A visit to the Town of Beech Mountain offers exciting outdoor recreation and mile-high relaxation.

In winter, Beech's high elevation creates a snowy wonderland for Beech Mountain Resort, the premier ski and snowboard destination in North Carolina.

Meanwhile, the Town of Beech Mountain operates a free youth sledding hill complete with its own snow gun.

An emerging activity is snowshoeing on the town's Emerald Outback trails at the mountaintop. The Beech Mountain Parks & Rec Department has snowshoes available for rental at very reasonable rates.

Families enjoy winter vacations on and off the slopes. They stroll along the greenway, stop by the gazebo in the park, and visit shops throughout the town.

There's also an annual snowman building contest, guided winter hikes throughout the season with the Rec Department staff, and a "Totally 80s Retro Ski Weekend" in late February.

In summer, adventure seekers flock to the Emerald Outback at Beech Mountain, a trail park which features nearly 10 miles of gorgeous single-track and double-track trails. Mountain biking, hiking, and trail running are prevalent in the Emerald Outback, as well as on several other miles of trails maintained by the parks & recreation department.

Families and seniors also covet summer vacations on Beech – hiking to waterfalls, enjoying 100-mile mountain vistas, visiting the animal habitat at nearby Grandfather Mountain and taking in a round of mini-golf in mild temperatures that average in the mid 70s.

At the town's Buckeye Recreation Center, activities include indoor & outdoor tennis, volleyball and a state-of-the-art playground. There's also a modern fitness center and indoor basketball.

The Buckeye Recreation Area also features an official NC Birding Trail, home to nearly 130 species throughout the four seasons.

If golf is your game, the manicured fairways of Beech Mountain Club provide some of the most spectacular scenery in Western North Carolina. Golfers can see four states from this ridge-top layout. The club provides the exclusive amenities of a private resort, yet is accessible to most visitors via on-mountain lodging.

Fly anglers enjoy finding hidden trout streams across the mountain, while recreational fishing is available at Buckeye Lake and Coffey Lake, both of which are stocked annually. Coffey Lake also has a paved 1/8-mile trail around the lake that's ideal for walking and jogging.