Gem mining has been a favorite activity for visitors to the Franklin area for years and is called the "Gem Capital of the World” . Cherokee Ruby and Sapphire Mine, Cowee Mountain Ruby Mine, Gold City Gem Mine, and Jackson Hole Gem Mine are just a few of the mines in Franklin.
The Franklin Gem and Mineral Museum has thousands of specimens on display including a local ruby weighing 2 ¼ pounds! The Macon County Historical Museum on Main is housed in the J.R. Pendergrass building which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The centerpiece of the Society’s collection is the building itself, complemented by original fixtures from the old store and a fascinating variety of artifacts and photographs illustrating Macon County’s past. Scottish Tartans Museum is the only one of its kind in the United States. A direct extension of the Scottish Tartans Society in Scotland, the museum not only displays Scottish Tartans, but covers various aspects of the Scottish experience—culture, history, dress, migration and military.
The Bartram Trail also passes through Franklin, going East-West, and offers many highlights. There is a wide variety of trails offering hikes of different lengths in the Cowee, Fishhawk, and Nantahala Mountains. And whether on your motorcycle or bicycle the Franklin area is a true cycling paradise.
The Nantahala National Forest has over 152,000 acres which lie within Macon County and offers a wide variety of recreation activities from mountain climbing and hiking to white water rafting. There is abundant wildlife, unique plant communities and wildflowers including endangered species of plants, waterfalls and breathtaking mountain vistas. There are sixteen waterfalls in the Franklin area including Juneywhank Falls and Looking Glass Falls.
The performing arts are alive at the 1,500 seat state-of-the-art Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts which presents the finest in performing arts to the surrounding towns.
Choose from a variety of wonderful accommodations, including bed and breakfast inns, cabins and cottages, inns, resort, retreat center and campgrounds.
The Nantahala is the largest of North Carolina's four National Forests. Over 152,000 acres of the forest lie within Macon County.
The Little Tennessee River Greenway is one of more than a thousand such trails snaking their way across America turning old canals, abandoned railbeds and forgotten riverbanks into green recreational corridors.
Mining for ruby and sapphire began in Macon County in 1870. Called corundum, the minerals were mined commercially for abrasives and gave work to many men. Corundum and other minerals, mica and kaolin, were hauled to the railroad by horse and wagon and shipped out of Macon County in large quantities.
Located 11 miles eastfrom Franklin, this is one of the most scenic drives in Western North Carolina.