Mountain Song Chalet @Beech

  Very good surprise to find such an amazing trail with serious vertical in the middle of Blowing Rock! It maybe a little 'dangerous' for some smaller children or seniors due to some slippery mud sections. I love that the trail is along the water the whole way. Several locations to see the falls including a bridge. Near the start of the trail is some ruins which is cool! Shepherd's Pie We had planned to have lunch at Savannah's Oyster House, but were attracted by the laid-back vibe of Six Pence Pub on main street and decided to try something new. After lunch we stopped by BR Art & History Museum again. Small but unique collection upstairs, including some local history and preservation.

  Mojarra Dorada Vegetable Fajitas  After spending a whole day at Blowing Rock, we realized that the roofers might be still working on our chalet, so we decided to have another food splurge. Kevin never says NO to Mexican cuisine, and I always say YES to seafood. It is easy for us to pick this local restaurant that seems meeting all of our requirements: Puerto Nuevo Mexican & Seafood Restaurant Address for GPS: 2120 Tynecastle Hwy UNIT 1, Banner Elk, NC 28604 Everything about this restaurant exceeded our expectations. Very pleasant atmosphere. Reasonable Prices. Good portions. Excellent food. Great services. We enjoyed the complimentary salsa bar too!

Apparently a lady hand makes them and the store sells them. You order your pie 2 days in advance, and the woman makes them in her home and then delivers them to the store. The store calls you to pick it up. Literally a homemade pie straight out of someone's home kitchen hand made for you from scratch.  Each bite a little piece of heaven dancing on your tongue.  The whole pie is $15.99.  They are so delicious! 5 stars.

  We have been planning these two major projects since last year. Now it is finally the time to do it. Maintaining a mountain house does take a lot of work, but it is so well worthy. In the last two days we cleaned up the leaves and branches from fall and winter along the bubbling brook, and guess what? Our deer friends visited us again and enjoyed the clean and clear water from the stream!

  Even though we come back to the High Country whenever we can, there is still so much that I haven’t seen or discovered! Lower Pond Creek Trail was definitely worth waiting for.    From the beginning, the trail leads downhill so coming back is an uphill climb. The hike is rated as moderate to difficult because it can be a little tricky since the path is made up of mostly roots and rocks. I didn't plan to finish the whole trail since it seemed a little challenging, however, once I started it, I felt I was obsessed with it more and more.  I felt like I was in an enchanted forest with a canopy of lush green Rhododendron lining the path with a full stream running along beside me! Water cascading over and between brilliant green moss-covered rocks and trees led to huge boulders as the framework for beautiful waterfalls.  She-Falls Falls is 20 feet tall and is found at about the halfway point in the trail.  The benefits of hiking for me have been profound. There...

The roofers started their work this morning, so I decided to have some adventures in the nature. First spot I wanted to check out is the small lake of Lake Coffey which is a 2 acre lake. The trail around the lake is only 1/4 of a mile but paved and very nice. There were people walking and jogging around the lake. The lake has a fishing pier and is considered delayed harvest trout waters. It’s stocked with with brook, brown, and rainbow trout. The lake is also near the upper and lower pond creek trails, which are my favorite trails in Beech Mtn. Lower Pond Creek Trail is fairly strenuous with lots of roots and rocks but beautiful and lovely water views all along 1.2 mile trail in and out. Upper trail is more relaxing where you can enjoy the creek,  wooden walkways, bridges, and educational nature signs. Lake Coffey is 8 min drive from our chalet, a very peaceful place to stop by when you are in the mountains.   Address for GPS: 111 Lakeledge Rd, Beech Mountain, NC

The Blue Ridge are both noted and famous for their unique blue color, often seen when viewing the mountains at long distance from higher elevations. This blue haze is caused by the numerous trees covering the mountains and surrounding valleys.  The trees release isoprene into the atmosphere, which contributes significantly to the distinctive blue color. The Cherokee Indians, called their homeland, Shaconage (shah-CON-uh-gee) - the land of the blue smoke. 

The Blue Ridge Parkway is part of the National Park Service and is known as America's Favorite Scenic Drive. The 469-mile ribbon of road weaves around the peaks of the stunning Blue Ridge Mountains connecting Shenandoah National Park (Virginia) and Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina). With the use of the milepost system (the numbers increase as you drive south), you can easily find points of interest along the way. Here are our top picks for things to do along a 60-mile North Carolina section of the Parkway from north to south. Grandfather Mountain exit at Mileposts 305 is the closest one to Mountain Song Chalet. Milepost 294, Moses Cone Park: Explore the historic estate with a Mansion, Craft Center and thousands of acres to explore near Blowing Rock. Milepost 297, Julian Price Park: Walk around, canoe Price Lake, hike, picnic or camp.  Milepost 302.8, Rough Ridge: 1/3-mile hike to wonderful views on a boardwalk atop a rocky ridge along Tanawha Trail. Milepost 304....

Fred’s General Mercantile is an old-fashioned general store with a full service deli, and seasonally, a ski shop, wild bird shop and Christmas shop. The main store consists of groceries, hardware and clothing. It is known for its great supply of nick-nacks and gift items to take home with you after a trek up the mountain. In summer months, we LOVE their tasty peaches picked from nearby local farms. Fred’s Backside Deli serves delicious sandwiches, homemade soups, salads, beverages and homemade desserts like brownies, chocolate chip cookies and ice cream. The deli offers a beautiful garden patio where you can appreciate the gorgeous blue ridge mountains. In addition, Fred’s has been renting the finest ski equipment, accessories and warm weather gear. Fred's is 2 miles away from Mountain Song Chalet. We really appreciate all the convenience that Fred's has offered when we spend our vacation time up there. Hope you can find what you need in this lovely place as well! Address: 501 ...

Linville Falls is an absolute must see waterfall. Plan on a half or full day there if you want to see the waterfalls from all the different overlooks that are offered and really enjoy the area to its fullest. The trails include four overlooks to the waterfalls, where wild flowers and foliage around along the way. The steep-walled Gorge is known as the "Great Canyon of the Southern Appalachians". The hike begins at a visitor center located just off the Blue Ridge Parkway near MP 316. The trail crosses a bridge over the Linville River, following a wide gravel road and rolling elevation through a vibrant green forest. Tall trees tower over the rolling landscape of grasses, rhododendron, and fern. The Falls Trail distance is 1.6 miles round trip and easy. The Gorge Trail distance is 1.4 miles round trip and strenuous. The Plunge Basin Trail is 1 mile round trip and moderate.  Slippery rocks and fast moving water can be extremely dangerous. Please stay safe.

Beech Mountain. Most people thinking skiing nine times out of 10. However, there’s a hidden gem of hiking and mountain biking trails over the rainbow -- The Emerald Outback Trail Park. Located near the summit of Beech Mountain, it is a multi-use trail system created by the Beech Mountain Parks and Recreation Department. The Emerald Outback stands out as one of the highest trail parks east of the Rockies, with elevations up to 5,400 feet above sea level. The trail system consists of seven trails covering about eight miles of terrain. Five of the seven trails are rated as moderate to advanced in degree of difficulty, while two trails are rated as easy. USA Cycling has twice hosted its Collegiate Mountain Biking National Championships in the Emerald Outback. The trail system is punctuated by overlooks that offer long-range views of the North Carolina High Country - another unique feature of this unique place. Take North Pinnacle Ridge Road up to Oz Road, and get to the trail head area. Pa...

The Blowing Rock (open year round, weather permitting) is NC’s first travel attraction and the town’s namesake. The view is incomparable, and the near-constant winds inspired a Native legend about the site.  An impressive observation deck offers nearly 365-degree views, while a pretty loop trail is a relaxing way to enjoy the scenery. The rock itself is a perfect place to take a bucket-list photo! GPS: 432 The Rock Road, Blowing Rock, NC 28605 We feel that no attractions tour of the High Country is complete without a visit to downtown Blowing Rock! The quaint village-like atmosphere is uncommon nowadays and there is plenty to enjoy. Stroll along the welcoming streets to see unique shops and galleries, and take a break in the large Memorial Park right on Main Street. Have lunch at one of many eateries downtown before you head back home! One of our favorite local stores Cabin Fever carries a lot of interesting cabin décor and rustic lodge furnishings where we always pick one or two t...

  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