RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina's natural wonders stretch from the mountains to the coast with not a lot in between.
That's the result of a contest sponsored by Land for Tomorrow, an environmental coalition working to preserve the state's land and water resources.
Voters were asked to nominate any landscape, natural feature, wildlife or plant life unique to North Carolina which should be counted as one of its top natural wonders.
The list, in alphabetical order, includes:
- Blue Ridge Parkway
- Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout
- Grandfather Mountain
- Great Smoky Mountains
- Lake Mattamuskeet
- Lumber River
- Merchants Millpond State Park
- Mountains to Sea Trail
- New River
- Ocracoke Island
Land for Tomorrow officials said while the Blue Ridge Parkway does include a man-made road, other parts of the parkway can be considered natural wonders, such as the scenery.
The group received 200 unique nominations among 1,300 offered. A panel narrowed those 200 to 25, and voters determined the final 10.



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they didn't mention lighthouses. they mentioned cape hatteras and cape lookout. i would imagine they are talking about the actual places, not the lighthouses, since the lighthouses weren't even mentioned.
May 21, 2010 2:05 p.m.
May 19, 2010 7:33 p.m.
Yeah, thats it right there.
I mean home like as in where you originated from, your soul feels at home, home with the earth and all of Gods wonderous creation home. Home that you never wnat to leave.
It's like every fiber of your being sighs in relaxation and soaks it all in type of "home".
Theres nothing like it.
May 19, 2010 4:23 p.m.
I can't think of a place I'd rather live than in the Smoky Mountains. I've seen the Rockies and the Sierras, and they're all beautiful, but none of them feel like home like the Smokies do.
May 19, 2010 4:16 p.m.
May 19, 2010 4:03 p.m.