Recreation and Creation in Highlands NC and Cashiers NC

The Highlands ice rink is open for winter fun, with extended holiday hours and cozy charm.

Christmas tree farms across the Plateau offer more than evergreens—they’re rooted in family and mountain heritage.

Even in winter’s quiet, birds and pollinators bring life to the garden: just add food, water, and a little shelter.

Ice has quietly shaped the Highlands-Cashiers landscape, leaving behind rare species, rugged cliffs, and enduring beauty.

In 2025, the Highlands Nature Center’s outreach program brought hands-on environmental education to hundreds of children across the Plateau—thanks to generous community support and a mission to spark curiosity wherever young learners are.

Not a local bird but an enduring delight to local bird watchers.

Varying hikes to Rabun Bald fire tower offer a grand experience for everyone.

After extensive hurricane damage, Chimney Rock State Park reopened offering limited-hours access by reservation with breathtaking hikes and panoramic views in the Hickory Nut Gorge area near Asheville.

Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Killer Bees Honey crafts some of the world’s most extraordinary wildflower honey—so potent it’s earning praise from around the globe.