The river walk amounts to a bit of infrastructure connecting the street to the stream, with stairs…read moreand bridges and a somewhat continuous trail that allows one to walk over the rocky river here. It's good for splashing around; not comparable to some of the other sights nearby but it's good that the town has made the water accessible.

So fun! We loved walking along the water and seeing all the people up top eating at the different…read morerestaurants. The water was nice and crisp. There are a couple areas with large rocks to sit on and relax.

Easy to get to. Great people. Awesome spot to take children. And the cat fish was the best tasting…read morefish I have ever had in my life. We will definitely return.

Had a great time fishing with my son and talking with the owners. Beautiful area. Brought home 5…read morenice trout.

Aiden is amazing. Great gear and he picked an excellent spot. Very knowledgeable and pleasant to…read morefish with. I'm bringing my grandsons back in July!

From the owner: We specialize in the most unforgetable fly fishing experience; all gear is provided. read more

Three stars for the Lake Thickety Fishing Rodeo. I hope you take time to see my video of this…read moreevent. As I predicted; there were more people fishing than the public access area could handle. There were several game wardens onsite and a couple of deputies. What I was surprised about most was the cordiality between of the grownups . Strangers helping each other untangling crossed fishing lines. Grownups weren't allowed to fish but they could help their youngsters do so. I saw a lot of catfish being caught. No shocker there as the lake had been the day before stocked. To their credit the officials in charge were very helpful and mingled with the people fishing. Also to their credit the first 100 participants got a nice rod and reel combo I estimate to be a fifty dollar value each. Not begrudging any but that's where a lot of hard earned tax dollars got spent.

Blowing Rock really has a lot going for it, from the busy downtown scene with restaurants, shops,…read moreboutiques, sweets, breweries, fine dining, you name it. And then just a 15min walk (or 2 minute car ride) from downtown, Bass Lake is right there for your hiking pleasure. The lake itself is serene with great views from the circumferential hiking path around it. But it doesn't end there. Miles and miles of trails break off from the main lake for a longer outdoor experience. Plenty of parking with clean bathrooms at the main parking area. This is perfect for a shorter stroll around the lake, or a day's adventure across the many trails leading from here.

Great park to go for a walk. I bet they have hiking trails also but I have never been on those. We…read morejust stick to the path around the lake which is an easy walk and gorgeous everywhere you look. They have signs about the different fish in the lake so I believe you can fish there although I've not seen anyone fishing yet. Definitely worth checking out if you're on the area.

What a spectacular hidden gem right outside of the Asheville/Waynesville area. This is such a…read morebeautiful place with amazing views and photo opps. There is a trail that takes you around the full length of the lake, a great way to get in daily steps while sightseeing. It's in the center of a neighborhood with stunning houses. There's a garden along the trail with a variety of flowers and trees. There's a community pool where you can swim daily for a fee, and a place to kayak, canoe, go boating, etc. Great place to take the family, go out with friends, or to spend the day alone in reflection.

The atmosphere is polite & friendly, but communication is not their forte, and a number of our…read morepre-arrival questions were not answered accurately. The lake is lovely and the fireworks were stunning! The Bluegrass Concert was quite good. However, make sure you get an exact quote of everything you will be paying for! The advertised all inclusive $579 "4th of July Package" with many events, attractions and free meals actually cost over $1100! The ad was opaque enough as to seem, in hindsight, deceptive. We did not add anything extra, but the undeclared hidden costs included: occupancy tax, room tax, food tax, ticket tax and daily 18% service fee for the FREE breakfast buffet. Whether the opaqueness was intentional or a major oversight, I cannot say, but buyer beware! FYI: Our room was fine, but was never cleaned in our 4-day stay, which did not bother us, but you may feel otherwise). I inquired ahead of time as to GF options and was assured that the kitchen is sensitive to food issues and offers plenty of GF options. Not true. The free hot breakfast was fine, but had no variety day to day. They ran out of coffee repeatedly (long wait for more), the baked goods looked yummy, but no GF options. The young people working the buffet were the only exception to the otherwise very pleasant staff. They appeared to hate their job. The "Southern B-B-Q" dinner featured hamburgers and limited uninspired sides (no GF). The "picnic lunch" was mediocre, with a very long wait to get a hamburger. A few more bits of info: Parking near the Terrace hotel was woefully inadequate. The elevators broke down at least 3 different times due to "over heating", so climbing stairs to the 6th floor was an issue. The ice machine on our floor remained broken for our entire stay. The weather was beastly hot (obviously not their fault). The extra activites (kayaks, paddle boards, Swan boats) were all for an unadvertized fee. The swimming pool had an occupancy limit and was at capacity, so you had to wait until people left to be able to enter the fenced pool area. The mini golf was free - and was also tiny and in the worst condition of any I have ever seen. The wooden sides of the boxes were literally crumbling apart, and the "green" had large wrinkles and ridges creating an extra challenge. Not surpirsingly, there was no waiting line to play. BTW, our non-lake-view room faced a mass of unkempt bushes and weeds. The "lake view", for which we could have paid extra, had an expansive view of the black flat roof of the level below with the lake in the distance. (Save your money - you can sit in the comfortable lounge and view the lake). Lastly, our 7.5 hour drive took 11 hours both ways (trying each of the only 2 options we had). Few routes will take you to the lake, and damage from Hurricane Helene has significantly impacted travel in that area, so depending on where you live, you may be in for a rough time reaching your destination. If you don't mind the drive, don't care much about food options and quality, and are content to simply sit outside and admire the lake, this may be a good place for you. We will not be back.

Highly recommend this spot for tourists and locals. Be prepared to catch the biggest catfish EVER…read more Staff is so kind and helpful with everything. I will 100% be back to this spot. It's a hidden gem

A good local place to go fishing for catfish…read more Catch a release only. $12 a person to get in. Cash only. No ATM on site. They sell bait and some snacks as well. Only downside at all is it semi looks like a junk yard when your driving in through the entrance. Once you get past that it's a nice relaxing place to fish.

Guides Matt and Jason gave my two boys and me a first class fishing experience. They worked hard…read moreto get us in all of the right holes on the Catawba River, which allowed us to catch more than 50 trout on our trip. They skillfully taught technique, patiently fixed tangles, and brought a great Western Carolina mountain vibe to the whole experience. I'll gladly fish with The Catawba Angler next time I'm in town. A+ experience.

Catawba angler guide Matt Evans took my brother and me on half day trip floating the French Broad…read morenear Ashland. Matt was the consummate guide. He knew the river well and got us onto a bunch of 'honey holes' where the fish were hungry. I am not an experienced angler but Matt was very patient. This was no small accomplishment given all the mistakes made. He set us up with just the right lures, quickly handing us alternative rods already set up when the conditions changed. I caught more fish with Mike than in my last 10 outings combined. This is a life-long memory. We'll be back!

If you like the outdoors and some big rocks and cliffs, come check out this State Park. The park…read moreis one of the cooler State parks in North Carolina that I have had the pleasure of experiencing. I am a mountain type of person and I am really glad that public access has been provided to these cliffs and this Area. Rumbling Bald park host several great hiking trails through massive boulder fields and spectacular hardwood forests. The main draw for the park has to be for Bouldering and Rock Climbing. While hiking or walking through the woods in the winter/spring it is certain you'll see lots of people climbing up and down rocks. Thanks to the park staff for creating a viable parking lot for the park too. When you come here make sure to try and park as closely together as you can. It can get packed on the weekends. Also, don't double park or block anyone, or else you'll get a ticket. I really hope they access can be opened to the other cliff areas around the lake, like Ghost Town and the Darkside, which are currently closed.. 1 suggestion is to avoid this place in the summer, as it turns into a oven with the south-facing rocks, and there is poison ivy all over the place. Go enjoy the outdoor wander around some rocks.

This park is perfect for climbers and bouldering. The hike during the summer months does not…read moreprovide views unless you're willing to do a little climbing to escape the canopy. However, it's a beautiful trail, and I would bet full of views in the winter.