- Surrender
- Trails
- Hiking Safety
- Highlands Botanical Gardens
- Whiteside Mountain
- Bartram Trail
- Lake Sequoyah
- Sunset Rock
- All Trails
- Waterfalls
- Bridal Veil Falls
- Bust Your Butt Falls
- Cullasaja Falls
- Dry Falls
- Glen Falls
- Silver Run Falls
- Sliding Rock
- Mountain Adventures and Recreation
- Golf & Foot Golf
- Zip Lining
- Back Country Excursions
- Tennis and Pickleball
- Fitness
- Winter Recreation
- Others
- Mountain Fly Fishing
- Chattooga River
- Cullasaja River
- Davidson River
- Nantahala River
- Reg's - Wild Trout
- Tuckaseegee River
- Whitewater River
- Explore Nature
- Bear Country
- Bird Watching
- Plants on the Plateau
- Exploring For Flowers
- Surrender Business Listings
- Immerse
- Enrichment
- Literary and Historical Enrichment
- Nature and Environmental Enrichment
- Arts and Craft Enrichment
- Unique Shops
- Annual Events and Festivals
- Autumn Events
- Spring Events
- Summer Events
- Winter Events
- Events Calendar
- Yearly Events
- Food & Wine Festival
- All Events
- Cultural Arts
- Performing Arts
- Music
- Theater
- Visual Arts
- Immerse Business Listings
- Indulge
- Spas - Wellness & Beauty
- Hotels & Accommodations
- Cottages & Cabins
- Vacation Rentals
- Camping/RV
- Weddings
- Venues
- Vendors
- Indulge Business Listings
Explore Nature
Highlands is Home to Rare and Endemic Plants and Animals
Some say ours are the oldest mountains in the world. Their geology tells us that they were formed a billion years ago and over time changes in the landscape have created ideal habitat for a plethora of plants and animals like no other place in North America. They are home to 400 rare and more than 250 endemic plants, meaning they occur nowhere else on the planet.
Our streams and rivers contain the largest variety of fish, fresh-water mussels and crayfish in the temperate world and new species continue to be discovered. Indeed, our forests are the most ecologically rich in the world but it's not just the plants and wildlife who thrive here.
While not endemic, a stroll through the Plateau’s woods and meadows will reward the alert guest with glimpses of racoons, otters, snakes and terrapins, bears, and occasional bobcats. Foxes still abound, although the arrival of coyotes over the last few years may have diminished their range. Armadillos are rumored to have recently arrived on the Plateau, and you’ll still hear of occasional sightings of mountain lions, although they are supposed to have vanished from the forests around here nearly 100 years ago.