Brevard & NC's Land of Waterfalls

A real-time view of Downtown Brevard supplied by Explore Brevard

Celebrated as North Carolina’s Land of Waterfalls, Brevard and Transylvania County have much more than gorgeous cascades. Their All-American Main Street is full of local shops, galleries, and great restaurants. Brevard is a special place to spend the holidays and a destination for outdoor adventures. 

Located between Pisgah National Forest, DuPont State Recreational Forest and Gorges State Park, Brevard affords visitors endless outdoor adventures, including hiking, mountain biking, waterfall hunting, fly fishing, and much more. It's also known as a pet friendly town.

Known as one of the top mountain biking destinations in the US, Brevard sports 300 miles of epic single track in the pristine forests throughout Transylvania County.  A destination for cyclists of all types, the area is also known for its road cycling and excellent cycling shops, where guides and gear are always available. Bike or walk the Estatoe Trail's six-plus miles from downtown Brevard into Pisgah National Forest. The mostly paved route finishes with an unpaved stretch beside the Davidson River.

Holidays in Brevard

Brevard offers Hallmark-worthy holiday traditions. There's a Light Up the Night tree lighting ceremony and Annual Christmas Parade. Downtown storefronts are decorated with flair as shopkeepers vie to win the Holiday Windows Competition. Makers markets and seasonal holiday markets offer one-of-a-kind local gifts. The quirky ATOM: Aluminum Tree & Ornament exhibit on Main Street is only open during the holidays. Just outside of downtown, Deerwoode Reserve hosts a lakeside Annual Festival of Lights as a fundraiser for a local nonprofit. Learn more about winter holiday activities in Brevard on their website. 

Downtown hosts several fun festivals throughout the year, including The White Squirrel Festival, Halloweenfest and Twilight Tour, but visitors can find much to explore year-round. Favorite stops include O.P. Taylor's toy store on the square and D.D. Bullwinkle's Outdoors. Downtown Brevard is also a great place to see art in galleries and on the streets. The Sculpture Walk showcases bronze mountain wildlife, steel musical instruments, and more. Wander downtown at your own pace to discover all 25 art installations.

Brevard’s most famous local residents are its white squirrels. These special little creatures have flourished in Brevard since escaping a visiting carnival in Florida in the early 1950s. You might catch a glimpse of them as they scurry around the local trees, especially on the Brevard College Campus. Be sure to pick up a souvenir from a local shop! ​

Brevard is located along scenic Highway 64. It's a popular hub for exploring Pisgah National Forest. Much of the area is a temperate rainforest with 90+ inches of rain a year, hence 250 waterfalls. The two most visited waterfalls are Looking Glass Falls and summer favorite Sliding Rock (pic).

Hike to the top of iconic Looking Glass Rock or to the stunning waterfalls of DuPont State Forest. See Brevard's Be Waterfall Wise page for tips, current conditions, waterfall safety cards, and waterfall safety videos. 

To find more hiking and waterfalls nearby, see our Pisgah Forest Waterfall & Hiking Map.

Head west on Highway 64 toward Cashiers for Lake Toxaway, Gorges State Park, and the Nantahala National Forest, home to Panthertown Valley and Schoolhouse Falls.

For a small mountain town, Brevard has a larger-than-average share of culture. It is home to the world-renowned Brevard Music Center and its extraordinary Summer Music Festival, the Porter Center for Performing Arts at Brevard College, and a vibrant live music community.

PARI (Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute) is an internationally known science and space learning center located near Brevard in Pisgah National Forest. Schedule a visit to tour this former NASA campus with space artifacts, minerals, meteorites, and more. For a list of stargazing events, visit PARI's website.

Go to the Explore Brevard Website to discover many more exciting things to do. 

Directions from Asheville: I-26 to exit 40/Highway 280/Airport exit toward Brevard. Downtown Brevard is 33 miles from Downtown Asheville. For a super scenic drive, take the Forest Heritage Scenic Byway from Brevard to or from the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Brevard's "Leave It Better" Program
We always encourage you to "Leave No Trace" when exploring trails and we're excited to partner with Brevard's “Leave It Better” program, taking it a step further! The "Leave It Better" program is designed to inspire explorers of our natural lands to leave it better than they found it with a six-step, easy-to-follow checklist you can put into practice each time you get outdoors. Happy trails! Read more about Brevard's "Leave It Better" program. 

See more of our Coolest NC Mountain Small Towns. Hendersonville is 20 miles east, and Cashiers is 28 miles west.