Western Carolina University and its surroundings blend the best of the traditional and the new in a beautiful mountain setting. Its outstanding modern university facilities are set in the small, friendly mountain town of Cullowhee, NC. Peaceful and informal, the campus lacks crowds and traffic but offers a wealth of natural beauty and cool mountain evenings. The local countryside is full of nostalgic scenes that harken back to the early days of Appalachia, but the campus is close to four-lane roads. The nearby town of Sylva has excellent shopping, supermarkets, restaurants and medical care. The surrounding mountains present scenic wonders, outdoor sports, crafts, and traditional culture.
Approximate auto travel time to Cullowhee is one hour from Asheville, NC; 3-1/2 hours from Charlotte, NC; 3 hours from Winston-Salem, NC; 3 hours from Atlanta; 3 hours from Chattanooga, TN; and 2 hours from Knoxville, TN.
SAVE MONEY AND MAKE A FRIEND: Are you willing to share a ride/expenses with another dulcimer player?
Cullowhee is in the middle of the beautiful Smoky Mountains and the closest major airport is about 70 miles away, south of Asheville, NC. The university does not offer a long-distance shuttle service all he way to the airport and back. To help participants who would like to get together and share ground travel & expenses with others, we have established a “SHARE A RIDE” program. Some people might want to share the whole round trip, or just share rides from an airport. While we do not arrange or guarantee rides for anyone, we are happy to put people in touch with one another to arrange their travel together. To exchange your contact information with others fill in the “SHARE A RIDE” part of the enclosed Registration Form.
Weather: Mother Nature loves dulcimers but also likes to make our beautiful mountains green by sending us rain. Sometimes we have no rain in the mountains for weeks, or it can rain for days - probably just like where you live - so bring along an umbrella.
Clothing: Informal, and comfortable shoes are recommended.
Getting Around Campus: Our main residence hall, Norton Drive Hall, our classrooms in the Camp Building (Outreach Center) and another nearby building, and our meals at Dodson Dining Hall (new management) are all on the lower level of campus. A campus map is included in this catalog, and a “Virtual Tour” of the campus can be viewed at http://www.wcu.edu/Admissions/tour
FREE Shuttle Buses run between residence halls, the dining hall and classes in early morning, during lunchtime, back to classes, and after classes. You will receive a shuttle schedule when you arrive. You are responsible for your own motor transportation for evening activities – a good time to carpool with friends or get a little walking exercise.
Parking: We give a lot of attention to accommodating everyone’s mobility status around campus, and while some folks like to walk, driving, carpooling and our free shuttle buses are options for others. There is parking behind and next to our locations. As you know, universities are designed for college-aged populations and do not have an abundance of Handicapped parking spaces. If you are handicapped the shuttle buses may be the ideal solution for you because they pick you up and deliver you door-to-door.