Other Outdoor Activities


Not up for hiking, biking, or fishing? No worries! There's so much more to do here in Brevard and Pisgah National Forest while staying at our luxury cabin rentals. From rock-climbing to llamas, birds and bees, and skiing to horseback riding, there is surely an outdoor activity to please everyone.

A man wearing a helmet is climbing a rock wall

Rock Climbing, Rappelling, and Canyoneering

Thrill seeking guests can experience the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains by Rock Climbing, Canyoneering, or Rappelling down the side of a mountain.


Pisgah Climbing School offers beginning, advanced and even Ice Climbing trips along the Blue Ridge Parkway. 


Pura Vida Outfitters offers a Canyoneering tour offers guests a behind the scenes look at the forest and natural surroundings that provided the setting for the Hunger Games. Canyoneering is an adventure sport that combines multiple outdoor adventures such as hiking, boulder-hopping, and waterfall rappelling to traverse down a canyon, typically formed by a river. Until recently canyoneering in the United States has been accessible mostly in the Southwest, but exploration of the rivers and waterfalls throughout Western North Carolina has turned up exquisite canyons and pristine waterfalls perfectly suited to this emerging sport. Now guests have the opportunity to get off the beaten path, go where the average tourist will never get to go, and experience firsthand the waterfalls and river canyons that make this area so spectacular. 

A group of people are riding horses down a river.

Horseback Riding

Whitewater Equestrian Center

Riders will experience reaching the peaks of 3 mountains, which offers stunning 360-degree views on clear days, and the majestic Whitewater Falls, a stunning waterfall with an elevation of 414 ft and the highest waterfall east of the Rocky Mountains! Located in Cashiers, 6.8 miles past Gorges State Park's main entrance off of 281. If you need gas, convenience items or a quick bite to eat on our way there stop at Sapphire Country Store & Gas Station on the corner of 64 and 281..


Pisgah Forest Stables

Make memories on horseback through the Pisgah National Forest. Offering 1, 2 & 2.5 hour rides. Open seasonally.


A small bird perched on a wire in a tree.

Birding


Transylvania County is home to over 270 different species of birds and ranks 19th in NC in bird species recorded, with over 60 species making their home here all year round. Why so many birds? The terrain and layout of the Appalachian Mountains of Western North Carolina create varied micro-climates allow for diverse populations.


The eastern end of the Gorges State Park, accessed from Frozen Creek Rd (1/2 mile from Meraki Escape), provides nice birding opportunities along the Auger Hole Trail and the Canebrake Trail. Here, the lush forests of the gorges provide abundant habitat for the largest North Carolina mountain population of Swainson’s Warbler.


Here at Meraki Escape we feel very blessed to have residence Whipperwhirl. Named for its vigorous deliberate call (first and third syllables accented), which it may repeat 400 times without stopping every morning and night, guests can’t escape the songs! Due to their decline in species and their songs being heard less and less, it’s an honor to have one here on our property.


The Transylvania County Birding Club offers guided walks for birders of all levels. For self guided birding the EBird site lists the top hotspots.

Two people are standing on top of a snow covered slope holding hands.

Skiing and Snow Tubing


Sapphire Valley Ski Resort

Unlike most ski areas where they’re jam packed with people, lift lines here are short so you spend less time in line and more time having fun. The Sapphire Valley Ski Resort offers the area’s finest skiing facility, boasting a state-of-the-art quad lift, a learning center slope and a multiple lane, 500-foot snow tubing run.


Moonshine Mountain Snow Tubing

Over 500 feet of snowy tubing fun! A fun day full of winter adventure. Visitors can zoom down the slopes solo or as a group train. The tubes are provided by the park and sanitized between riders.


Outhouse Races

Outhouse Race…..Crazy? Maybe. Dangerous? Perhaps. Fun? Without a doubt! You won’t find Outhouse Races on Snow anywhere else in North Carolina! It’s a yearly event held every February and Meraki Escape is the place to stay if you want to compete for the throne. 

A wooden swing is hanging from a tree in a park.

Southern Highlands Reserve


Native Plant Arboretum and Research Center. Visitor Days at the Southern Highland Reserve are held the first Tuesday of the month April through October. Private Tours provide the opportunity for a deeply personal look at the true beauty and wonder of the Reserve. Located in Lake Toxaway.


North Carolina Arboretum


Gardens, Trails, Exhibits, Events & Programs. Nestled in the Southern Appalachian Mountains just south of Asheville, The North Carolina Arboretum offers acres of cultivated gardens and groomed trails featuring some of the most beautiful, botanically-diverse plants in the region. Their light show in the winter time is fantastic. It's about an hour drive from Meraki Escape so if you'd like to go plan it as a full day trip.