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Cold Mountain Review

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WHAT'S NEARBY

• Sights
• Museum of North Carolina Handicrafts

• Restaurants
• Lomo Grill

• Hotels
• The Swag Country Inn
• The Yellow House on Plott Creek Road

• Shopping
• Downtown Waynesville

Cold Mountain

Fodor's Review:

Cold Mountain, the vivid best-selling novel by Charles Frazier, has made a destination out of the real Cold Mountain. About 15 mi from Waynesville in the Shining Rock Wilderness Area of Pisgah National Forest, the 6,030-foot rise had long stood in relative anonymity. But with the success of Frazier's book, people want to see the region that Inman and Ada, the book's Civil War-era protagonists, called home.

For a view of the splendid mass -- or at least of the surrounding area -- stop at any of a number of overlooks off the Blue Ridge Parkway. Try the Cold Mountain Parking Overlook, just past mile marker 411.9; the Wagon Road Gap parking area, at mile marker 412.2; or the Waterrock Knob Interpretative Station, at mile marker 451.2. You can climb the mountain, but beware, as the hike to the summit is strenuous. No campfires are allowed in Shining Rock, so you'll need a stove if you wish to cook. Inform the ranger station (828/877-3350) if you plan to hike or camp.

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