No "shadows of a bear" for me, I passed through Highlands in order to see this famed covered…read morebridge. There really aren't many of them left in the US and very few remain in North Carolina! The bridge is the entrance to the Bascom Center, a six-acre campus of indoor and outdoor artworks. It was named for artist Will Henry Stevens (1881-1949) who lived and painted and taught here in Highlands. The bridge dates back about 200 years when it was originally build in New Hampshire over the Warner River. Disassembled rather than destroyed, it was put into storage in 1966. And then purchased and moved here to Highlands forty years later. Now it's been recreated as an Ithiel Town lattice using traditional techniques and materials including 1100 tree-nails, towels and trunnels with no metal fasteners! Unfortunately, when I arrived it was closed for reconstruction and repair. Blocked off on both sides and surrounded by piles of rough-hewn beams and planks. I'll need to come back when it's all fixed up. [Review 20018 overall - 3458 in North Carolina - 993 of 2023.]

I came to Highlands, NC in search of a bear, or more accurately the "shadow of a bear". A natural…read morephenomenon that happens from mid-October through early November when the setting sun casts a shadow onto the valley below Whiteside Mountain. The shadow takes on the appearance of a bear and I simply could not not miss this one-of-a kind opportunity. The shadow begins at 5:30 p.m. I arrived in town super early (around 1pm) so I decided to do a little exploring. There was a waterfall here I wanted to visit, but I discovered The Bascom Visual Arts Center and decided to make that my first stop. To know me is to know I have a profoundly deep love for old structures, particularly covered bridges. So to discover a covered bridge I was not aware of (that was also historic) in a gorgeous mountain setting was almost orgasmic... and I mean that literally. When I get super excited about something, it makes me wanna go poop! TMI right?, but it's true. There is no greater laxative for me than showing me a picture of someplace gorgeous that I've never been. It's why I keep travel magazines in a woven basket in our bathroom. The excitement for new adventures twists my stomach into knots. So, actually realizing I'm live on location of a place I would have seen in the pages of a magazine brings on a different excitement! LOL --- THE BRIDGE You simply can't get more picturesque than Will Henry Stevens Covered Bridge. A little research revealed this bridge was once considered the oldest covered bridge in New Hampshire. It was named Bagley Covered Bridge and it crossed the Warner River, until it was considered a hazard from its aging condition. The bridge was scheduled to be destroy until Milton & Arnold Graton, lovers of historic bridges, purchased it in 1966 and placed it in storage for the next 42 years. The bridge was built in approximately 1807 out of old growth pine. It is around 14 feet wide and almost 88 feet long. In February of 2008 it was gifted to the Bascom Art Center as a perfect entrance to their facility and reconstruction completed in 2009. This bridge looks like a totally new structure, but in fact is now over 200 years old. The design is Town lattice and uses over 1,100 wooden fasteners in keeping with the original 1800's bridge building traditions. I'm guessing the flares at the bottom were not original to the bridge, but are characteristic of Carolina-style covered bridges. SIDE NOTE: Famous people said to have once crossed this bridge are General Lafayette, President Theodore Roosevelt & President Franklin Pierce. --- FINAL THOUGHTS I am in awe of the dedication to conservation that led this bridge from New Hampshire to the Mountains of North Carolina. What love and genuine concern for the preservation of such an important artifact from a dying era! It truly brings a mist to my eyes to know that someone loved this bridge so much that they saved it, carefully dismantled it, stored it, nurtured it for 4 decades, and rebuilt it once they found it the perfect home. In Georgia, there were once over 600 covered bridges, but only 15 historic ones remain. Most met their end by arson or neglect. So I am very proud to see one of these beauties survived by being blanketed with a great deal of love. I wish we all honored such important structures & relationships in our lives and were less quick to deem things that were once important as antiquated and useless. I read an article about the father and son who saved the bridge, the Grafton's. It highlighted a quote which stated: "To me, to write-off the remaining usefulness of so faithful an old bridge... is like sentencing [someone] without hearing [their] witness. Should not this old bridge have a chance to be heard even through an interpreter?" AMEN 2016/119

The tunnel is cool, but very short. The trails make up for it and the waterfalls are a great sight…read more No wait time, no reservations recommended, price to entry $1-5. But make sure you have a flashlight with you to go into the tunnels and the waterfalls is so pretty. I recommend this to anyone who want to adventure.

Short experience but worth going to. The entrance is $5 a car. You can walk the short tunnel, just…read morebe careful it gets dark and there's puddles. The waterfall is beautiful and it can be viewed from the top and from the side on the observatory deck.

The views from the top of Bell Mountain are spectacular! The drive up the mountain is not for the…read moreweak either. My husband and I took some great photos, but at the very top deck I could barely stand still due to all of the gnats flying around!! (Nov 1)

Bell Mountain has some incredible views, but unfortunately this has to be one of the most…read moredisturbing examples of society today. The amount of graffiti and trash is absolutely disgusting and shows a complete lack of respect for the land, the scenery, and the people around you. Nearly every inch of rock is covered in graffiti, including the platforms that taxpayers paid to build so visitors could enjoy the view. The entire place feels reminiscent of movies that depict the breakdown of society and the end of the world--where chaos takes over and respect, responsibility, and common decency no longer exist. This is not artistic expression; it's vandalism and selfishness. Instead of appreciating the beauty of nature, visitors are forced to look at layer after layer of damage left behind by people who clearly have no regard for preserving anything for others to enjoy. It's honestly sad to see such a beautiful place ruined this way.

Not my cup of tea...snooty and pretentious. Perfect if you want to walk around in your high priced…read moreouterwear feeling superior to everyone. Upscale shopping and restaurants. We strolled the well groomed streets of downtown after a long day of hiking. We ate a few miles down the road in Cashiers. Wanted a quick walk before heading back to our cabin. I would come back to this area for the surrounding hiking opportunities...hence 2 stars. I feel no need to venture back into downtown Highlands for any reason.

Dear Town of Highlands, North Carolina…read more I would like to thank you for so many things, but first and foremost for a wonderful October 2016 visit. No doubt you are familiar with the phenomenon that happens this time of year you've named "Shadow of the Bear." It was the very reason I ventured 2.5 hours from my Georgia home to your tiny mountain hamlet. Well, in my sincere desire not to miss the event, I arrived several hours early, and used that extra time to wander about your local shops, museums and overlooks. Do you want to know what I discovered? Genuine and true warmth still exists. In a world where people have their own goals, agendas and schedules, we don't SEE others the way generations before us once did. But all throughout your town I felt very much like I was on display. EVERYONE was so warm to me, from the secretary @ the Episcopal Church of the Incarnation whom gave me an impromptu tour of the facilities to the owner of Paoletti's Ristorante, whom I met by chance while eating the best patty melt of my life @ Mountain Fresh Grocery store. He included me in his conversation as if we were old friends and directed me to Sunset Rock. I may never forget the ladies overseeing the children outside of the First Presbyterian Church whom invited me to service or the wonderful pottery students and teachers @ The Bascom, Visual Arts Center. I have not felt that welcome by total strangers in my life, a feeling I will treasure for the rest of my days. On top of seeing a bear shadow, I hiked Whiteside Mountain for some of thee most amazing fall views I've witnessed in my 47 years on this earth. I also witnessed a beautifully restored covered bridge that made my heart sing upon first gazing at its beauty. Yes City of Highlands , I indeed thank you for a wonderful day. I could not imagine a more perfect place on the map to spend a weekend with my wife, whom was not with me on this inaugural trip... but surely will be with me hereafter. Sincerely, Richard R of Georgia UPDATE January 14th, 2017 - Not only did I bring my wife and children back with me, but 17 others as well. We briefly stopped to eat lunch @ Mountain View Grocery as we were on a strict hiking schedule, but all were pleased with our visit. I have another hike planned here in July and again in October. I can't wait to return and bask in your warmth! 2017/21

Worth the drive to see and walk through the tunnel…read more Read the history, it's really a sad story. They call it the stolen highway

If you didn't know the history of this spot, you might not think it's a big deal but if you do know…read morethe history, it becomes more relevant. Yes, it literally is a road that ends in a very long, dark and wet tunnel. There are also several walking trails nearby. We drove back on the road a little bit and did one of the shorter hikes that leads to a section of the lake. There are other trails that are more strenuous. This is more of an oddity than anything else, but still an interesting place to visit.

Great place to view an amazing waterfall! Get up close and personal & walk right behind the falls!…read moreBe careful it can get slippery. It's worth it, I promise! These photos I've posted are from 2015..so yeah, its been a while!

Do! One of the best…read morewaterfalls on the East. There's a walking path behind the roaring waterfall. It's impressive! Unlike famous gigantic falls, Dry Falls is very accessible and intimate. The trail is an easy 5-10 minutes walk down the stairs. Accessibility is limited. The continued trail down past Dry Falls was closed / blocked. Parking is few bucks/car in a small (apx 20 vehicles) lot. There was a ranger at the entrance but you pay at the box after you park. There was a steady stream of cars coming and going so the wait wasn't long. Loved it :) Go!

Just past sunset and wanting to get out of the mountains before it got totally dark, but I had no…read morechoice but to stop at this overlook site. There are several along this road but this was one of my favorites and from the photos, you can perhaps see why. I got here in that magical time after the sun was below the horizon but had not gone completely away, the mountains continued for miles and miles. Some lakes shining like white diamonds and the beautiful trees, if I was not concerned about the roads with only headlights, I would have perhaps stayed longer. Definitely check this one out. It's impressive. [Review 20021 overall - 3461 in North Carolina - 996 of 2023.]

There are several overlooks along Dillard Road (Route 246/106) heading towards Highlands, NC and in…read moremy opinion Blue Valley has the most scenic view. It is easy to see why it is called blue valley as the distant mountains take on different shades of blue so surreal that it seems more like a painting, which is further enhanced on misty days. So in short, if you only have time to stop once during your mountain drive (which would be a real shame since there is also Mud Creek Fall and Dry Falls nearby), Blue Valley or nearby Sky Valley overlook should be that stop! 2017/106

Worth the stop…read more The Sequoyah Falls is not marked and is man made. Look for the lake and a small gravel pull over along the road near "Highlands elevation 4118'. sign. From the gravel lot, go towards the lake and to the right, there's a quick 3 minute trail to the Falls. From the road, you can see a glimpse of the Falls, but it's much better view from below. When we were there, no one else was around unlike nearby falls. The spill over from the lake above was striking and was a fun 15 minute pull over.

Really cool man-made waterfall, with beautiful sunset lighting. Easy to get to right off the road…read moreand plenty of angles for pictures. Definitely a must see in the area during sunset.

One of my favorite falls from my Childhood…read more I grew up in Brevard NC and my Grandmother lived between Silva and Franklin. Not the preferred route to visit because of the winding mountain roads but a good alternate and actually my favorite because of the scenery. Two main falls on the route. One was Dry Falls and the other Bridal Veil Falls. Bridal Veil was my favorite because you could drive under the fall. You could either drive behind the falls of if the took the other lane, the falls cascaded onto your vehicle. When I was in college, the biology club which I was part of camped out on the meadows behind my parents house and the next day, went plant collecting in the higher elevations. I had my father's pickup truck and we had a number of people in the back when we came to Bridal Veil Falls. Needless to say, I chose to drive on the side where the Cascade fell directly onto the truck. Dr. Crutchfield said, they are going to kill you. They did not but it did establish I am not a nice guy. Sadly they have recently erected barriers to prevent you from going under the falls. When I was growing up and in college, you had no option but at sometime they did upgrade the road and made a bypass that skirted the falls but left the option of still going under the falls. For one reason or another, they have erected temporary barriers to discourage this type of behavior. It is still, one of the most beautiful and interesting sites in this area and highly recommend stopping and enjoying the experience

On 64 No longer able to drive under the falls but you can…read morestill walk behind it. Although it has been and was lightly raining, the waterfall was very light. Parking is small unmarked side of the road and could accommodate several cars. Perhaps after a big rainstorm, BVF maybe impressive, but this was rather an unremarkable visit.

Amazing to watch the shadow come around and morph into a bear! If you are in the area in mid-late…read moreOctober, make sure you check this out! Bear comes around 5:30 pm but definitely get there early as there is limited parking.

Are you looking for something to do this fall? Have you ever heard of the "Shadow of the Bear" in…read moreNorth Carolina? This was highlighted in "Our State" magazine, I think last year but I could have saved the article from the year before, but this was one of those items on my "local" bucket list to see. I love the Shadow of the Bear in Cashiers! The "Shadow of the Bear" is visible for 30 minutes daily (on sunny days!) between 5:30-6:15 PM from mid-October through early November as the sun sets behind Whiteside Mountain between Sapphire Valley and Highlands, North Carolina. It's best seen on clear days around 5:30 p.m., with the show lasting for about a half-hour. The photos below are from 2022; I'm pretty sure we'll visit again this year. PS I agree with Ginger L. that the camaraderie with all the people standing on the side of the road to watch is an experience in itself. A note of caution, to view the bear, you park your car on the side of a road hugging the edge of a mountain and people crossing the road that has a curve around the mountain so use caution while driving through the area and walking along the road!!!! But its all worth the view!!!