Camp site at KOA 
Camp site at KOA
Adventures in
Murphy, North Carolina
What is great about Murphy, NC is that it sits on the border of Tennessee and Georgia and affords a limitless supply of outdoor activities .
We really enjoyed our stay at the KOA Murphy / Peace River Valley Campground. It is a small quaint campground along the Valley River. The location just off Highway 74 is easy access to hiking, biking, rafting, riding, kayaking, and canoeing. We loved our shaded and secluded spot where we could unwind by our campfire while listening to the creek at our back door.
If you like hiking and waterfall chasing, you are situated between the Great Smokey Mountains National Park and the Cherokee National Forest with a limitless supply of both.
If you like whitewater paddling, then you are in luck with options to suit every skill level. Options Include:
- Hiawassee River in Reliance, Tennessee for a relaxing float trip with Class I and lower ripples for fun-fun-fun.
- Nantahala River in Bryson City with Class I, II and III for all skill levels. We’ve been enjoying this river for more than 22 years. We’ve seen guided rafts (if you are a first timer). We have personally rented rafts, duckies or funyacks from the NOC (Nantahala Outdoor Center). A few years ago we purchased hard shell whitewater boats and played that way. Most recently we adapted to a Aire Lynx 2-man inflatable kayak (easiest way to transport in our RV).
- Ocoee River for those more adventurous souls. With Class II – IV rapids, this is a river above our skill comfort level so we’ve always opted for guided tours.
- Upper section. If you are lucky enough to be around when this portion of the river is open, then you are in for a treat! A mix of Class III and Class IV white water, this section is highlighted by the thrilling White Water Course used in the 1996 Olympic canoeing and kayaking events. We did this a few years ago and our guide, Kat with Rolling Thunder, guided our boat through the chaos without one dump!
- Middle section is packed with almost continuous white water and has lots of great rapids to surf and play.
If watching wildlife is your thing, the Elk at the Oconoleftee Visitor Center at the entrance to the GSMNP (Cherokee, NC) is an excellent area to witness their splendor. The GSMNP is also full of bears, deer, and a host of other forest creatures.
NOTE: Always be respectful and give them their space. This is important to keep them alive as well as for your own well being.
Driving and Motorcycling for views. There is the Cherohala Skyway, the Tail of the Dragon, and many – many others for your cruising pleasure. We’ve done the Tail of the Dragon in the past but opted for the tamer Cherohala Skyway this year.
Mountain Biking. We love the Jackrabbit Mountain Trails in Hayesville, NC on the border of Hiawassee, GA. These well-designed, purpose-built trail system laid out in a “Stacked Loop” configuration are mostly fast and flowing, with lots of rolling dips and berms, and only a few technical areas. They take you along the shores and hills beside Lake Chatuge for your viewing pleasure during a rest break. These trails are so well designed even Florida flatlanders in their “golden years” can enjoy them. The newer Fire Mountain Trails in Cherokee, next to the Indian Village, were a bit much to climb for our fitness level. Tanasi and Chilhowee in the Ocoee River Zone are also nearby. We’ve done these in the past and found that the trails we chose to do were not flowy enough for our liking.
Photography. Besides the great outdoors with all of it vistas there are several opportunities to photograph historic buildings at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center, Mingus Mill and wildlife when you can find it.
Sometimes, we venture away from the physical activities and get into the true tourist mode. This trip we enjoyed:
An Alpaca Tour This has become a popular attraction these last several years. Who doesn’t love a cute, fuzzy Alpaca? We’ve done a few tours but by far the best we’ve ever experienced is through Shaka Alpaca Farm in Murphy. They protect the well being of their chickens, goats and Alpaca all while providing you with education and a hands on experience where you can feed and walk an alpaca the 0.5 mile trek around the perimeter of the farm.
The Oconaluftee Indian Village tour. For $16 per person you are transported back in time as your tour guide explains the old ways and a craftsman demonstrates. We also able listened to two different lectures. We enjoyed our second visit to the village in 20 years.
Historic Murphy.
We enjoyed the brews and food at River Valley Brewing. Both of our visits, the staff was super friendly and professional, the food was tasty and the beers were to our liking. All of our other dining experiences were either on the road or at home. We do try and limit our dining out to stay on a budget.
Shopping. I took the time to peruse the quaint boutiques and shops in the town. I found several unique gifts for friends and family. Although it won’t be a full day of shopping, there are several very nice unique shops with lots of local items.
We give this adventure a……
Dream Big, Travel Far, Live Well…
What’s Next?
Will dig into a few of our favorite things we did in this area along with photos to illustrate.
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Nspired Adventures 