A FREE Daily Visitor Guide for the North Carolina Mountains and 50+ NC Mountain Cities

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Christmas at Biltmore

November 5 through January 2 Biltmore offers its annual Christmas magic. Enjoy America's largest home decorated with dozens of Christmas trees, hundreds of wreaths, bows, and poinsettias; miles of evergreen garland; thousands of ornaments, tinsel, and beading; and a magnificent 35-foot Fraser fir with the largest ornaments you've ever seen. It's a classic symbol of Christmas in a way you've never experienced. Organ music fills the grand Banquet Hall and First Floor during Christmastime to imbue guests with an elated holiday feeling.

Annual Fall Celebration at the Mission Farm

November 13, 11 AM - 3 PM at the Mission Farm in Hiawassee Basin join the Annual LTLT (Little Tennessee Land Trust) Fall Celebration in the Hiawassee Basin. The day includes live music, activities for kids, a hayride, a nature walk, Native and mountain cultural demonstrations, and our annual conservation award presentation. All activities are FREE for the entire family, including a delicious cool-weather meal of cornbread, chili and dessert.

The Mission Farm lies on the Hiwassee River in Cherokee County, and is accessible off of US 64, 0.6 mile west of the Clay County line. Macon County residents can reach the farm by traveling west on US 64 through Hayesville; residents of Graham, Swain, and Jackson counties can follow US 19 West through Andrews, take a left on NC 141 South to Peachtree, and then follow US 64 East approximately one mile.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Fall Leaf Color Continues in Lower Elevations

Nov 2 Color Update: In the High Country of Boone, Blowing Rock and Jefferson, most of the leaves have fallen off. Some red maples are still turning brilliant red, but they are mostly restricted to urban trees.

In the foothills around Kerr Scott Lake outside of Wilkesboro, the colors should still be pretty this coming week. The Pisgah National Forest in this area has some good color that should hold up for the beginning part of the week. A lot of oaks, hickories, sourwoods, some maples and sassafras are showing nicely. For long-range views, the Blue Ridge Parkway still can’t be beat; look for the colors at lower elevations and not along the roadway itself.

Down toward Asheville, colors are also past their peak at the high elevations on the Parkway, but in the metro area, there is still plenty of color - mostly yellows with a smattering of reds from oaks reaching their peak this week. So, if you still haven’t made it to the mountains, plan to travel now. The same can be said further south toward Brevard, and the maples and oaks are still making a good color show along the roads.

Farther south towards Cullowhee and Highlands, the situation is also very similar. At the higher elevations, the trees have passed their peak, while at lower elevations there is still some color, with the oaks contributing more this week, and the maples fading.

Great Smoky Mountains Leaf Color Report: Colors are past peak at mid to high elevation areas of the park and most trees have dropped their leaves. At low elevation, many areas are past peak, however there are still areas of color to be found in the foothills.

Have an Art Full Weekend in the Mountains

Fall is filled with Fine art and craft in Western North Carolina! With the holidays not far away, why not shop for gifts from the best artists and craft makers? Check out these weekend art and craft events:

Nov 5 Friday Art Crawl The Art Crawl features local and regional artists of all genres ranging from traditional crafts, pottery, paintings, metalwork, jewelry and glasswork to music and live entertainment. Boone NC.

Nov 5 Waynesville's "Art After Dark" More than a dozen galleries and studios remain open till 9pm offering demonstrations, special showings, refreshments and music. Waynesville NC

Nov 6 Western North Carolina Pottery Festival The annual festival celebrating the pottery of Western North Carolina takes place along Front Street. Downtown Dillsboro NC.

Nov 6 the Annual Blacksmith & Fine Craft Auction If you have holiday shopping in mind, the Blacksmith & Fine Craft Auction is the perfect place to start. Brasstown NC, near Andrews, Murphy NC

Nov 6-7 Fall Art Safari Visit studios and galleries in the town of Weaverville and the surrounding rural areas. he tours are free and open to the public. Weaverville NC

The Blue Ridge Parkway at 469 miles long is the nation's longest scenic rural parkway. Now 70 years old it is administered by the National Park Service and host to approximately 20 million visits annually. It connects the Shenandoah Valley National Park with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee. Along the route are opportunities for lodging, dining, camping, hiking and simply enjoying breathtaking views from easily accessible overlooks and picnic areas. For additional information visit :The Blueridge Parkway Association

The River Arts District is open year around with the opportunity to meet artists in their studios. Schedules are available online. This unique area along the French Broad River is home to more than 165 artists with working studios located in 18 turn-of-the-century industrial buildings. The artists of the River Arts District welcome you into their studios to talk with them, see their latest artwork, watch demonstrations, and experience for yourself the magic hidden inside the time-worn factories and warehouses along the French Broad River.

Chimney Rock Park is named for a 500 million-year-old giant granite monolith overlooking Hickory Nut Gorge. Visitors are awed by the breathtaking view that spreads 1200 vertical feet beneath them and 75 miles across the Carolinas. The now state owned park encompasses 1,000 acres offers the best of the mountains in one place with spectacular 75-mile views, hiking trails for all ages, a 404-foot waterfall, a variety of special events and much more. Chimney Rock NC

The National Scenic Byways Program is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration. The program is a grass-roots collaborative effort established to help recognize, preserve and enhance selected roads throughout the United States. Since 1992, the National Scenic Byways Program has provided funding for almost 1500 state and nationally designated byway projects in 48 states. The U.S. Secretary of Transportation recognizes certain roads as All-American Roads or National Scenic Byways based on one or more archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational and scenic qualities.

Tsali Recreation Area is an outdoors lover's paradise. Probably the most popular features of Tsali Recreation Area are the 39 miles of trails suited for mountain bikers and horse-back riders, as well as hikers. The 4-loop system offers a variety of landscapes. You can climb 1-foot wide rugged paths or travel flat, well-beaten roads. The four trails--Right, Left, Mouse Branch, and Thompson Loops--meander through mixed pine and hardwoods on a peninsula stretching into Fontana Lake. Near Bryson City NC and Robbinsville NC.