Driving Directions: Nantahala Outpost

Trips on the Nantahala River begin and end at our Main Campus on the Nantahala River. This outpost is located in far Western North Carolina on US Highway 19, approximately 12 miles west of Bryson City, on the south side of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

If you are on a Rapid Transit rafting/train excursion, the meeting place is in Bryson City, at the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad Depot. Click here for directions.

GPS: 35.331048, -83.591843

Note: There are different directions for Rapid Transit Trips, as their meeting place is located in Bryson City, NC.

From Asheville, NC -Take I-40 West toward Knoxville, TN. Take exit 27 onto US 74 West toward Waynesville. The Nantahala is located 50 miles down this road. Stay on 74 West. Eight miles west of Bryson City, the four-lane highway you are on will split into two 2-lane roads. Stay on 74, which is the left lane. Go another five miles. On the last descent you will see a yellow caution sign on the right indicating you are entering the Nantahala Gorge. Just after the sign you will see the Nantahala River, and NOC's Nantahala Outpost.

From Gatlinburg, TN -Take 441 South through Great Smoky Mountains National Park, through Cherokee. Just past Cherokee, get on Hwy 74 West. After approximately 15 miles, the road will split into two 2-lane roads. Stay on 74 W which is the left lane and continue 4.3 miles to Nantahala Outdoor Center.

From east Atlanta - Take I-85 North to I-985 North. At Gainesville, GA take 365 North to 441 North. Just past Dillsboro, NC, 441 merges with US 74. Take 74 West past all Bryson City exits. (Then follow directions from ASHEVILLE above.)

From west Atlanta - Take I-75 North to I-575 North. I-575 becomes State Hwy 5, which in turn becomes Hwy 76. Stay with this road until you reach Blue Ridge, GA, and then turn left onto Hwy 60 to Mineral Bluff, GA. In Mineral Bluff, turn right onto Hwy 60 Spur. Follow it into North Carolina to US 74 East, turning right toward Murphy and Andrews. Stay on 74 East. NOC is about 20 miles past Andrews. You will be following the Nantahala River for the last eight miles.

From Chattanooga, TN - Take I-75 North toward Cleveland, TN. Take the first Cleveland exit, which is US 64 BYPASS East. Go six miles and take the Ocoee Exit onto US 64 East toward Murphy, NC. At Murphy, the road number changes to US 74. Stay on US 74 going east toward Andrews. NOC is about 20 miles past Andrews. You will be following the Nantahala River for the last eight miles.

Please Note: We do not recommend using navigation devices or online route planning tools like Mapquest or Google Maps as these services often give indirect or confusing directions to our outposts.