Gathering Location

Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC (west of Asheville)

Site of the 2015 Gathering, July 5 - 11

Western Carolina University is located in a cool, green, scenic mountain valley of Southern Appalachia, an hour west of Asheville, North Carolina.  With the highest peaks east of the Mississippi, it's an area that boasts the coolest summer temperatures in the Southeast U.S.  In contrast to those nearby peaks, the main part of the Cullowhee campus is relatively flat and easy to navigate. 

We’ll be within a short drive of the most visited national park in the nation – Great Smoky Mountains National Park – as well as the world's longest national park unit, The Blue Ridge Parkway (469 miles long). The homeland (Qualla Boundary) of the Eastern Band of The Cherokee Nation is nearby, offering authentic and rewarding exposure to the first peoples of North America.

Scores of historic, scenic and outdoor recreation sites and sights are available for free-time visits, organized field trips and extra days in the region, both before and after the Gathering.

Photo from www.ashevilleguidebook.com/wnc/wnc-cities/cullowhee.htm

Field Trips at the Gathering

Once you are at the Gathering, sign up for trips offered Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday afternoons.  Costs vary.  Read about field trips offered during the upcoming Gathering.