Blue Ridge Skyline Parkway Drive

Beech Mountain is located in the Northwestern corner of North Carolina, just a stones throw from the Tennessee line. When asked for directions we just say "when you get to Banner Elk, just look up". At 5506 feet above sea level, Beech Mountain is the highest town on the east coast. The elevation and terrain make it ideal for winter skiing. Ski Beech has a vertical rise of 830 feet and can lift 9,300 skiers up the mountain each hour. It has 100% snowmaking capacity, making Ski Beech a premier resort for skiing in the southeast.

In the summer time the elevations provide cool temperatures even when surrounding towns are sweltering. Temperatures rarely rise above 82 degrees during the day.

Beech Mountain is an eco-friendly place with miles of hiking and X-C biking trails. In fact, Lance Armstrong writes about Beech Mountain as a favorite place he trained in. Beech Mountain is home to Genesis, a non profit Wildlife Sanctuary. Animals that are wounded are brought to Genesis for rehabilitation and reintroduced to the wild if possible. If not, Genesis cares for them throughout their lives. The official North Carolina Ground Hog resides at Genesis. The town of Beech Mountain adjoins the Beech Creek bog. This Bog is unique as it is at an elevation of 4600 - 5160 feet and is protected from runoff pollution. It has the largest population of the rare Bog Clubmoss in North Carolina, a population of the rare and endangered Gray's Lily and is a breeding ground for the Alder Flycatcher, and Northern Saw-Whet Owl which are significantly rare in North Carolina. There are Narrowleaf Willowherb, Crested Woodfern, and Rose Mandarin, all on the state watch list. In addition to the Beech Creek Bog, there are two ponds in Beech Mountain that are stocked with trout. All you need is a valid North Carolina fishing license, tackle, and some bait.

This environment attracts resident homeowners and vacationers who want to leave the noise and hustle of other towns and cities behind. On Beech Mountain there are numerous restaurants, rustic inns and chalets that can accommodate all the needs of a vacationer.

For additional information about vacationing in Beech Mountain, call the Chamber of Commerce at 1-800-468-5506 or visit our web site at www.beechmtn.com.