McDowell district, North Carolina, United States

Places to visit near Spruce Pine

Spruce Pine is a town in McDowell district, North Carolina, United States, home to about 2,134 people. Within 50 km by road there are 177 places to visit — 89 hill stations & viewpoints, 57 waterfalls, 10 wildlife, forests & gardens and 4 lakes, dams & reservoirs. The must-see places are Woody's Knob (7 km), Gillespie Gap (9 km) and Humpback Mountain (12 km).

Updated · Distances are road estimates · Open Spruce Pine on the map

Spruce Pine, North Carolina
Spruce Pine, McDowell district, North Carolina, United States. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

Spruce Pine at a glance

Location
McDowell district, North Carolina, United States
Population
about 2,134
Coordinates
35.9154° N, 82.0646° W
Places within 50 km
177 (51 must-see)
Best time to visit
October to February for cool, clear air for hill stations & viewpoints; July to January, best August to November right after rains for waterfalls

Top places to visit near Spruce Pine

Ranked by how worth the drive they are from Spruce Pine: must-see places and the closest well-loved spots first. Open a place for photos, today’s visitor status, timings and directions.

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Things to see near Spruce Pine, by type

Hill stations & viewpoints near Spruce Pine

107 hill stations & viewpoints within 100 km of Spruce Pine. The closest is Woody's Knob (7 km). Best time: october to february for cool, clear air.

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Waterfalls near Spruce Pine

57 waterfalls within 100 km of Spruce Pine. The closest is Grassy Creek Falls (9 km). Best time: july to january, best august to november right after rains.

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Wildlife, forests & gardens near Spruce Pine

19 wildlife, forests & gardens within 100 km of Spruce Pine. The closest is Linville Gorge Wilderness (19 km). Best time: november to march for sightings.

All wildlife, forests & gardens in North Carolina →

Lakes, dams & reservoirs near Spruce Pine

18 lakes, dams & reservoirs within 100 km of Spruce Pine. The closest is Lake Tahoma (27 km). Best time: august to december when reservoirs are full and gates may open.

All lakes, dams & reservoirs in Tennessee →

Churches near Spruce Pine

12 churches within 100 km of Spruce Pine. The closest is Sloop Chapel (21 km); the best-known is Saint Paul's Episcopal Church (35 km). Best time: year-round.

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Parks near Spruce Pine

11 parks within 100 km of Spruce Pine. The closest is Carolina Hemlocks Recreation Area (22 km); the best-known is Roan Mountain State Park (36 km). Best time: year-round, evenings.

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A one-day trip from Spruce Pine

5 of the best places within 60 km, in driving order so you don’t double back: about 60 km on the road.

  1. Start in Spruce Pine
  2. 7 km Woody's Knob · viewpoint, East Tennessee
  3. 7 km Gillespie Gap · viewpoint, East Tennessee
  4. 18 km Linville Gorge Wilderness · nature spot, Burke
  5. 11 km Humpback Mountain · viewpoint, East Tennessee
  6. 4 km Doe Hill Mountain · hill, Avery
  7. 13 km Back to Spruce Pine

Plan a longer trip from Spruce Pine — the planner adds a place to stay each night and keeps the route to one loop.

From travellers near Spruce Pine

No traveller has reported from around Spruce Pine yet. Been to one of these places recently? Open it and post what you found — is the waterfall flowing, how crowded was the temple, is the beach safe — so the next visitor knows before they drive.

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How to reach Spruce Pine

    All places near Spruce Pine by distance

    Within 15 km of Spruce Pine

    15–50 km — half-day trips

    50–100 km — one-day trips

    Count by type (within 100 km)

    Places near Spruce Pine by type
    TypeWithin 50 kmWithin 100 kmNearest
    Hill stations & viewpoints89107Woody's Knob (7 km)
    Waterfalls5757Grassy Creek Falls (9 km)
    Wildlife, forests & gardens1019Linville Gorge Wilderness (19 km)
    Lakes, dams & reservoirs418Lake Tahoma (27 km)
    Churches312Sloop Chapel (21 km)
    Parks411Carolina Hemlocks Recreation Area (22 km)
    Museums57Museum of North Carolina Minerals (9 km)
    Forts & heritage24Chase-Coletta House (26 km)
    Treks23Tanawha Trail (42 km)
    Other attractions12Linville Caverns (14 km)

    Spruce Pine: questions travellers ask

    What are the best places to visit near Spruce Pine?

    Woody's Knob (viewpoint, about 7 km), Gillespie Gap (viewpoint, about 9 km), Humpback Mountain (viewpoint, about 12 km), Doe Hill Mountain (hill, about 13 km), Linville Caverns (attraction, about 14 km), Linville Gorge Wilderness (nature spot, about 19 km).

    How many tourist places are there within 50 km of Spruce Pine?

    177 places on Spotwander: 89 hill stations & viewpoints, 57 waterfalls, 10 wildlife, forests & gardens, 4 lakes, dams & reservoirs, 3 churches.

    Which is the nearest viewpoint to Spruce Pine?

    Woody's Knob, about 7 km by road; Gillespie Gap (9 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest waterfall to Spruce Pine?

    Grassy Creek Falls, about 9 km by road; Bear Den Falls (11 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest sanctuary to Spruce Pine?

    Linville Gorge Wilderness, about 19 km by road; Daniel Boone Wildlife Management Area (22 km) is next.

    What is a good one-day trip from Spruce Pine?

    Start in Spruce Pine, visit Woody's Knob, then Gillespie Gap, then Linville Gorge Wilderness, then Humpback Mountain, then Doe Hill Mountain, and drive back — about 60 km by road in all.

    What is the best time to visit places near Spruce Pine?

    October to February for cool, clear air for hill stations & viewpoints; July to January, best August to November right after rains for waterfalls.

    Towns near Spruce Pine

    Sources: places from OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata and GeoNames; Spruce Pine’s location and population from GeoNames; see also Spruce Pine on Wikipedia. Data sources & credits.