Tony Cope

Haywood County, NC

With a 546-square mile radius and a population of about 57,000, Haywood County is the third largest county in western North Carolina after Buncombe and Henderson Counties. First established in 1808, Haywood County was named for John Haywood, North Carolina treasurer from 1787 to 1827. Unlike the other 99 counties in the state, all the water in Haywood County originates in Haywood County, including the Pigeon River. The annual average temperature is 54 degrees; the temperature averages 38 degrees in January and 71 degrees in June. Haywood County averages 47.5 inches of rainfall and 12.2 inches of snowfall each year. The Blue Ridge Parkway winds its way around the county with four entrances to this scenic byway and its many hiking, viewing and picnic spots along the way. The most famous natural attraction in the area is the Great Smoky Mountains. Haywood County is home to part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited National Park in the U.S. The area has recently been designated a Blue Ridge Heritage area and is well known for its creativity in arts and crafts. Fourteen peaks in the Great Smoky Mountains soar to elevations of at least 6,000 feet (more than any east of the Mississippi River), and the county is one of the highest, with a mean elevation of 3,600 feet, east of the Rockies. Notable mountain peaks include Cold Mountainat 6,030 feet, Mt. Guyot at 6,621 feet and Richland Balsam at 6,410 feet in elevation. Other mountain ranges include the Balsam Mountains, which borders on the west side of Haywood County. The Balsams offer seven types of forests and has peaks of more than 6,400 feet. There are also the Nantahala Mountains nearby. The Nantahala National Forest at 516,000 acres is North Carolina's largest national forest, spanning from Waynesville to Murphy, Fontana and Cashiers. It is also home to the Nantahala River Gorge, a nine-mile stretch of the Nantahala River, which offers a haven for whitewater rafters