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.

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!

A moderately difficult trail that allows some great views when you get to the end. It's about 3…read moremiles and 1700 ft in elevation. It was my second time hiking ever and I didn't have much issues. There was ice on some of the surfaces because of the winter weather so be careful.

Looking Glass Rock Overlook is awesome!…read more What makes this spot so special? 1) It is one of the best places to view LOOKING GLASS ROCK, a huge monolith that, as the Nat'l Forest Service describes: "rises from the surrounding forest like a sentinel." It is said that once upon a time, The Appalachian Mountain chain was taller than the Rockies, but the softer sandstones eroded over time leaving the harder rocks we know today. Looking Glass Rock is volcanic in nature making it harder and denser than most of the surrounding earth and did not erode as the rest of the mountain did. 2) You can also access the mountain to sea trail just across the parkway that leads to Skinny Dip Falls! If you are not in a terrible hurry, the walk to the falls should only take up about an hour of your time. Or you could spend several hours there playing in the many crystal clear pools of water along the many levels of the falls. The Parkway overlooks always give you the above sea level elevation and Looking Glass Rock Overlook is about 4,492 feet. Comparatively, the highest elevation on the parkway is Richland Balsam @ 6,053 feet, which is about 14.5 miles west of this overlook. The lowest point on the parkway is the James River Visitor Center in Virginia @ 649 feet. [ FINAL THOUGHTS ] If you haven't heard, The Blue Ridge Parkway is also known as AMERICA'S FAVORITE DRIVE. It is 469 miles long, but it won't take you even a fraction of that to see why it has this nickname. It is absolutely beautiful most times of the year but ESPECIALLY in the fall! If you are looking for a way to get out and still remain socially distanced, I can't really think of a better way than driving this amazing road. It is estimated there are 65 waterfalls just off the Parkway and hundreds more within a mile or two of the parkway. I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND visiting Lineville Falls, Mingo Falls, Crabtree Falls, Looking Glass Falls, Mount Mitchell and visiting the mile high swinging bridge @ Grandfather Mountain. AND of course Skinny Dip Falls, where the trailhead is located right here @ Looking Glass Rock Overlook. 2021 / 65

Another brief statement that left me wanting me. This simple historical marker only has a few words…read moreso I had to look it up to get more meaning. It reads "Lost industry in western N.C. Bark used to process animal hides to make leather goods. Joseph Silversteen operated one here from 1901 to 1958." The official website - linked in the "business -" goes in to a lot more detail about the history of the tanneries in the region and how important they were to the growth of the economy in western North Carolina. [Review 10346 overall, 112 of 2019.]

Located at the border, this marker points out one of the landmarks that helped point out where…read moreNorth Carolina and South Carolina meet. It is on the side of the road with the "Welcome to..." signs in sight. The marker reads, "The Block House Early landmark, western terminus of the 1772 boundary survey between N.C. and S.C. Stood 1/2 mile east." This is marker number O-38 and there is more information online, " As early as 1750, the Block House site stood as a prominent landmark along the North Carolina - South Carolina line, although technically 300 feet within South Carolina. In 1756, the house itself was constructed as a trading post and soon thereafter was modified into a fortification by local settlers during the French and Indian War. Twenty years later, militia Captain Thomas Howard reportedly used the building as a staging ground for an attack on the Cherokee." There is space to pull over and view the marker and to visit the Block House itself. [Review 20006 overall - 3447 in North Carolina - 981 of 2023.]

This marker is on state road 108 which is also the Overmountain Victory Trail. It commemorates the…read moremilitary group that helped turn the tide of the Revolutionary War with a decisive victory at nearby Kings Mountain. The marker reads, "On Oct. 5, 1780, about 1400 militia, including many riflemen, camped 1 mi. S. at Alexander's Ford and there turned toward Kings Mountain." Online, there is more information. "Some of the best Patriot riflemen were the Overmountain Men encamped at Alexander's Ford. They were preparing to proceed onward to meet the British and Tory forces in Ninety-Six, South Carolina. With the arrival of new intelligence describing the whereabouts of Major Patrick Ferguson's force, the Overmountain Men changed their course and headed toward the Charlotte, North Carolina area. This decision ensured that Patriot forces during the Battle of King's Mountain possessed some of the best riflemen in a turning point battle. From then on, revolutionary forces had the upper hand in the Southern theater of war." This is marker number O-84 and it was erected in 2021 by the North Carolina Office of Archives and History. There is enough room on this quiet road to stop and read the marker. [Review 677 of 2025 - 4157 in North Carolina - 24238 overall]

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...

This site was the original depot station and has been lovingly maintained and updated. Model…read moretrains, memorabilia and lots of interesting stuff to see and experience. Saluda is in the mountains and the station lies at the top of the steepest rail grade in the United States though the rail line is no longer active. Gift shop has train toys and such. Friendly folks who were very happy to chat on this Friday afternoon. Note that they have somewhat limited hours during the week. [Review 20010 overall - 3451 in North Carolina - 985 of 2023.]

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.