We stopped at a restaurant in Black Mountain for breakfast last weekend after leaving Asheville…read more We immediately thought the area looked like a cool place and noted they also have a Hampton Inn by Hilton near the exit from I-40. We decided to come up over the 4th of July holiday weekend and booked our stay. We arrived on Sunday afternoon after driving from the Winston-Salem area and making a few stops along the way. We had eaten at Hillman Beer in Old Fort so we decided to park and walk around the downtown area. We noted several breweries and outdoor areas including a small park and food trucks options. There are plenty of free parking lots as well as ample street parking along with public restrooms. We also did not expect to find out that Roberta Flack was born here in 1937. We learned, the town is named for the old train stop at the Black Mountain Depot and is located at the southern end of the Black Mountain range of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the Southern Appalachians. We spent a couple of days in and around Black Mountain and feel like it is a special little spot.

It was mid-week when I decided to drive up the mountain on a crisp September morning out of Chimney…read moreRock to "The Little Town that Rocks!" yep Black Rock, NC a.k.a "The Front Porch of Western North Carolina," breathe deeply and take in the clean mountain air, and relax. This small town is locate just 15 miles from Asheville although it seems much more remote than it really is, especially as you navigate the numerous switchbacks while climbing the mountain - my speed probably never exceeded 45 mph as I took in the scenic countryside while transversing the unfamiliar route as the locals pushed my driving skills as they seemed to be racing their way to hell, most of the curves here are closer to 180 degree turns verses the normal 90 degree turns most non-mountainous people are used to so take advantage of the turn-outs as they appear and let the speed demons make their meeting with the grim-reaper or the other entities that live in this isolated section of the twilight zone, I've never seem a better tuned suspension on a 1980 F-150 than I did today, this cat was bending the needle as he pushed me for a few miles before I could give him room to go around. Now don't get me wrong this ain't no hick-town, my first stop was an ultra modern Starbucks, so I was able to get my non-fat, no foam latte fix while still having five bars on my iPhone, looks like this town is already a step ahead of SpaceX and it's StarLink satellite program. We took some time to explore the historic downtown that's filled with lots of shops and little restaurants, it's apparent the economic development committee has a plan in place to capture the interest and dollars of visitors that happen to stop by. Although our visit here was short we did get to experience some of its small town charm but wasn't here long enough to see any of their struggles. Although I didn't get to experience it Black Mountain owns and operates the Black Mountain Golf Course which is home to the famous 747yd, par 6 17th hole, which at one time the longest hole in the world, now that sounds like a birdie opportunity to me...

Detoured off the highway for traffic, it was a plus because I got to see this marker that would…read moreotherwise have been missed! Yes, "Rafael Guastavino (1842-1908). Builder who developed tile construction method widely used in vaults & domes. Designed vaulted ceilings at Biltmore in 1894. Lived 1 mile SE." The marker is at the intersection so there is plenty of room to stop and read. And if you've made it this far, don't miss the Biltmore! Online, there is more information. "Rafael Guastavino, Sr. (Rafael Guastavino y Moreno) was born in Valencia, Spain in 1842 and graduated with the title of "master of the works" or "master builder" from the Escola Especial Des Mestres d'Obres (Special School for Masters of Works) in Barcelona in 1872. Drawing on a traditional Mediterranean technique of building with thin mortared tile, Guastavino became an innovator in the construction of lightweight, fireproof vaults and domes." "Thin tile construction (called "cohesive construction" by Guastavino and also known as "timbrel" or "Catalan" construction), was a technique well known to traditional builders in Guastavino's native Spain. The method is thought to date to Roman times or may display a Persian influence. In cohesive construction, thin ceramic tile is mortared together in layers to create lightweight vaults that support floors and ceilings, and to create large and complex stair and dome structures." "The house, neglected and fire damaged, was destroyed by the 1950s. The portion of land encompassing the house and kiln site is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and is in the ownership of the Christmount Retreat, Camp, and Conference Center, which maintains the remnants of the "Rhododendron" estate and plans to develop a museum facility to interpret Raphael Guastavino's life and achievements." [Review 547 of 2024 - 3603 in North Carolina - 21578 overall]

There's a very helpful brochure at the entrance and if they're out of stock, I've added a picture…read more The brochure tells the story of this cemetery that dates back to 1785 when the oldest church in the county was organized by Scots-Irish in a log building that stood at the north side of the graveyard called Francis Dean's or Robert Henderson's Lower Meeting House. Dean owned the land and Henderson was the first pastor of the church. The brochure continues, "When the church was founded in 1785, Dandridge was just a small western outpost nestled along the French Broad River in Caswell County, State of Franklin, where most people were living in scattered log cabins. The ace of cession by North Carolina paved the way for the formation of the State of Franklin which almost became the nation's 14th state and survived for four years under its own government even though North Carolina would never officially recognize the Franklinites." It was peaceful and interesting and quite historic. If you're heading to Dandridge, stop in and visit the final resting place of these pioneers. [Review 20105 overall - 461 in Tennessee - 1081 of 2023.]

So old. Yeah, this is pretty neat. Dating back to around 1785, interred here are the graves of…read moreRevolutionary War veterans and early citizens of Dandridge. The are only a handful of headstones and they are all unmarked and weathered - in a really cool historic way. There are several stone benches and the grounds are well maintained. The local attendant at the visitor center told me much more oral history; apparently you may never guess it by the size of this little hill mound but approximately 200 unknown graves lie underneath. Oh my.

Very cool urban "archaeological" find...nobody but locals "in the know" seem to be aware it's even…read morethere! Found out about it from the very nice & informative bartender at Dust Off Brewing (check out doing to the YoCo Brew Trail; check into 6 breweries on the app & get a t-shirt). He couldn't quite remember how to get to it, but after some intensive research, found the geo coordinates. That was honestly the only way to find this place, plus a little guts & guesswork. You can quasi see some portion of the rockwork of the ruinous remains from the paved Riverwalk trail. The "easiest" way to get to the ruins is to follow the Riverwalk Piedmont Medical Center Trail to just before mile marker 1.25; you will see this steep wooden thing with awkwardly placed planks. You basically have to rock-wall climb your way up. From there you are on a mountain biking trail. Follow the arrows for just over a quarter mile and you will see some indicators of the ruins before they open up in front of you. You will most likely have the place to yourself. Really cool to wander around and take it all in. Just be careful with holes and don't walk on or within the actual ruins as they are pretty sketch & unsteady. There are spiders, snakes, and flying insects galore, so put on repellent and stay vigilant cuz it is deep woods! You can either get back down the way you came; I found this gray rock slope that I found easier to navigate than sliding down the wood thing I climbed up. Either way, really neat find and I'm so glad I explored to find it! The paved walkway along the Catawba is also a nice walk to and from!

We enjoyed walking around the Visitor Center, learning more about Zebulon Vance and the area. We…read morealso enjoyed looking at the buildings on the grounds. Very nice historic site!

The Vance Birthplace is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Weaverville, NC. Admission to the…read moremuseum is free. With Covid, masks are required and the front entrance is closed. You enter through the back of the visitor's center. I did not know much about Vance before coming to his birthplace. I was familiar with Vance County and monument in Downtown Asheville and schools named after him. I wasn't aware that Vance was a NC Governor or in the US Senate just his white supremacy. I still have a difficult time figuring out why all these places were named after a man filled with hatred. The museum did do a great job of telling the history of both Vance and the enslaved people. The Vance family moved to the property once home to the Cherokees. The enslaved put in the labor for the Buncombe Turnpike and farm. The Vance family owned 18 slaves and Zebulon Vance owned 6 of them. Outside shows how life would be on the plantation.

Toured the Carter Mansion today ($7 per person) Tours are not everyday. Call Sycamore Shoals, or…read morecheck their Facebook site for tour days, and time. We got to see every room in the house, except the basement, which has wood floors. A painting over the fireplace was pretty cool. It was painted over with white paint years ago, and while the restoration group was taking paint "samples", they realized something was under the white paint, which turned out to be a painting. Only one piece of furniture was original to the house, which was a chair. We checked out the family cemetery, and walked down to the Watauga river which is actually in front of the house. This is the oldest framed house in Tennessee. Interesting piece of history.

We really enjoyed bringing the kids to tour this cavern! It got flooded out by Helene but is back…read moreup and running, and it's a great spot to cool off on a hot day too! My favorite part of the tour was when they cut the lights off for a moment so you can experience total darkness! You couldn't even see the hand in front of your face! Some good history lessons on the tour as well.

It was something to do on a rainy day, but altogether underwhelming. The pictures below pretty much…read morecapture the experience. It's a small cavern, very small by some standards and I was surprised to have the guide tell us that we were standing in the largest room in the cavern when we were in a small room. I've been to much grander caverns, but as I sid, it was something to do.

For fans of The Hunger Games films, this is a must-see!…read more We stopped in on a beautiful spring day. We were given an informative tour by Donavan, who was hilarious and full of knowledge. After the tour, we were free to explore the 78 acres. It's a beautiful place and we had a great time looking at the mill homes and the surrounding terrain. They also offer a military discount which is always appreciated! Great place!

Excellent self guided tour, was very cool to see........however.......there are NO SIGNS stating…read moreit's "more of a museum" and that you have to pay to walk thru. That being said the guy that runs the place was very rude to me and my elderly mother!

We took a tour of the Moore Plantation today and loved it. Our guide, Kevin, was very informative…read more The house isn't big and some parts you can't go into due to safety issues, but it was well worth the time and money to see it. Not all out buildings are original, but they are reproductions to what the originals were. This is a pleasant hidden gem and a part of American history. We would go back and bring friends and family with us so they can see what people went through back in the late 1700's.

A National Treasure and a South Carolina gem, this 1765 plantation is set in an idyllic location…read moreminutes from Spartanburg. I planned my visit there, but most of the visitors seemed to have stopped in spur-of-the-moment while traveling through the area. Most plantations available for tours are mid-1800s and grand, but this modest home dates back to 1765, its inhabitants playing key roles in the Revolutionary War. The guided tour takes close to an hour, and the guide went in depth and detail describing the implements used on a daily basis during colonial times on the plantation. Most of the outbuildings on the property are replicas, but at least two of them are vintage. The furniture and decor in the house is made up of a combination of period pieces and very well-made replicas. The up-close detail you can view on the home reveals just how amazing it is that the structure is still there! A nice trail takes you to the family cemetery about a quarter mile from the house. The grounds are picturesque and the outbuildings are in close proximity to the house.

Big thanks to Richard R. for adding this one that did not come up in the usual searches and yet, it…read morewas the main reason I passed through the DuPont Forest. I love bridges and I love covered bridges even more! And wow, thanks for the amazing writeup of all the drama on this property that was an eye-opener. I parked the van at the High Falls Trailhead (there are restrooms and even a wifi here!) and made my way along the trail to the bridge. It's about 0.75 of a mile on a path through the woods. I am apparently not as delicious as usual as I earned zero mosquito bites despite sweating a lot in the humidity. I'd call this walk "easy plus." The bridge itself is impressive and quite modern. And I would suggest not missing the nearby Falls though I was simply too tired and it was getting too late for me. I'll need to plan better next time! The walk back was much easier as I opted to take the gravel road that is easy and smooth, but only open for emergency vehicles and the forest rangers. I would rate the hike as "easy" for 0.6 miles though not wheelchairable. You can ask the rangers for access by vehicle for handicapped but they're only open regular hours. [Review 20030 overall - 3463 in North Carolina - 1005 of 2023.]

High Falls Covered Bridge (also known as Buck Forest Covered Bridge) is one of my favorite bridges…read morein the Southern United States. It is a modern structure that has an interesting history. It is an example of the power of the people versus the dollar power of a developer. HISTORY In 1999, Sterling Diagnostic Imaging decided to sell their interest in the land that holds Triple Falls and High Falls, two of the most gorgeous waterfalls you will ever visit this side of the Mississippi. For reasons still unknown, the company decided to use an unusual bidding method by choosing to keep the bidding private and secretive. The State offered up a bid in efforts to save the land for public use, but Sterling announced a developer by the name of Jim Anthony won with a bid of 6.35 million. The developer initially announced in the Hendersonville Times News that he had no plans to develop the land, but instead wanted to use it as a private retreat. However, it soon became apparent Anthony was indeed planning a massive upscale gated community. The fact that the deed he purchased from Sterling Diagnostics stating the land could not be used for residential purposes at the Transylvania Courthouse did not seem to matter. It was later discovered the complex legal agreement between the two was unenforceable and the battle began between the state and Anthony. Anthony proceeded to begin building the roads and this gorgeous covered bridge as part of his planned community, but thankfully he was ultimately defeated. On October 23, 2000 Governor Jim Hunt and the Council of State unanimously voted to invoke eminent domain on the tract of land owned by developer Anthony. In many ways Anthony still won big, because the State paid him 24.5 million dollars in an out of court settlement. WOW! The Falls opened to the public on December 17, 2000. Since then, the entire 2200 acres has been integrated into Dupont State Forest. [History Reference: Romantic Asheville - "How Dupont State Forest was saved"] FINAL THOUGHTS Aside from being one of the most beautiful covered bridges you will ever see, it also is part of a trail system that includes arguably the most beautiful waterfalls in the South. If that is not enough of a reason to come here, let me give you movie fans one more reason. Many scenes from the 1st Hunger Games were filmed right here in this forest. The scene were Katniss finds Peeta camouflaged in the ground at the waterfall is located on the second tier of Triple Falls... just a half mile downstream of High Falls Covered Bridge. Movie scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxvyMiwhJWw Year Built: 2000 Obvious materials: Wood, stone, concrete Spans over: Little River at the top of High Falls Location: Dupont State Forest @ Buck Forest Road