Things to do: Lake James, Marion & Old Fort, NC

Dated: June 4 2024

Views: 1669

Life in Lake James, Marion & Old Fort, NC

East of Asheville, NC and west of Hickory, NC, you’ll find the quaint small towns of Marion, NC, and Old Fort, NC. Old Fort, known as the Gateway to the Blue Ridge Mountains, and Marion, with its welcoming Main Street are both small-town areas with big-time character located in McDowell, County, NC.

Local Amenities:

McDowell County has an up-and-coming brewery/wine scene! There are multiple breweries (Fonts Flora, Hillman, MicaTown) and wineries, even a Mead producer! Downtown Marion has locally-owned restaurants and shops.

Communities:

Glenwood, Marion, Nebo, Woodlawn, North Cove, Pleasant Garden, Old Fort

Things to do in Lake James, Marion & Old Fort:

  • Lake James! Boating, kayaking, state park beach with camping, picnicking, hiking.
  • Linville Gorge: The Grand Canyon of the Southeast!
  • Miles of waterfalls, backpacking, rock climbing, etc.
  • Mountain Glory Festival, the first weekend of every October
  • Bigfoot festival every August
  • Fonta Flora trail and greenway in Old Fort/Pisgah National Forest!
  • Andrew's Geyser in Old Fort: an eye-catching, natural geyser
  • Lake James, Marion & Old Fort 

Zip Codes: Marion (28752) Old Fort (28762) Nebo (28761)

Links of Interest:

Town of Old Fort Website: https://townofoldfort.org

Chimney Rock Park: https://www.marionnc.org 

Blog author image

Heather Radford

A native of Western North Carolina, Heather was born and raised in the Asheville area. Over the years she has worked in various roles within the home industry including working with several local home....

Latest Blog Posts

Discover West Asheville, North Carolina

West Asheville has been a hot location in Asheville for nearly a decade. Many residents love the proximity of their homes to local restaurants, breweries, parks, and more. Find out more about the

Read More

Lake Lure & Chimney Rock, NC: A Hidden Gem in the Mountains of WNC

Life in Lake Lure, Chimney Rock & Surrounding AreasNestled in the mountains of Western North Carolina approximately half way between Asheville and Rutherfordton on 74, you’ll come across

Read More

Things to do: Lake James, Marion & Old Fort, NC

Life in Lake James, Marion & Old Fort, NCEast of Asheville, NC and west of Hickory, NC, you’ll find the quaint small towns of Marion, NC, and Old Fort, NC. Old Fort, known as the Gateway

Read More

Brevard, NC - Land of the Waterfalls, A Visitor's Guide

Brevard | Dupont Forest | Transylvania CountyIn the land of waterfalls, you’ll find an outdoor lover's dream around every corner as you explore Brevard and Transylvania County, North Carolina.

Read More