Location

Fire Mountain is located on the western edge of the Highlands Plateau. It is 9 miles from Main Street in Highlands. We are located within one day’s drive of one-half the country’s population.

United States Map

United States Map

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Surrounding 8 States

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Surrounding 4 States

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The Highlands Plateau

Distance

Approximate driving times to Fire Mountain

Assuming that traffic is moving normally, the following estimates of driving times will assist your travel planning if you are driving to Fire Mountain.

Asheville, NC 1 hour  30 minutes
Greenville, SC 1 hour  45 minutes
Atlanta, GA 2 hours
Chattanooga 2 hours
Knoxville, TN 2 hours 30 minutes
Charlotte, NC 3 hours 30 minutes
Columbia, SC 3 hours 30 minutes
Birmingham, AL 4 hours
Winston Salem, NC 4 hours
Nashville, TN 4 hours 30 minutes
Charleston, SC 5 hours
Raleigh, NC 6 hours
Cincinnati, OH 6 hours
Jacksonville, FL 7 hours 30 minutes
Orlando, FL 8 hours
New Orleans, LA 8 hours
Tampa, FL 9 hours
Washington, DC 10 hours
Miami, FL 13 hours
New York, NY 13 hours

Highlands, North Carolina

Sitting atop the world’s oldest mountains at the highest elevation of any village, town or city in the southern part of the United States is a magical, enchanting and heavenly little mountain village which can only be reached by driving through scenic and winding roads to the top of the Highlands Plateau in the Blue Ridge mountains of Western North Carolina.

Highlands sits in the Land of the Red Thunders, in the middle of the original Cherokee Indian Nation. It is completely surrounded by the Nantahala National Forest, a temperate rain forest that generates more precipitation outside the Pacific Rim than anywhere else in North America. That abundance nourishes the lush forests that keep us cooler, and our air and water cleaner than any other southern town in the United States.

Founded in 1875, Highlands quickly became an escape from the summer heat for southern aristocratic families. The Highlands are truly cooled by Mother Nature, making the summertime days and nights so unbelievably heavenly.

The Southern Highlands are the headwaters for four of the major rivers that flow down into the southeastern part of the United States that people come from all over the world to fish and whitewater raft. As a result of the abundance of water, Highlands resides in the midst of the “Land of Waterfalls”. The Highlands Plateau is botanically and geologically one of the most unique locations in the entire world. Highlands is a place where you truly gain respect for nature in all its splendid wonder.

Since the late 1800’s Highlands has been a popular resort for people from around the world to enjoy the cool climate, lush mountains and laid-back atmosphere, and to rest and reclaim themselves from the fast pace of urban life. The year-round village population of Highlands is around 3,000 persons but that number swells to more than 20,000 folks as the southern aristocracy, corporate executives, professionals, artists, craftsmen, sports enthusiasts, adventurers, naturalists, authors and other assorted incredibly nice and very interesting people from all over the world come to their second homes in the Highlands for the High Season months of the year.

The village becomes alive with over 30 renowned and critically acclaimed restaurants and over 150 unique upscale shops, galleries, and auction houses – with not a neon sign, franchise or blinking light in sight. Add three theatre companies, one in its 60th season, with chamber music concerts, cabarets and jazz quartets and you have a most glorious, sophisticated and absolutely beautiful little village high-up in the Southern Highlands of the Blue Ridge mountains. The pace is slow, the people friendly, warm and welcoming and the way of life very quiet, peaceful, and serene, all topped by the year round beauty of mountain nature in all its glory.

Now you are beginning to understand why Highlands has earned a worldwide reputation for fine fare, for luxurious and first rate lodging, for vivid views, and for cool and wonderful weather. It’s no wonder Highlands is called the most beautiful and quintessential mountain village in America.

Highlands, North Carolina is absolutely wonderful all year round. Come be a part of the Southern Highlands and fall in love with what many say is the best kept secret in America.