Mountain Song Chalet @Beech

  Grandfather Mountain, a globally-recognized nature preserve and home to the famous Mile-High Swinging Bridge, is located near Beech Mountain, the longtime attraction with many things to do and see. A short drive from the Blue Ridge Parkway on US 221 South is the park entrance where guests purchase tickets and drive up the crooked drive (due to Covid-19, guests book their visits in advance through their online reservation system) to the ridgetop with a gift shop and the Swinging Bridge. Several lofty alpine hiking trails begin from this parking area. Just down the mountain a bit are environmental habitats and nature museum where you can find black bears, river otters, cougars, eagles and elk. Viewing areas give you an up-close perspective of the animals. There are also more than 100 picnic tables and grills scattered throughout the park. Bring your own picnic, or purchases sandwiches, hamburgers, chicken tenders, salads and more to go from Mildred's Grill restaurant at the museum....

The Buckeye Recreation Center overlooks a very pretty reservoir called Buckeye Lake. It is worthy to drive down "the backside of Beech" to do a little extra hiking on the trails when you're on Beech Mountain. They also have a great outdoor playground for the kids which definitely can keep them entertained for a while. Back in October of 2020, we walked the Falls Trail and it was an adventure. The trail is moderately strenuous because of tree roots and rocks to step down and up, but it is beautiful and fun. A must stop for a great leisurely day! Address: 1330 Pine Ridge Rd, Beech Mountain, NC 28604 Phone: (828) 387-3003

Although we have been impressed by the speed with which the Town of Beech gets those snow plows out there to clear the roads whenever it's necessary, it is still never wise to underestimate Mother Nature.  So, hazardous driving conditions are a possibility during Beech Mountain winters. And because of this fact, we do recommend either a 4WD vehicle or that you carry a set of chains for your drive wheels. If you do not already have some snow chains, you can order them fairly inexpensively online and put them on yourself. There are also a number of places which offer this kind of service in Banner Elk, which is a beautiful town at the foot of Beech Mountain.  It's nice to keep their phone numbers handy, just for the extra luxury of peace of mind. Banner Elk Exxon & Wrecker Service, 115 Main St. W, Banner Elk 28604  (828) 898-5210 High South Wrecker Service,  40 High S Ln, Banner Elk, NC 28604  (828) 898-4473 Most of the time, you can get around on the mountain...

My husband and I are both Software Engineers, computer nerds, and most importantly, nature lovers! Owning a home in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains has always been our dream. In the Spring of 2020, we  bought a chalet of our own 4,400 feet above sea level, and have been enjoying Beech Mountain as often as possible ever since. In spending our vacation time up there, we've also passed along what we've learned in the form of e-mails, recommendations, suggestions, and helpful tips to our guests.  It seems a shame to let all that good information molder away all over the place, so we think it might be a good idea to set up this blog as a way to spread the word about our charming chalet, and our own discoveries on how to have a relaxing time in the NC High Country! Michelle & Kevin