Highlands Smokehouse
595 Franklin Rd
Highlands, NC 28741
828-526-3554
After a satisfying ride on the Greenway in Franklin, with the fall colors on full display, I was ready for some feastingl. Luckily, through proper research, I already knew just the place. Highlands Smokehouse was a great choice. I had a generous North Carolina-style pulled pork sandwich with okra on the side, along with the proper fixings—tea and vinegar sauces. The barbecue was tender and packed with real smoky flavor. I can’t wait to go back, though I could do without the fall traffic.
(While hiking in Pisgah with the boys, I got a wild hair to do something different instead of heading straight home after three days on the trail. I decided to drive to Franklin and ride the Little Tennessee River Greenway. It didn’t seem that far—at least on the map. What I didn’t count on was the winding mountain road and the flood of fall sightseers clogging it up. It made for quite a ride both there and back to old Shalotte, and I won’t make that mistake again. Still, the trail itself was terrific. It was short enough that I rode it twice and soaked in plenty of the fall scenery.)
