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Beech Mtn. – A Destination Offering 4 Seasons of Fun
BEECH MOUNTAIN, N.C. –The Town of Beech Mountain rests at an elevation of 5,506 feet above sea level, making it the highest municipality in Eastern America. It is also one of the few destinations in the South that truly offers four seasons of family fun.
No matter what time of year, vacationers find good reasons to escape to Beech. Winter produces a snowy wonderland for skiers and snow-sports enthusiasts, followed by a lengthy spring that bursts to life with flora and fauna unlike other places in North Carolina.
Summer is mild and pleasant. So much so that the official weather station’s thermometer has reached 80 degrees only four times in the past 16 years. Eventually, these pleasant summers give way to autumns draped in a cornucopia of vibrant colors that must be seen to be believed.
“Most people discover Beech Mountain in wintertime thanks to our excellent ski resort,” says Jim Brooks, president of the Beech Mountain Chamber of Commerce. “And then an awful lot of them find their way back at other times of the year and are impressed with what we have to offer in the warmer months.”
From April through October, visitors enjoy such activities as hiking more than 20 miles of maintained trails or cycling 50 miles of bike routes. In fact, Lance Armstrong won two Tour DuPont titles atop Beech Mountain in the early 1990s and returned later that decade to train for his comeback from cancer.
“Cyclists make pilgrimages here because they’ve heard it is ‘Lance’s Mountain’ and want to see what that’s all about,” says Brooks. “Many bike teams come here to train. You just never know who you are passing going up this mountain – it could be somebody who’s raced against Lance Armstrong or the Russian national team.”
For the less adventurous, the Beech Mountain Club offers spectacular golf and a myriad of summer programs for children and adults, while the state-of-the-art Buckeye Recreation Center provides fitness and other activities in 22,500 square feet of comfort.
Popular events include the Mile High Kite Festival in September, the Autumn at Oz Celebration in October, plus street dances and concerts in the park all summer long.
In general, folks spend a lot of time outdoors on Beech Mountain because of the climate.
“You don’t ever worry about going outside to do something. Perspiration and sweat are not part of our vocabulary,” Brooks explains. “Once in a great while it will reach 80 degrees, but it’s typically in the upper 60s or lower 70s during summer, late spring and most of the fall.
“People tend to be more active here. If you took me to Atlanta in the summer and asked me to go on hike, I probably wouldn’t want to. But here, people are always outside walking and hiking.”
Another popular pastime is fishing. Buckeye Lake and Coffey Lake are annually stocked with trout, while Buckeye Lake is home to the Kiddo Fishing Derby each June.
Beech Mountain is a welcome respite from the hustle of urban life. Most of the 367 full-time residents know each other by name. They warmly welcome the thousands of visitors on the mountain at any given time, and are happy to give directions or answer questions.
“Everybody is so laid back and friendly,” Brooks says. “Nothing happens on time around here. If everything happened like it did in the big city, people wouldn’t want to be here. People come to Beech to unwind and get away.”
And just when that final colorful leaf has fallen from the beech trees and the South’s other travel destinations have shut down for the winter, the hum of the snow guns begins again.
There’s always a new season at Beech Mountain.
For a visitor guide or more information, call (800) 468-5506 or visit www.beechmtn.com.