See Across 4 States At A Lookout Tower In North Carolina With Breathtaking Views And Foliage

The East Coast of the United States is full of beautiful forests and natural areas that are just waiting to be enjoyed. For first time visitors, a good starting point is to experience the unmatched beauty of one of America's East Coast national parks. In fact, many of the national parks on the East Coast can be visited in one road trip, starting at Acadia and then heading to New River Gorge before driving down to Shenandoah and catching the Blue Ridge Parkway (which is even more beautiful in fall) down to the Great Smoky Mountains in North Carolina. Although perhaps not as busy as the Tennessee portion of the Great Smoky Mountains, the North Carolina side also has amazing hikes and unbeatable views. In fact, one of the best views of the Smoky Mountains can be found at a lookout in North Carolina — the Wayah Bald Lookout Tower.

Located around 40 minutes from Franklin, the Wayah Bald Lookout Tower is smack dab in the heart of the Nantahala National Forest on the crossroads of the Appalachian Trail and Bartram Trail. Built in 1937, this lookout tower offers 360-degree views of the surrounding area which, on a clear day, includes the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in both Tennessee and North Carolina to the north along with the rolling hills of South Carolina and Georgia to the south. And the best thing about it? You don't have to hike up the mountain to see it, you can drive.

When spending time in North Carolina near the Great Smoky Mountains, it is worth it to make the drive down to Wayah Bald to take in the sweeping views of the area and the Appalachian Mountains, one of the oldest mountain ranges on Earth. According to reviewers on Tripadvisor, this location is "off the beaten path" and perfect "if you are a nature lover and hate the crowds." However, despite being reachable by car, getting to this lookout is not the easiest drive. A few visitors on Google Reviews warned that while the view was incredible, the last portion of the drive on the gravel forest road can be a bit wiggy and, as one reviewer put it, the road is "fine in good weather, but I wouldn't try it in snow [or] ice."

But, once you make it to the parking lot at the top, there is only a two to three minute walk on a paved road to get to the lookout tower. Standing at three stories tall, the tower gets up and above any surrounding trees for uninhibited views. If you do want to do some hiking in the area, you can easily catch a few trails from the parking lot including the Appalachian Trail. Or you can check out the nearby the Rufus Morgan Falls Trail, which is a one-mile loop trail that includes a beautiful waterfall.

The best time to visit the Wayah Bald Lookout Tower is in the late spring or autumn. Spring offers views of green mountains dotted with wildflowers, rhododendrons, and azaleas while fall offers breathtaking bursts of red foliage. While the tower is open year round, the access road is typically closed from January 1 to April 1.

One visitor on Google Reviews recommended heading up Wayah Bald early in the morning so you can catch the views of the mountains at sunrise. If that's the case, you will probably want to stay somewhere close by the night before so you can reach the lookout tower early. The closest town of Franklin has plenty of hotel options from reliable chains like Hampton Inn to more unique spots like Franklin Terrace Bed and Breakfast. There are also lots of campgrounds available in the forest surrounding Wayah Bald, like the Tsali Campground which is only a 45-minute drive from the lookout tower.

As Wayah Bald is located in the Nantahala National Forest which includes an area also known as the "Yosemite of the East" due to its incredible scenery and beauty, there are plenty of things to do in and around the lookout. If you are looking for more breathtaking views that are accessible by car, check out some scenic drives like the Mountain Waters National Scenic Byway or the Cherohala Skyway. The Nantahala National Forest also includes plenty of great places for whitewater rafting, fishing, camping, and hiking. If you are looking for some of North Carolina's famous waterfalls, try out the Glen Falls or Dry Falls hikes.