Autumn Train Excursion through the Great Smoky Mountains!

On Saturday, September 26, 2026, the Watauga Valley Railroad Historical Society and Museum will sponsor a Fall Season Train Excursion – a seasonal ride on the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad through the majestic mountains and beautiful countryside of western North Carolina from Bryson City, NC, to the Nantahala Gorge, NC, and back to Bryson City.

The track follows the route of the former Southern Railway's "Murphy Branch Line" from Bryson City, NC, to the Nantahala Outdoor Recreation Center. The line was established in 1891, with a maximum 5.8 percent grade and many bridges. Much of the route hugs the banks of the Little Tennessee and Nantahala Rivers and crosses Fontana Lake on a trestle standing 100 feet above the lake with a span of 780 feet.

Located 10 miles from the famous Cherokee Indian Reservation, Bryson City is a laid-back, non-touristy, easily stroll-able town of 1,300 with many shops, a surprising variety of restaurants, and more stop signs than stoplights. There are local bookstores and arts and crafts galleries with working artisans, a bike shop, two fly fishing shops, a historical museum, a fly-fishing museum, an aquarium, a scenic train, and two breweries. All excursion ticket holders receive complimentary admission to the Smoky Mountain Lionel Train Museum, which boasts a collection of 7,000 Lionel engines, cars and accessories, an impressive operating layout, and a children's activity center.