Area & Location

Welcome to Transylvania County - the rare place that seamlessly blends the great outdoors with high culture.

Transylvania County is home to two state parks, one national forest, and two performing arts centers, as well as a numerous artisans, and galleries. Peruse our streets and hiking trails - discover why Rand McNally, The Wall Street Journal, and National Geographic Traveler rank it as one of America’s top 10 places to live, work, and play. Surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains, Transylvania County is the outdoor enthusiast’s paradise. DuPont State Forest, Pisgah National Forest, and Gorges State Park comprise over 45% of the county, making the outdoors easily accessible to anyone who visits or lives here. There are more than 500 trails to hike, mountain bike, or explore on horseback. There are also streams to fish, rivers to canoe or kayak, and waterfalls to discover (over 250 in the county!!).

Music is as much a part of the local tradition as the mountains themselves – Celtic folk songs made their way up into these hills hundreds of years ago and have evolved as they were passed down from generation to generation into distinctive soulful style that seems to fit this place. Brevard has a burgeoning music scene that benefits from the first-rate entertainment at the Brevard Music Center and the Porter Center for the Performing Arts. Each venue attracts an eclectic mix of world class performers, ranging from classical and opera to African choral and jazz.

Brevard is somewhat of an anomaly. It is at once a small town tucked in the mountains and a cosmopolitan area, rich in culture from fine dining to world class entertainment. This area presents a refreshing mixture of the outdoors and high culture: it is at once an outdoorsy, mountain region surrounded by state and national parks, and home to an international music camp and environmentally and socially conscious citizens. Brevard with its diverse mix of residents attracts both young and old to a vibrant, active lifestyle.