Nestled in the southwestern corner of North Carolina is a little town called Marble. Named after the numerous marble deposits in the area, Marble is home to the best that Southern Appalachia has to offer in hiking trails and wildlife as well as the famous blue-hazed mountains and emerald-green valleys.
Marble is located at the edge of the Nantahala National Forest—a half million acres of wildlife and outdoor activities. The forest is aptly named Land of the Noonday Sun in the local Cherokee Indian language, and the thick groves of hemlocks, hardwoods and rhododendron make it difficult to navigate without well marked trails. Fortunately some of the best hiking in Appalachia passes is near Marble.
Day hikes in the Marble area are numerous and varied. The Big Snowbird Backcountry region is to the north of Marble and features ten separate trails suitable for day hikes. The Topton Recreation Area also has several scenic trails leading though mountainous terrain and picturesque valleys.
While the famous Appalachian Trail and Bartram Trail is near Marble, there are other equally as challenging an beautiful trails nearby. The Tusquitee Ranger District’s Chunky Gal Trail offers 20 miles of backpacking trails. Billy Top Trail leads into several other trails to form a desirable backpacking route at higher altitudes.
If you want to try something different in hiking around Marble, you may want to go geocaching. Geocaching is sort of a treasure hunt with a handheld GPS unit. Other geocaches leave boxes of “treasures” ranging from trinkets to memorabilia in boxes along trails and leave clues at Geochach.com. When you find the treasure, you sign your name to the list and leave something if you like. Marble has a number of geocache trails ranging from a mild family oriented hike to a more strenuous trek through the backcountry.
Despite its small size, Marble has a lot to offer the outdoor’s person. Whether you are a backpacker looking for a challenge or a family out for a day hike, you’ll most likely find it in Marble.
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