Maggie Valley v. Bryson City

Our family of two adults and twin 12 year old boys are considering renting a cabin in NC to visit the Smokey Mountains. We do want to go rafting and tubing in addition to hiking throughout the park. Is it better to look in the Maggie Valley area or Bryson City Area?

We will be driving from the DC area.

Maggie Valley v. Bryson City

Hey Kilpen,

Your two choices are about the same. Most of the rafting and tubing opporunities are on the Nantahala River. The last time we went rafting, we entered the river in Dillsboro. It%26#39;s between Maggie and Bryson City.

I tend to lean toward Maggie Valley, personally, but Bryson City is great, too. In Maggie Valley, you have close access to the same outdoor things you have in Bryson City, but you are also in close proximity to Waynesville, a larger city with good restaurants and Wal-Mart and 30 minutes from Asheville.

If I had to choose, I%26#39;d go with Maggie Valley, but you can%26#39;t wrong with either.

Hope you have a great trip!

Maggie Valley v. Bryson City

Just a correction Brad.. the Nantahala is between Andrews and Bryson City. Maggie Valley has more things to do on a whole. Bryson City is closer to tubing and whitewater rafting. With twin 12 year old boys I think I would choose Bryson City. You are just minutes from the park and fishing and tubing on Deep Creek.

Thanks for your responses. How far is Maggie Valley from Bryson City?

Right you are, Lee. I was trying to say that Dillsboro is between Maggie Valley and Bryson City. Although Cherokee is geographically in the middle, it%26#39;s a little longer trip on 19 across the mountain than on Hwy 74. Sorry I wasn%26#39;t very clear.

And the river in Dillsboro is the Tuckaseegee, not the Nantahala. Oops! Thanks for the correction. Don%26#39;t know what I was thinking!

The last time we went, we used a company called Raft with Kids. They allow kids as young as four years old to raft. The part of the river we rafted was quite tame, although swift. We put it in Dillsboro and came out near Bill%26#39;s Flea Market on 74.

http://www.raftwithkids.com/

In Bryson City, there are many rafting opportunities on the Nantahala. I understand that the Nanatahala Outdoor Center is the most popular and professional.

http://www.noc.com/Rafting/Nantahala

Hope you have a great time!

Kilpen,

To answer your last question, Bryson City is about 45 miles from Maggie Valley on 74 through Dillsboro. It%26#39;s almost all four-lanes.

It%26#39;s about 30 miles on 19 through Cherokee, almost all two-lanes.

74 is usually quicker than 19, but I%26#39;ve always enjoyed the wonderful views on 19.

Hope this helps!