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Major Western North Carolina Cities
& Towns
See
Cities-Towns-Villages in right column also
Western North Carolina, the
region of North Carolina that includes the Appalachian Mountains, is
blessed with towering verdant mountains, lovely gentle valleys,
flower-filled coves, virgin stands of untouched forest, crystal
clear lakes and streams, and vibrant cities and towns. The mountains
are generally separated into four distinct zones or regions. The
Western Mountains, extending from Andrews and Murphy in the far
western corner to Waynesville, the Central Mountains from
Waynesville through Asheville to the Burnsville area, the Northern
Mountains from Burnsville to Sparta, and the Foothills, extending
along the full length of the mountains from Columbus to North
Wilkesboro.
The major cities with populations over 10,000
are
Asheville
(73,000),
Boone (15,000),
Hendersonville (10,000),
Hickory (40,000),
Lenoir (17,000),
Morganton (17,000),
Newton (13,000) and
Waynesville
(10,000). Asheville is the hub city, home to the famous
Biltmore Estate,
America's largest private residence and the major tourist
attraction. The other major attraction in Western North Carolina, in
terms of visitors, is
Harrah's Cherokee Casino, located on the
Cherokee Indian
Reservation in the western part of the mountains.
Tourism is the major industry in Western North
Carolina, with millions of visitors each year flocking to the
mountains for outdoor recreation. The area includes the
Great Smoky Mountains
National Park, the
Nantahala National Forest,
the
Pisgah National Forest
and numerous State Forests. Most of Western North Carolina is
wilderness and offers an abundance of recreational opportunities
from mountain climbing to whitewater rafting. Other major natural
attractions include the
Appalachian Scenic National
Trail and the
Blue Ridge Parkway,
both of which pass right through the mountains.
The unique character of the Western North Carolina mountains is such
that Congress has even designated them a National Heritage Area, and
the region is now officially recognized as the
Blue Ridge National Heritage Area.
There are
24 counties in Western North Carolina with a total population
of over 1,000,000. The region covers approximately 11,000 square
miles and is roughly the size of the state of Massachusetts. There
are over 80 mountain peaks between 5,000 to 6,000 feet in elevation,
and 43 that rise to over 6,000 feet.
View Larger Map
Map of the Western North Carolina Mountains
Western North Carolina Counties
(with County Seats and
Seat Elevations)
Alleghany,
Sparta 2,927 feet
Ashe,
Jefferson 2,920 feet
Avery,
Newland 3,589 feet
Buncombe ,Asheville
2,216 feet
Burke,
Morganton 1,182 feet
Caldwell,
Lenoir 1,168 feet
Catawba,
Newton
1,001 feet
Cherokee,
Murphy 1,535 feet
Clay,
Hayesville 1,893 feet
Graham,
Robbinsville 2,150 feet
Haywood,
Waynesville 2,635 feet
Henderson,
Hendersonville 2,146 feet
Jackson,
Sylva 2,047 feet
Macon,
Franklin 2,113 feet
Madison,
Marshall 1,650 feet
McDowell,
Marion 1,437 feet
Mitchell,
Bakersville 2,550 feet
Polk,
Columbus 1,145 feet
Rutherford,
Rutherforton 1,096 feet
Swain,
Bryson City 1,736 feet
Transylvania,
Brevard 2,230 feet
Watauga,
Boone 3,266 feet
Wilkes,
Wilkesboro 1,047 feet
Yancey,
Burnsville 2,817 feet
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