This is a short diversion of the Blue Ridge Parkway on the windy road down to Brevard. Having…read morepassed through the area many times, it was not on my radar; my knowledge of forestry is slightly greater than zero, but it is certainly not my forte. This place is federally owned, and they do charge admission. A national parks pass resulted in a discount down to $4 a person for me. I did receive a warm welcome. The well-produced introductory movie tells a story of the Biltmore mansion that I did not get a sense of when I actually visited Biltmore. It emphasizes a group of people who pioneered a form of stewardship of the surrounding forests well before the modern environmental movement. It sounds hagiographic at times and I'm sure there's more to the story, but when the film concludes, one can't help but notice that the surrounding forest, which was apparently logged extensively at one point, looks awfully good today. Several paved trails lead one through various exhibitions, including a tunnel under the road that I didn't even notice driving in. The plant life is diverse, and the terrain is easier to cover here than elsewhere making it a good choice for travelers with mild mobility limitations. I couldn't help but find it a uniquely interesting aesthetic experience.

Great place for kids and adults alike. Good for a family outing. All trails are loops and…read moreapproximately one mile long so do as many as you like. Historical forestry buildings with descriptive signage are located along the various trails. Take the Forest Discovery Trail less traveled. I suggest taking it down from the old locomotive, as up from the visitor center has a longer uphill trek.

My family and I spent the weekend in Hendersonville NC and decided to explore Carl's Sandburg Home…read more Carl Sandburg Home-located in Flat Rock North Carolina-offeres an educational lessons for all ages. My family decided to take a tour of the house, to our surprise there was no charge for the tour. Our tour guide, a sweet elderly lady, was fantastic, it was like I was a part of Carl Sandburg's family. The house is well preserved bringing you back to the 1800s. I gained an abundant amount of knowledge during the tour, it was roughly two hours. After the guided tour was over we stamped our Passport book, because the site is a national park. Don't forget your passport books! If you have younger children, don't be cautious about bringing them. You can also go on the actual site of Carl Sandburg's wife's goat farm. I had so much fun petting and brushing the goats. They were so friendly and calm. After our day filled with history and playful goats, my family decided to walk some of the trails, located on the property. The trails are well mapped out and easy to follow, which my family enjoyed. Also, your pets are welcome to join you on the trails. During our visits we were greeted with friendly staff members, who were eager to answer your questions. The grounds and bathroom were clean, and you could tell the grounds had regular maintenance. To my surprise Carl Sandburg's Home and surrounding grounds are accessible to all: youth, adults, and elderly. Offering ample parking including Handicap spots. In addition, the grounds were mostly flat, and there is a shuttle that runs if you are unable to walk through the grounds. If you have a free day during the week or on the weekend, I would recommend checking out Carl Sandburg's Home.

How in the world have I not reviewed the Carl Sandburg Home National Historical Park yet. I've come…read moreto just go to the park and typically head over there before performance at the Flat Rock Playhouse. I even leave a note on my windshield as parking for the national Park isn't allowed there on show days. Tours of the home can be done through reservations but the number on a tour are limited. You can still enjoy the park without a reservation though. The park is a good place to walk especially if you like hills. It is a a hike to get to the house but being in nature and enjoying the scenery is part of the experience. If you didn't get a reservation to tour the house you can view it on the outside as well as wander through the grounds and see the goats and chickens. Make sure to enjoy the beautiful views.

Extremely well researched and compelling exhibits. The volunteers were very knowledgeable and…read morehelpful. I learned a lot about the human losses in constructing and running the railroad. A great balance of types of exhibits- a must for train enthusiast and history buffs.

This a beautifully renovated train depot, unfortunately on this day the museum was closed I didn't…read morelook into the daily operating hours being this was an unscheduled stop. I did walk around the building and peeked through the windows and missing the opportunity to tour this was a little disappointing but it was a cool place and fortunately the young lady staffing the visitor center had a wealth of knowledge and if you get a chance to visit this train depot during normal business hours a quick stop at the visitor center will likely enhance your experience and it only a short walk between the two. It's nice to see the community has invested in preserving this important piece of history and it's definitely a tribute to the community of volunteers that donate their time and knowledge to share such an important cause...

We've been traveling to Lake Lure for a number of years and have always parked our RV up the…read moremountain at Apple Valley Farms MotorCoach Resort for a week or so but spend a lot of time here with friends that also stay in the area at their timeshares in Rumbling Bald Resort - We always meet for lunch at La Strada's upon arriving then for cocktails at the 1927 Lake Lure Inn both located in the downtown area, this has been an annual tradition that we have come to love. We also spend time on the lake renting pontoon boats and cruise Lake Lure visiting lakeside restaurants and enjoying this beautiful lake and area. Unfortunately that wasn't the case this year, it was a different experience and no words or photos can do what has happen to the area justice, the world changed for the people and businesses of Lake Lure and the surrounding communities specifically Chimney Rock and Bat Cave when Hurricane Helene caused major devastation on September 27, 2024, when the Broad River overflowing its banks and destroying much of the infrastructure in the area. The storm brought flooding, mudslides, and widespread destruction to this western North Carolina region and although much progress has been made in the year since the flash flooding it still has a way to go before the area returns to some since of normalcy. Although the Town of Lake Lure was spared the brunt of the storm, the lake filled with debris and the damn was breached devastating the economy here. Having met so many locals here I know first hand they are very resilient and still depend on their neighbors for the most part through the continued recovery - we weren't going to let this terrible event stop us from returning here less than a year after the destruction, we felt visiting here would be more about supporting the community, they have worked hard to get back to living, everyone that I have spoken to appreciates the people that have returned to support their economy by spending money at the local businesses. I know it may take years for the area to return to the pristine place it once was but I have no doubt it will thanks to the people who call this home...

My kick ass bosses (woohoo Back2Health!) took the staff on a much needed weekend getaway to Lake…read moreLure. Apparently the best way for staff to bond is through jello shots and 20 ft dives into a lake. ;-) I'm not really big on the outdoors but this place was awesome. In one weekend I saw deer, a beaver, and squirrels. I'm pretty sure had I woken up early, gone out onto the balcony, extended my arms and sang, birds would have come to me. Our rental house had a pontoon boat, a paddle boat, and a canoe. The lake is huge, the water is so clear, and I really need to find out if the guy who owns the castle is single ;-) Water was cold-ish but so nice to swin in. Tiny little fish nip at your feet but nothing scarier than that. Consider it a free fish pedicure. Ingles is an awesome and huge grocery store. You must taste the pistachio muffins.

Absolutely gorgeous and moderate hike on Memminger trail loop to Big Glassy Mountain. Nice cool…read moreweather so peaceful so lovely!!! We enjoyed it very much!! Very scenic trail!

Tour guide Steve Weisburg gave us an amazing tour of Sandburg historic home ! The driver of the…read morehandicap van was so helpful and kind to all of us! ! Rangers were very informative!

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

Nice hike easy walk very pretty.. we were trying to do the upper part of the falls but still had a…read morelot of trees down blocking too much of the walking path no way around

Short walk from the parking area, great spots for dogs to splash around. Be ready for slick rocks,…read morebut otherwise not a strenuous hike. This is a great place to view the falls from the trail or the platform, take a selfie, and be still with the rushing water. For a more strenuous hike, take a short drive to the trail head for the upper trail to the top of the falls.

It's a cute bridge that is behind a fence on private property. I opted not to risk trespassing and…read morephotographed the bridge from the road. It is open to traffic in the neighborhood, apparently. The bridge was built in 2000 by Don Spann and covers a drainage ditch near Look Away Farm. It got the name from the sound it makes as you drive over the bridge. [Review 20004 overall - 1089 in South Carolina - 979 of 2023.]