterrock Knob for Sunrise Yoga, led by Tara from Haywood Recreation & Parks. Tara took us through a relaxed but invigorating yoga session of gentle moves and positions as the sun rose over the nearby mountains. After our yoga session, we walked up a short but steep trail up to another fantastic overlook. We ended our morning with a fun picnic breakfast with a fantastic view.
Golf, Hiking, Elk, and Sunrise Yoga in Haywood County
There are so many great outdoor activities to see and do in Haywood County in beautiful western North Carolina. Whether you want to golf a few rounds, hike a trail with stunning views, search for wild elk, greet the day with sunrise yoga, or just take in the amazing scenery, Haywood County has it all.
For more articles on Haywood County in western North Carolina, check out our articles Best Haywood Restaurants in Waynesville, Maggie Valley, and Canton and Fun Activities in Haywood County.
Thank you to Visit Haywood for hosting us. All opinions are my own.
