Ever heard of urban exploration? Also known as UE or urbex, it’s the practice of exploring abandoned structures, like off-limits buildings or ruins.

Interestingly, it’s not limited to cities (though they do typically offer more sites than rural areas), but rather any location with forgotten + crumbling spaces. Today, we’re looking at some of WNC’s most iconic spots for urban exploration.

Browning Knob plane crash, Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Locals may remember the nearly 40-year old plane crash that took place here in WNC in Nov. 1983. Tragically, a Cessna 414 was flying from Chicago to the Jackson County Airport when it crashed into a mountain. The wreckage, much of which remains today, was discovered near the summit of Waterrock Knob Peak. Wanna see it for yourself? Find directions here.

A 1927 image of an operating room at French Broad Hospital. I Photo via Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville

French Broad Hospital, Asheville

Ever driven down S. French Broad and noticed the stately four story structure at the corner of Hilliard Ave.? Then you’ve seen the facility that was established in 1927 as the French Broad Hospital and later renamed Aston Park Hospital in 1940. In 1967, Aston Park Hospital began shifting its focus to nursing home care as Memorial Mission Hospital started assuming acute care responsibility.

The speedway has been abandoned since it closed in 1996. I Photo by Ken Fager

North Wilkesboro Speedway, North Wilkesboro

It’s a known fact that WNC plays a vital role in the history of race car driving, and few spots drew bigger crowds than the North Wilkesboro Speedway, which hosted official NASCAR races after it launched in 1947. Since its last race in 1996, fans have petitioned the state for a historical marker signifying its cultural significance. Folks wanting to visit should do so promptly, as there’s talk of renovating + restoring it.