Many make the mistake of thinking there is nothing to see and do during the winter in the Blue Ridge Mountains, but they are so wrong! There are lots of things to see and do, and many of the activities are unique to winter, and of course snow!
Winter months are a great time to visit the Blue Ridge Mountains due to the better better views, reduced costs, and there being far less people here. Winter here in the Blue Ridge is a great time for a quick weekend getaway or an even longer vacation getaway.
Winter in the Blue Ridge Mountains offers SO much to see and do, including:
See the sections below for more detail on each one these fun Winter activities!
Our Top Guides for Winter Excitement!
Icy and Frozen Waterfalls
Winter is a wonderful and often amazing time to visit Blue Ridge Mountain Waterfalls, for a couple of reasons:
Our waterfall guides below will help you find the perfect winter fall to visit. We have complete guides to more than 40 waterfalls, we have personally visited and photographed.
Winter Hiking
One of the best ways to see the beauty of the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains is to get out there in them, even in the winter! In fact, hiking during the winter provides views you don't normally get to see. Hiking in the snow is not only beautiful, but incredibly peaceful and serene as well.
We're avid hikers, and enjoy getting out on the trail as often as we can, even in the winter. We have complete guides for every single trail we've hiked, on our Hiking Trails Page and for the top winter hikes, you can visit our Top Winter Hiking Trails Guide.
We also have guides for waterfall trails, scenic views, and they are organized by difficulty (easy to hard). So pack up the hiking essentials, dress warm and in layers, and pick the perfect winter hike for you!
Skiing and Snow Tubing
Some of the best skiing in the US, and certainly in the East Coast is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. There are more than 10 different resorts, offering lots of trails, great views, snow tubing, ice skating, snow mobiles, and much more.
Skiing at Ober Gatlinburg, TN
Scenic Drives
Scenic drives, during the winter months, when foliage is long gone from the trees, can offer some of the most spectacular views available. You'll also get unique opportunities to see snow, ice formations, and hoar frost (water vapor that is quickly frozen on vegetation).
The Blue Ridge Parkway is of course the ultimate scenic drive, but many portions of it are often closed during the winter.
There are also numerous other scenic drives all through the states of Virgina, North Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee that offer beautiful views and relaxing drives. Two of our favorites are Highway 215 and Highway 276 in North Carolina.
Biltmore
Biltmore is an incredible place to visit and stay at all times during the year, but even during the winter. Seeing Biltmore's grounds and home covered in snow is a real treat, especially when decorated for Christmas during November and December.
Photo provided by The Biltmore Company
While anytime during the winter is a great time to visit Biltmore, Biltmore during Christmas is magical, especially during one of the Candlelight Christmas Evenings. Biltmore house and much of the estate is decorated for Christmas, with trees, wreaths, lights, and more.
Photo provided by The Biltmore Company
Winter Events and Festivals!
The fun doesn't stop when the holidays end! From ice carving competitions to chili cook-offs, the Blue Ridge Mountains stay packed with excitement all winter long.
Here are some exciting and fun winter events:
Events
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22nd Annual NC Gold Festival
The Lucky Strike Gold and Gem Mine 251 Lucky Strike Drive, Marion, NC, United StatesWeekend festival celebrating North Carolina’s gold heritage with live music, vendors, gold panning, exhibits, food, and family activities.
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WNC JeepFest
Maggie Valley Festival Grounds 3374 Soco Rd, Maggie Valley, NC, United StatesAll Jeep models welcome! There will be Vendors, Food Trucks, Guided Trail Rides and a Show & Shine competition. All ages welcome! Visit http://www.wncjeepfest.com/. Brought to you by WNC Jeepers.
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18th Annual Livermush Festival
Downtown Marion (45 N Main St) 45 N Main St, Marion, NC, United StatesDowntown Marion festival with free kids’ activities, live music, craft vendors, hog callin’/pig squealin’ contests, and food trucks serving livermush dishes and more.
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Ridge to Rails 50k, Half, & 10k
Camp Grier 985 Camp Grier Rd, Old Fort, NC, United States -
The New Variants with Doss Church & The Unholy Noise
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. 100 Sierra Nevada Way, Mills River, United StatesNew Variants is an Asheville-based band known for blending classic rock, alternative rock, and modern favorites into an energetic live performance. Doss Church & the Unholy Noise is an Asheville-based […]
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Amplify Appalachia Ft. Anders Osborne & Duck
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. 100 Sierra Nevada Way, Mills River, United StatesJoin us for Amplify Appalachia 2026 ft. live performances from Anders Osborne & Duck!In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Footprint Project, Land of Sky Regional Council of Governments and […]
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Dr. Bacon
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. 100 Sierra Nevada Way, Mills River, United StatesDR. BACON is a 4 Piece touring Appalachian Rock, Funk, Grass and Soul band. Blending diverse instrumentation, inspirations, and influence allows the band to perform a synthesis of styles creating […]
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Wax Monkey
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. 100 Sierra Nevada Way, Mills River, United StatesWax Monkey is a 5-piece jam band composed of childhood friends hailing from Birmingham, Alabama. The members first started jamming together in high school before officially forming the band in […]
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MV Swap Meet / Rodz
Maggie Valley Festival Grounds 3374 Soco Rd, Maggie Valley, NC, United States -
Rhythm & Brews
Downtown Hendersonville HendersonvilleRhythm & Brews is a popular free outdoor concert series held on the third Thursday of each month from June through October in downtown Hendersonville. Main Street is closed to […]
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The Hip Abduction
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. 100 Sierra Nevada Way, Mills River, United StatesEvoking the ocean and guided by the spirit of travel, The Hip Abduction pilot a sonic expedition past genre barriers. The band is the moniker for singer/songwriter David New who […]
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2026 Maggie Valley Swap Meet/Camaro & Firebird Show/SE Gas and Petroleum Expo/Rodz and Customs
Maggie Valley Festival Grounds 3374 Soco Rd, Maggie Valley, NC, United States$5 Admission Daily for ages 13 & up; Open Thursday & Friday from 8am – 6pm, Saturday, 8am – 4pm. Call 423-608-4519 for more information or email [email protected] or visit […]
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