Winter Excitement in the Blue Ridge Mountains

Written by Larry Deane, local expert for 20+ years

Many make the mistake of thinking there is nothing to see and do during the winter in the Blue Ridge Mountains, but they are so wrong!   There are lots of things to see and do, and many of the activities are unique to winter, and of course snow!

Winter months are a great time to visit the Blue Ridge Mountains due to the better better views, reduced costs, and there being far less people here.  Winter here in the Blue Ridge is a great time for a quick weekend getaway or an even longer vacation getaway.

Winter in the Blue Ridge Mountains offers SO much to see and do, including:

See the sections below for more detail on each one these fun Winter activities!

Our Top Guides for Winter Excitement!

Winter Blue Ridge Mountains

Christmas in the Blue Ridge Mountains

Christmas at Biltmore

Photo provided by The Biltmore Company

Icy and Frozen Waterfalls

Winter is a wonderful and often amazing time to visit Blue Ridge Mountain Waterfalls, for a couple of reasons:

  • Foliage is gone, so you have better views and easier access to waterfalls
  • Less crowds
  • During colder spells, waterfalls often partially or fully freeze over
Frozen Courthouse Falls

Our waterfall guides below will help you find the perfect winter fall to visit.  We have complete guides to more than 40 waterfalls, we have personally visited and photographed.

Winter Hiking

One of the best ways to see the beauty of the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains is to get out there in them, even in the winter!  In fact, hiking during the winter provides views you don't normally get to see.  Hiking in the snow is not only beautiful, but incredibly peaceful and serene as well.   

We're avid hikers, and enjoy getting out on the trail as often as we can, even in the winter.  We have complete guides for every single trail we've hiked, on our Hiking Trails Page and for the top winter hikes, you can visit our Top Winter Hiking Trails Guide.

We also have guides for waterfall trails, scenic views, and they are organized by difficulty (easy to hard).  So pack up the hiking essentials, dress warm and in layers, and pick the perfect winter hike for you!

Skiing and Snow Tubing

Some of the best skiing in the US, and certainly in the East Coast is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.  There are more than 10 different resorts, offering lots of trails, great views, snow tubing, ice skating, snow mobiles, and much more.

Skiing at Ober Gatlinburg, TN

Skiing at Ober Gatlinburg, TN

Scenic Drives

Scenic drives, during the winter months, when foliage is long gone from the trees, can offer some of the most spectacular views available.   You'll also get unique opportunities to see snow, ice formations, and hoar frost (water vapor that is quickly frozen on vegetation).

The Blue Ridge Parkway is of course the ultimate scenic drive, but many portions of it are often closed during the winter.

There are also numerous other scenic drives all through the states of Virgina, North Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee that offer beautiful views and relaxing drives.  Two of our favorites are Highway 215 and Highway 276 in North Carolina.

Biltmore

Biltmore is an incredible place to visit and stay at all times during the year, but even during the winter.  Seeing Biltmore's grounds and home covered in snow is a real treat, especially when decorated for Christmas during November and December.

Winter at Biltmore

Photo provided by The Biltmore Company

While anytime during the winter is a great time to visit Biltmore, Biltmore during Christmas is magical, especially during one of the Candlelight Christmas Evenings.  Biltmore house and much of the estate is decorated for Christmas, with trees, wreaths, lights, and more.

Christmas at Biltmore

Photo provided by The Biltmore Company

Winter Events and Festivals!

The fun doesn't stop when the holidays end! From ice carving competitions to chili cook-offs, the Blue Ridge Mountains stay packed with excitement all winter long.

Here are some exciting and fun winter events:

  • Vairs in the Valley

    Maggie Valley Festival Grounds 3374 Soco Rd, Maggie Valley, NC, United States

    Show & Shine! Friday & Saturday with Parts Vendors, Food Trucks, and Live Band playing 50s and 60s music! Door prizes! For more information contact NC Mountain Corvairs @ 828-775-0487, […]

  • Annual Southeastern Mini Truckin’ Nationals

    Maggie Valley Festival Grounds 3374 Soco Rd, Maggie Valley, NC, United States

    Open car & truck show! Friday & Saturday 9am-5pm, Sunday 9am-3pm. Parts vendors, Food vendors, and DJ! Contact Jason @ Bell’s Rod Shop @ 865-742-7403, email [email protected] or visit http://www.minitruckinnats.com

  • Oktoberfest at Sugar Mountain

    Sugar Mountain Resort Sugar Mountain

    A Bavarian-style family-friendly Oktoberfest celebration with music, food, kid’s activities, and Bavarian costumes at Sugar Mountain Resort.

  • Rhythm & Brews

    Downtown Hendersonville Hendersonville

    Rhythm & Brews is a popular free outdoor concert series held on the third Thursday of each month from June through October in downtown Hendersonville. Main Street is closed to […]

  • GO Outside Fest

    Elmwood Park & Explore Park Roanoke, VA

    The Anthem GO Outside Festival (GO Fest) in Roanoke, VA, is a premier three-day October event (Oct 17-19, 2025) in Elmwood Park and Explore Park celebrating outdoor recreation. It features […]

  • Woolly Worm Festival

    Historic Banner Elk School Banner Elk

    Annual fall festival with woolly worm races, craft and food vendors, live entertainment, and children’s activities; nearly 50 years of tradition in Banner Elk.

  • Apple Harvest Festival

    Downtown Waynesville 15 N Main St, Waynesville, NC, United States

    Named one of the “10 Best Fall Harvest Festivals in the Nation”, this annual street festival in charming downtown Waynesville is a delicious way to enjoy the tastes of the fall […]

  • Blue Ridge Folklife Festival

    Ferum College Ferrum, VA

    Covering much of the Ferrum College campus and the Blue Ridge Institute & Museum’s living history farm museum, the Blue Ridge Folklife Festival has something for everyone. It’s a family […]

  • Home for the Holidays

    Various Locations (Henderson County) Hendersonville

    Home for the Holidays is a seasonal celebration that transforms Henderson County into a festive winter destination from mid-November through New Year’s Day. The event features holiday decorations, special shopping […]

  • A Small Town Christmas

    Various locations Banner Elk

    Holiday weekend of traditional Christmas fun including tree lighting, cookie decorating, parade, train rides, and other festive activities throughout town.

About the author

Larry Deane is the co-owner of Blue Ridge Mountain Life and a Western North Carolina local. For more than 20 years, he and his wife Jenn have explored the Blue Ridge Mountains, sharing firsthand travel guides, photography, and videos from the places they know and love.

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