Greetings. Our family purchased this property a number of years ago as a mountain respite to escape the summer heat and enjoy the best waterfalls, hiking trails, mountain biking, fly fishing and climbing that North Carolina has to offer. We have two 2-bed room, 2 bath 1750 square foot houses located on 65 private acres overlooking a roadless portion of Pisgah National Forest, located only 3 miles from the HW276 entrance to Pisgah National Forest up the Davidson River corridor.
Over the past 20 years, I have explored endless miles of stream, trail and vertical rock as I’ve hiked, biked, climbed, trail-run, backpacked, and fly-fished across the Southern Appalachians in search of that perfect place. The wider I ranged, the more I kept coming back to Transylvania County as the single place that has everything to enjoy all the mountains have to offer. From the Blue Ridge Parkway to the magical waterfalls of Dupont State Forest, from the world class mountain biking trails of Pisgah to the unique geography and botany hidden in the “great green walls” and escarpments within The Gorges State Park, Transylvania County is truly the epicenter of mountain beauty in the Southern Appalachians.
Within a 30 mile radius of our cabins:
· The Blue Ridge Parkway, including access points to the Shining Rock and Middle Prong Wilderness Areas , the Art Loeb Trail, Mt Pisgah area, Devils Courthouse and the highest point on the Parkway at Richland Balsam (elevation 6047 feet). http://www.blueridgeparkway.org/
· DuPont State Park, location of numerous scenes from “Last of Mohicans”, waterfalls and world-class hiking and mountain biking. http://www.dupontforest.com/
· Gorges State Park, which includes countless waterfalls, endangered and rare plant life. http://www.ncwaterfalls.com/jocassee1.htm
http://www.romanticasheville.com/gorges_state_park.htm
· Caesars Head and Jones Gap State Parks, both contiguous to Transylvania County just over the SC state line. http://www.southcarolinaparks.com/park-finder/state-park/1648.aspx http://www.southcarolinaparks.com/park-finder/state-park/962.aspx
· Biltmore Mansion & Grounds. http://www.biltmore.com/
· Dozens of named waterfalls – largest concentration in North Carolina. See the interactive waterfall map at http://www.northcarolinawaterfalls.info/map.html
· Famous “Sliding Rock” on Davidson River. http://www.ncwaterfalls.com/sliding_rock1.htm
· World class rock climbing at Looking Glass, Cedar Rock and Rumbling Bald within 30 minutes, just a few minutes further to Laurel Knob and Whitesides!
· Hundreds of miles of mountain biking trails in Pisgah National Forest, DuPont State Forest, Mills River and Bent Creek Recreational Areas.
· Site of annual multi-stage Pisgah Mountainbike Stage Race
· Numerous road bike events including the annual Assault on the Carolinas, Assault on Mt. Mitchell, Tour De Cashiers. Plus world class mountain and relatively flat river bottom routes throughout the area.
· Location of the legendary “Shut In Ridge Trail Run” , with literally endless trail running opportunities from creekside routes to challenging “gap to summit” classic mountain roller coaster routes.
· Dozens of miles of trout fishing streams, including both the Davidson River and South Mills River, both of which are perennial favorites on “Best Trout Streams In America” type listings
· Access to the Davidson River, South Mills River, and French Broad River systems
· Large concentration of “summer camps” for children, many of which have been in operation over 50 years.
· Longer Trails of National or Regional significance include portions of: the Art Loeb Trail, the Mountain To Sea Trail, and the Foothills Trail.
Average summertime temperatures typically 10 degrees (or more) cooler than the piedmont areas of SC and Georgia.
Originally targeting the Davidson River-Highway 276 corridor as where we wanted to be, we were fortunate to be able to procure the Palmo McCall family property located on Mine Mountain at just under 3000 feet in elevation, located just 3 miles from the entrance to Pisgah. The property offers the juxtaposition between being located just a few minutes from Brevard, yet overlooking a roadless area of Pisgah National Forest that offers something very difficult to find in this day and age - a near absence of man-made lights or noise. There are just very few places around that offer this kind of tranquility. Yet we’re located in the immediate proximity of Brevard, and less than 30 minutes to the unique ambience and “big town” amenities of Asheville.
As active climbers, trail runners, mountain bikers, road bikers, fly fishermen, backpackers and waterfall explorers, we can provide realistic “first hand” advice from the “active user” personal experience standpoint. We have guidebooks, maps and even our own self-developed booklet of “suggested activities” based on our visitors’ degree of interest and level of expertise. We also can provide a programmed GPS with various points of interest identified to help you make the most of your stay with us!
Friday, June 4, 2010
The Cabins
Bear Ridge Cabins consist of two charming cabins and one efficiency cabin nestled on 65 acres of pristine land. While the two main cabins are located near each other, they are located on separate driveways, providing seclusion and privacy for the guests of each cabin. Cabin #1, known as “Bear Ridge View”, was recently renovated and contains two bedrooms (1 King & 1 bunk futon), 2 baths, and a modern kitchen with granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. It also features generous outside decks with an outdoor eating area, wireless internet, Direct TV, a DVD player and library, a washer and dryer, and a gas grill. Guests can enjoy the solitude of the area while rocking on the newly constructed covered back porch. This porch, which overlooks Pisgah Forest, features ample seating for large groups, as well as a ceiling fan and variable lighting to guarantee year-round comfort. Bear Ridge View, with its knotty-pine paneling and charming décor featuring a mix of unique antiques and newer pieces, is an ideal cabin for couples or small families.
The efficiency cabin, known as the “Moonshine Shack”, is located adjacent to this cabin and features one large main room, including a kitchenette and sleeping area, as well as one bath and a covered porch. This cabin got its name due to the fact that it was the site of a moonshine operation run by the prior owner. The Moonshine Shack can be used to provide additional sleeping quarters for either cabin, or by a group of bikers, hikers, or others that simply want a place to store their gear and sleep after a day of exploring the beauty of the Pisgah Forest and surrounding area.
Cabin #2, known as “Mountain View”, features two bedrooms (1 king and 1 Queen), two baths, a modern kitchen with eat-in island, and a majestic stacked-stone fireplace. The cabin also contains a bunk bed located in a small nook off of the great room (for a total of 4 beds). In addition, this cabin provides Direct TV, a DVD player and library, a washer and dryer, and a large deck with a spectacular view of the surrounding mountains. The deck features a grill, an outdoor dining area, rocking chairs, and a hammock so that guests can take full advantage of the beautiful vistas. This cabin is well-suited to groups that include two couples, since the cabin contains two separate guest suites.
The proximity of the cabins to one another makes them suitable to be rented individually or by larger groups for events such as family reunions or meetings. We guarantee that visitors will find peace and solitude in this beautiful setting, and, if lucky, will also see some of the area’s abundant wildlife, including wild turkeys, hawks, bears, and even the occasional white squirrel.
The efficiency cabin, known as the “Moonshine Shack”, is located adjacent to this cabin and features one large main room, including a kitchenette and sleeping area, as well as one bath and a covered porch. This cabin got its name due to the fact that it was the site of a moonshine operation run by the prior owner. The Moonshine Shack can be used to provide additional sleeping quarters for either cabin, or by a group of bikers, hikers, or others that simply want a place to store their gear and sleep after a day of exploring the beauty of the Pisgah Forest and surrounding area.
Cabin #2, known as “Mountain View”, features two bedrooms (1 king and 1 Queen), two baths, a modern kitchen with eat-in island, and a majestic stacked-stone fireplace. The cabin also contains a bunk bed located in a small nook off of the great room (for a total of 4 beds). In addition, this cabin provides Direct TV, a DVD player and library, a washer and dryer, and a large deck with a spectacular view of the surrounding mountains. The deck features a grill, an outdoor dining area, rocking chairs, and a hammock so that guests can take full advantage of the beautiful vistas. This cabin is well-suited to groups that include two couples, since the cabin contains two separate guest suites.
The proximity of the cabins to one another makes them suitable to be rented individually or by larger groups for events such as family reunions or meetings. We guarantee that visitors will find peace and solitude in this beautiful setting, and, if lucky, will also see some of the area’s abundant wildlife, including wild turkeys, hawks, bears, and even the occasional white squirrel.
Property History
The property originally belonged to the McCall family, which has lived for many generations in the area. Mr. McCall is said to have crafted some of the best moonshine around, and people came from far and wide to “appreciate” his craftsmanship. He actually had a permit to operate a distillery on the property (in what we now call the “Moonshine Shack”, which has been renovated as an efficiency apartment) to make ethanol – supposedly for alternative fuel for automobiles. But apparently that wasn’t viewed as the “highest and best use” for his product. In addition, Mr. McCall was renowned locally as a bear hunter, using pot-bellied pigs to train the bear hounds he’d raise on the property. We still have a handful of photographs which were found at the house (originals returned to the McCall family) of generations of their relatives posing with deer and bear taken years ago from the endless mountains and forests of Pisgah. As a local relative related to me, “in his later years, Mr. McCall did most of his hunting from the wrap-around porch of the house, and now wildlife is making a marked comeback on Mine Mountain as hunting pressure has faded”.
These days, we put out game feeders for the local wildlife – cautious to keep the deer and turkey close, yet not enough to create any dependency within the local bear population. In the fall of 2009, we actually had two yearling bears “grow up” on the property and we shut the feeders off to encourage them to ramble off deep into Pisgah where they belong. Contrary to popular myth, bears are actually very elusive creatures, and count your blessings if you do actually get to see one in the wild. More frequently than not, your view of a bear will be that of a rapidly retreating blur of black fur scrambling back into the woods.
These days, we put out game feeders for the local wildlife – cautious to keep the deer and turkey close, yet not enough to create any dependency within the local bear population. In the fall of 2009, we actually had two yearling bears “grow up” on the property and we shut the feeders off to encourage them to ramble off deep into Pisgah where they belong. Contrary to popular myth, bears are actually very elusive creatures, and count your blessings if you do actually get to see one in the wild. More frequently than not, your view of a bear will be that of a rapidly retreating blur of black fur scrambling back into the woods.
Affordable Rates
Description and Rates:
$650 per week; or $125 per night (two night minimum).
Perfect for multiple families where you want to be close enough to enjoy vacationing together, but still want to stay in separate dwellings.
$650 per week; or $125 per night (two night minimum).
Perfect for multiple families where you want to be close enough to enjoy vacationing together, but still want to stay in separate dwellings.
Ways to Enjoy Your Stay
Local & Regional Event Schedule:
Sliding Rock
Waterfalls
Mountain Biking
“Peak Bagging”
Hiking
Road Biking
Fly Fishing
Restaurants
Brevard Music Center
Dupont State Forest
Rock Climbing
Ice Climbing
Kayaking, Tubing and River Recreation
Sliding Rock
Waterfalls
Mountain Biking
“Peak Bagging”
Hiking
Road Biking
Fly Fishing
Restaurants
Brevard Music Center
Dupont State Forest
Rock Climbing
Ice Climbing
Kayaking, Tubing and River Recreation
The Great Indoors
The Great “Indoors”:
While the vast majority of tourists come to the area to experience the great outdoors, there are just as many things to do inside. Some of these include:
· Brevard Music Festival
· The Biltmore
· Pottery & Craftsmen
· Shopping Venues
While the vast majority of tourists come to the area to experience the great outdoors, there are just as many things to do inside. Some of these include:
· Brevard Music Festival
· The Biltmore
· Pottery & Craftsmen
· Shopping Venues
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