Guides, shops and venues
Guide services, gear shops and venues in Western Carolinas, A to Z. Listed from their public websites; they don't pay to be here and are never mixed into the communities.
In Western Carolinas · all of the Southeast · all regions · change
- Adventure Damascusshop · Family & casual rides · Damascus, VA
Damascus bike rental and shuttle service for the Virginia Creeper Trail.
- Anderson County Parksvenue · Walking groups · Anderson, SC
Anderson County parks department managing local parks, trails and lake access with community events.
- Appalachian Ski Mtn.venue · Skiing & snowboarding · Blowing Rock
Family ski and snowboard area near Blowing Rock with terrain parks and an outdoor ice rink.
- Asheville Turkey Trotevent company · Road running · Asheville
Downtown Asheville Thanksgiving 5K and one-mile Gobble Wobble, 26th year.
- Augusta Canal National Heritage Areavenue · Kayaking · Augusta, GA
Augusta canal and towpath with guided boat tours, paddling and trails.
- Base Camp Cullowheevenue · Beginners welcome · Sylva, NC
Western Carolina University outdoor program running hiking, paddling and climbing trips and skills clinics near Sylva.
- Beech Mountain Resortvenue · Skiing & snowboarding · Beech Mountain
High Country ski and snowboard resort with lift-served mountain biking and scenic lift rides in warmer months.
- BlocHavenvenue · Bouldering · Greenville, SC
Bouldering gym in a former mill in Greenville with a cafe, fitness area and yoga.
- Blue Heron Whitewaterevent company · Whitewater · Hot Springs, NC
Rafting outfitter on the French Broad in Marshall, near Hot Springs, with half-day, full-day and float trips.
- Blue Ridge Adventuresevent company · Mountain biking · Brevard
Pisgah mountain bike race organizer.
- Blue Ridge Hiking Co.guide service · Day hikes · Hot Springs, NC
Guide service running guided day hikes and backpacking trips, with a bunkhouse in Hot Springs.
- Bryson City Outdoorsshop · Mountain biking · Bryson City, NC
Bryson City bike shop that has served as the start point for the Fire Mountain Inferno race.
- Camp Griervenue · Mountain biking · Old Fort, NC
Old Fort camp and outdoor center that hosts mountain bike programs, community events and G5 trail weekends.
- Carolina Bound Adventuresguide service · Waterfalls · Bryson City, NC
Bryson City company offering guided waterfall hikes, beginner mountain bike rides and kayak tours.
- Chimney Rock at Chimney Rock State Parkvenue · Day hikes · Chimney Rock
Park around Chimney Rock and Hickory Nut Falls with trails, naturalist-led hikes and seasonal programs.
- Clemson University Forestvenue · Day hikes · Clemson, SC
17,500-acre university forest next to Clemson with public hiking, mountain biking and trail running trails such as Issaqueena Lake and Wildcat Creek Falls.
- Cole Watkins Toursguide service · Kayaking · Augusta, GA
Augusta guide offering escorted kayak tours on the Augusta Canal and nearby waterways.
- Croft State Parkvenue · Mountain biking · Spartanburg, SC
State park just outside Spartanburg with miles of hiking, biking and horse trails and ranger programs.
- Curtis Wright Outfittersshop · Fly fishing · Weaverville
Fly shop and outfitter near Asheville with beginner fly tying classes on Saturdays.
- Davidson River Outfittersshop · Fly fishing · Pisgah Forest
Fly shop and guide service at the entrance to Pisgah National Forest.
- Dirty Wolf Racingevent company · Trail running · Brevard
Trail and ultra race organizer in the Carolinas.
- FIND Outdoors (Cradle of Forestry)venue · Conservation volunteering · Pisgah Forest
Pisgah Forest nonprofit for forest education and stewardship that runs the Cradle of Forestry and public lands sites in North Georgia, with evening programs, stargazing and family events.
- Fire Mountain Trailsvenue · Mountain biking · Cherokee, NC
Free bike-optimized trail system owned by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, home to the Fire Mountain Inferno race.
- Fish Cherokeevenue · Fly fishing · Cherokee, NC
Tribal fishing program for Cherokee waters that issues permits and runs family fishing days and tournaments.
- Fleet Feet Augustashop · Road running · Augusta, GA
Augusta running store hosting free weekly group runs and training programs.
- Fleet Feet Greenvilleshop · Road running · Greenville, SC
Locally owned running store that hosts a weekly pub run and training groups.
- Fontana Village Resortvenue · Day hikes · Robbinsville, NC
Resort and marina on Fontana Lake offering on-site and off-site guided hikes and bike and kayak rentals.
- Freehub Bicyclesshop · Road · Travelers Rest, SC
Bike shop on Main St in Travelers Rest with Saturday shop rides, including a no-drop group.
- Grandfather Mountainvenue · Day hikes · Linville
Nonprofit nature park near Linville with the Mile High Swinging Bridge, trails, wildlife habitats and naturalist programs.
- Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundationvenue · Day hikes · Blowing Rock, NC
Nature park near Blowing Rock with daily naturalist programs, guided hikes and multi-day programs.
- Greenville County Recreationvenue · Day hikes · Greenville County, SC
Greenville County parks events: festivals, park programs and outdoor activities.
- Headwaters Outfittersshop · Fly fishing · Rosman
Rosman outfitter with weekly bring-your-own-vise fly tying nights at the Forks of the River Taproom.
- Henderson County Parks and Recreationvenue · Day hikes · Hendersonville, NC
County recreation department running free community hikes that meet in Hendersonville and carpool to trailheads.
- High Country Guide Serviceguide service · Fly fishing · Boone
Boone fly fishing guide service with tie-and-try clinics combining fly tying and a guided trip.
- Hookers Fly Shopshop · Fly fishing · Sylva
Sylva fly shop with casting and fly tying classes, private or in groups.
- Hot Springs Rafting Companyevent company · Whitewater · Hot Springs, NC
Outfitter in the center of Hot Springs running guided rafting and self-guided tubing on the French Broad River.
- Hub City Runnersshop · Road running · Spartanburg, SC
Spartanburg running store that hosts free Monday night group runs.
- Hunter Banks Fly Fishingshop · Fly fishing · Asheville
Asheville fly shop and guide service with fly tying classes covering tools, materials and patterns.
- Jackson County Parks and Recreationvenue · Day hikes · Sylva, NC
County recreation department that runs public programs including guided hikes such as Pinnacle Park outings.
- Jocassee Lake Toursguide service · Kayaking · Salem, SC
Naturalist-guided boat, kayak and waterfall tours on Lake Jocassee.
- Keowee-Toxaway State Parkvenue · Day hikes · Pickens, SC
Lake Keowee state park in Pickens County with lakeside hiking trails, paddling and interpretive programs.
- Lake Hartwell State Parkvenue · Kayaking · Anderson, SC
State park on Lake Hartwell west of Anderson with paddling, fishing, camping and ranger programs.
- Landmark Learningshop · Wilderness first aid · Cullowhee
Wilderness medicine training provider based in Cullowhee, offering Wilderness First Aid, First Responder and related outdoor courses in Jackson County and elsewhere.
- Mac Brown Fly Fishguide service · Fly fishing · Bryson City, NC
Bryson City fly fishing guide service offering guided trips, instruction and casting workshops since 1987.
- Maggie Valley Fly Fishing Festivalevent company · Fly fishing · Maggie Valley
Memorial Day weekend festival with fly-fishing demonstrations, casting instruction and vendors.
- Nantahala Outdoor Centerguide service · Whitewater · Bryson City
Rafting outfitter, paddling school and outdoor store on the Nantahala River.
- New River Marathonevent company · Road running · Todd
Marathon, half and 5K along the New River near Todd.
- North Carolina Cyclocrossevent company · Gravel · North Carolina
Statewide cyclocross race series, fall and early winter.
- North Carolina State Parks: Western NCvenue · Day hikes · Western North Carolina
Ranger-led hikes, nature programs and volunteer days at North Carolina state parks in the western mountains and foothills.
- Oconaluftee Islands Parkvenue · Tubing · Cherokee, NC
River island park in Cherokee for wading, tubing and trout fishing, with evening storytelling by a bonfire.
- One Fly Outfittersshop · Fly fishing · Black Mountain
Black Mountain fly shop with fly tying instruction and workshops.
- Overmountain Cyclesshop · Mountain biking · Morganton, NC
Morganton bike shop that leads shop rides, including on the Fonta Flora State Trail.
- Paris Mountain State Parkvenue · Day hikes · Greenville, SC
State park minutes from downtown Greenville with hiking and biking trails, a swimming lake and camping.
- Phinizy Center for Water Sciencesvenue · Walking groups · Augusta, GA
Augusta nature park and nonprofit with trails, guided hikes, birding courses and family programs.
- Pisgah Productionsevent company · Mountain biking · Brevard
Brevard race organizer for mountain bike, gravel and adventure races in Pisgah National Forest.
- Rhoddie Bicycle Outfittersshop · Gravel · Blowing Rock, NC
Blowing Rock bike shop that organizes shop rides, including gravel rides, that start from the store on Sunset Drive.
- Riverfeet Fly Fishingguide service · Fly fishing · Abingdon, VA
Abingdon guide service running fly fishing trips, schools and group events in SW Virginia and East Tennessee.
- Rock Dimensionsguide service · Trad · Blowing Rock, NC
Boone climbing guide service offering half- and full-day guided climbs, climbing camps and caving trips nearby.
- Sadlers Creek State Parkvenue · Mountain biking · Anderson, SC
Lake Hartwell state park near Anderson with about 6.5 miles of mountain bike trails, hiking and paddling.
- Smoky Mountain Kayak Fishingguide service · Kayaking · Robbinsville, NC
Graham County guide service offering guided kayak fishing and rentals on Santeetlah and Fontana lakes.
- Spartanburg County Parks Outdoor Recreationvenue · Beginners welcome · Spartanburg, SC
County parks department running outdoor recreation programs and events in parks around Spartanburg.
- Sundog Outfittershop · Family & casual rides · Damascus, VA
Damascus outfitter renting bikes and running daily shuttles for riding the Virginia Creeper Trail.
- Sunrift Adventuresshop · Beginners welcome · Travelers Rest, SC
Outdoor gear shop on the Swamp Rabbit Trail in Travelers Rest, with hiking, camping, paddling and climbing gear and rentals.
- SWVA Outdoor Adventures (White Blaze Outdoors)guide service · Day hikes · Abingdon, VA
Abingdon guide service offering educational nature hikes, field trips, fly fishing and hike-bike shuttles.
- Table Rock State Parkvenue · Day hikes · Pickens, SC
Mountain state park near Pickens with classic Upstate hikes, a Foothills Trail access point and ranger-led programs.
- Tanawha Adventuresevent company · Trail running · Morganton
Western NC trail race organizer: Fonta Flora, Looking Glass 100K and South Mountains races.
- Tuck Fly Shopguide service · Fly fishing · Sylva, NC
Fly shop with a Sylva store offering guided wade and float trips on the Tuckasegee River.
- Ventures Birding Toursguide service · Birding · Asheville
Asheville-based guided birding tour company leading local outings and trips.
- Visit Damascus (Trail Days)venue · Outdoor & music festivals · Damascus, VA
Town visitor site for Damascus, the Appalachian Trail town that hosts the annual Trail Days hiker festival.