13. Western North Carolina Nature Center
75 Gashes Creek Road
Asheville, NC 28805
(828) 298-5600
WNC Nature Center features one of the largest collections of Southern Appalachian animal species in the world. It is home to over 60 species of animals including river otters, black bear, red wolves and cougars housed in a natural setting as they would normally be living if the animals were in the wild. There are also hundreds of species of plants, all representative of this unique bio-region, the Southern Appalachians. The largest area of the park is the Appalachian Predators exhibit, which is home to red and gray wolves, bobcats and coyotes, while Black Bear Ridge features American black bears, white-tailed deer and a variety of birds of prey.
Time to spend: Half day to full Day
Hours: Daily 10:00a - 5:00p