Graham County and Historic Tapoco Lodge offer a rustic respite for car enthusiasts and nature lovers.
By Cathy Martin
In early August, the kudzu creeps right up to the edge of Ronnie Milsap Highway, spilling over the guardrails and hugging the curves of this sparsely traveled road in Nantahala National Forest.
It’s peak summer, but there are no throngs of tourists in this remote corner of the state. If you’re looking to get away from it all, this might be the place.
Photographs courtesy Tapoco Lodge
On my left, the Cheoah River rushes — the highway and river lead to Tapoco Lodge, my home for the next two nights. The rustic lodge was built in 1930 by the Tallasee Power Company as a retreat for executives overseeing nearby hydroelectric-power projects. (Fun fact: The lodge is two minutes from Cheoah Dam, where a thrilling scene from the 1993 Harrison Ford movie The Fugitive was filmed). Tapoco evolved as a tourist destination, adding cabins, a tennis court and a “tin can” theater that was used as a dance hall and community center that hosted going-away parties for local soldiers during WWII.
Stepping into the lobby feels like stepping back in time: country music plays, old framed photographs line the walls, and snacks, souvenirs, T-shirts and trinkets are for sale, giving the impression of an old-time country store.
There’s a cozy bar, the Laurel Lounge, off to one side and a dining room on the other. Outside at Tapoco Tavern, red-striped umbrellas stretch across a wide patio perched on the riverbank, where guests sip pints of beer and nosh on burgers, nachos and pizzas.
Tapoco, on the National Register of Historic Places, sits on 120 acres, with 11 lodge rooms, 18 cabin rooms, tennis and pickleball courts, and walking trails. The lodge isn’t fancy, but it’s quaint, immaculately maintained and staffed with friendly locals eager to share recommendations for things to do in the area.
I stayed in the third-floor Rhododendron suite (walk-up only — there are no elevators in this historic property), with wood-plank floors, a large sitting area and separate bedroom, and a spacious bathroom with retro honeycomb tile. Behind the lodge, cabins are spread out in a camp-like setting with split-rail fencing, moss-covered stone walls, a gentle stream and a tidy firepit area.
In the morning, there’s a self-service coffee station (regular or bourbon-pecan). Breakfast in the Cheoah Dining Room is a hearty affair: omelettes, glazed pecan French toast, pancakes and biscuits. Take your breakfast outside and listen to the sounds of the river as you plot the day’s activities. SP
Things to do
Fontana Lake
Fontana Lake photograph by Cathy Martin. Bear Creek photograph courtesy Tapoco Lodge.
Rev your engine
The area is perhaps best known for the Tail of the Dragon, a harrowing 11-mile stretch of U.S. Route 129 with 318 curves — the starting point in Deals Gap is a short drive from Tapoco. On my second day at the lodge, I left for a morning hike and returned to find 17 Porsches in the parking lot, their drivers refueling at Tapoco Tavern. But it’s not just luxury cars — meetups for Miatas, Mustangs, Fiats — even Priuses — converge here to take a shot at “taming” the Dragon.
Take a hike
On the 2-mile Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest Loop Trail, explore one of the largest stands of old-growth trees in the eastern United States — some more than 300 years old — and tulip poplars more than 100 feet tall. Yellow Creek Falls is a .7-mile out-and-back trail that leads to a 70-foot waterfall. The 2.2-mile Huckleberry Knob Trail leads to a grassy summit with views of the Blue Ridge. The lodge’s on-site Bear Creek Falls Trail is ideal for a short stroll along the river; be cautious beyond the immediate area, as the path quickly turns rugged with roots and slick spots.
Float on
Lake Santeetlah might be the most pristine body of water in North Carolina. Boats and kayaks can be rented at Santeetlah Marina. At the larger Fontana Lake, rent fishing boats, canoes, kayaks or pontoon boats for exploring the lake’s 240 miles of shoreline.
Ride the river
Nantahala Outdoor Center is less than an hour from the lodge, with whitewater rafting, inflatable kayaks, mountain biking and zipline.
