In today's busy world, there are fewer and fewer places to get relief from the hustle and bustle, and find a quiet haven for living. The majestic mountainous region of Western North Carolina is one of those places, where towering forests and babbling brooks provide a breathtaking and peaceful setting. The Highlands-Cashiers, Lake Glenville and Sapphire Valley regions offer visitors and residents access to stunning views and a rural quality of life that is becoming more and more difficult to find.

Surrounded by the Smoky Mountains and the Appalachians, nature takes front and center for visitors and residents to this lovely area. The Appalachian National Scenic Trail is a 2,159 mile foot-trail across the crests and valleys of the Appalachian Mountain Range. It was originally designed, constructed, and marked in the 1920s and 1930s by volunteer hiking clubs joined together by the Appalachian Trail Conference (ATC). In 1968 the National Trails System Act made the Appalachian Trail a linear national park and authorized funds to surround the entire route with protected land. The oldest section of the trail and the highest point of the entire route is through Western North Carolina's Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Western North Carolina real estate includes access to another impressive natural playground, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Established in 1934. The park covers over 520,000 acres of land with heights ranging from 840 feet to 6,643 feet at Clingman's Dome. The North Carolina side offers many great hiking and horseback riding trails at Deep Creek, Round Bottom, Smokemont and at the end of The Road To Nowhere.

The famous Blue Ridge Parkway is a 469 mile long scenic roadway connecting the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee. Rapidly changing weather can be expected here, as elevations range from 650 feet to over 6000 feet. Travelers can expect it to take about 2-3 days to go from beginning to end, making frequent stops to enjoy the views. Bikers and hikers, photographers, wildlife lovers, and sight-seers alike all enjoy the exploration opportunities while traveling on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Take time to explore the Western North Carolina region and discover why more and more buyers are considering this a region to call home. Contact the experts at Buyers RE for more information on the unique attraction and appeal of the Highlands-Cashiers region of WNC.

2008, Pamela J. Sissons. This article is provided courtesy of Buyers Real Estate - http://www.buyersre.com