Jackson County

Jackson County is the site of the Green Energy Park, which converts methane from landfills into fuel. The project has been hailed by the Environmental Protection Agency as the Landfill Program Project of the Year.

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Jackson County, which includes the county seat town of Sylva and the high-altitude village of Cashiers, has some of western North Carolina's most spectacular scenery including a portion of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the highest point of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

The county was established in 1851 from parts of Haywood and Macon counties and named after President Andrew Jackson. The Tuckasegee River winds through the county, boasting some of the best trout fishing in the region. In fact, Jackson County is home to the only Fly Fishing Trail in the state, and a fly fishing trail map available from the Chamber of Commerce gives directions to some of the best spots to try and hook a prized trout.

Jackson County contains a portion of the Qualla Boundary, target="blank"Cherokee, NC. The region is a land trust of historic territory of the federally recognized Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. The tribe is sovereign in its territory. The reservation operates Harrah Casino which is open to the public, as are associated resort facilities there.

Jackson is also home to part of the Nantahala National Forest, the largest of the four national forests located in the state. Nantahala is a Cherokee word for "land of the noonday sun," and the Nantahala Gorge in adjoining Swain County is considered one of the top whitewater rivers in the East. National Geographic magazine called the river the number one water tourist destination in the country, and it attracts more than 250,000 paddlers a year. The 2013 World Freestyle Kayaking Championships will be held in the gorge at the Nantahala Outdoor Center.

Sylva has one of the most vibrant downtowns in all of Western North Carolina. It boasts an assortment of art galleries, furniture and clothing stores, restaurants, a coffee shop, bakery, a brewery and more. Mill Street - better known locally as Back Street, which is the other half of the one-way Main Street - is undergoing revitalization. It also provides access to the town's bustling Farmers Market, open every Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon, May through October. Sylva's tree-lined streetscape, dotted with benches, provides visitors with an afternoon of easy walking. There is even an official 1.2-mile tree walk, featuring 44 of the more than 50 species in Sylva, designated a Tree City USA. The Sylva Garden Club currently maintains the walk, which features a guidebook, map and small signs at the base of each tree indicating its common name. The walk officially begins in the shade of Bicentennial Park near the historic courthouse. Speaking of the Jackson County Courthouse, it is often called the most photographed courthouse in the state. And why not, as it sits atop a knoll accessed by 107 steps. Those steps are what gives local highway N.C. 107 its name. Adjacent to the courthouse is a brand new library, historical museum and performance space. What was the most beautiful courthouse in the state is now considered by some the most beautiful public library in the state. Friday Night Live brings music to Sylva and Dillsboro with an ever-changing list of locations and bands. The popular Art After Dark gallery stroll is held on the first Friday of each month.

The Bridge Park Pavilion is the newest gathering place for events in downtown. The Scotts Creek Bridge conveniently connects the Bridge Park and Poteet Park.

Nearby Western Carolina University's Fine Arts Center and Museum has an excellent permanent collection and visiting exhibits. WCU also is home to the Mountain Heritage Center, which features exhibits, demonstrations and educational programs on mountain society, past and present, from the migration of the Scotch Irish people to basket making traditions.

A mysterious collection of Native American petroglyphs known as Judaculla Rock is located on Caney Fork Road off N.C. 107 between Cullowhee and Glenville Lake in Jackson County. In the late 19th century, Cherokee groups were known to have ceremonial assemblies around the rock. Some say the rock is a map of a 1755 battle between the Cherokee and Indian rivals. Archeologists who have perused the stone claim it was carved sometime in the Late Archaic Period about 5,900 to 3,200 years ago when evidence first appears of Native American societies forming mound societies, or towns.

Check out this great place to start planning your trip to the Jackson County portion of the Smoky Mountains.