Category: Hiking

Appalachian Ski Mountain Opening 2022 and History

November 18 is a very exciting day for skiing and winter fans as it is the opening day of Appalachian Ski Mountain in Boone, NC!Β Β So, what makes Appalachian Ski Mountain so special? And what is its history?

Appalachian Ski Mountain got its start in 1968 when Grady Moretz and four other partners bought the area at a public auction

Originally, the resort only had a 12,000-foot base lodge and 3 slopes. These slopes only had two rope tows for ascending the mountain. As it became more and more popular, in 1984 it underwent a major renovation which added chairlifts and a 6,000-foot addition to the ski lodge.

By 2010 Appalachian Ski Mountain has twelve slopes, three chairlifts, two conveyer lifts and one handle pull lift. The ski lodge itself now covers 46,000 feet and is very comfortable as well. 

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Wildlife Habitat Daily Programs at Grandfather Mountain

This October, and every April through October, Grandfather Mountain offers a guided tour through the special Animal Habitats in the mountain park! These are great opportunities to see each wild animal active in their natural habitat close to the overlook of their habitat.

On Grandfather Mountain, many of the native species such as the bears, otters, and elk have very large, designated wildlife habitats which have large moats or retaining walls in designated viewing era for guests. During a normal day, the animals are not consistently visible as the habitats are very large. But that is different on certain hours each day.

Daily, at certain hours, a keeper will bring special scents or toys out to entice the animals to come closer to the viewing area for people to enjoy them. The keeper will then offer interesting facts about the different animals. This happens daily every half from 11am through 4pm at the different habitats.

There is no additional fee to enjoy these wildlife habitats. They are included with the price of admission. You do need to schedule visits to Grandfather Mountain ahead of time though.

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Grandfather Glows on Grandfather Mountain

Grandfather Mountain is one of the best places in the Appalachian Mountains to see rare and endanger animals. One of those species of is a species of firefly, known as Photinus carolinus. What makes this firefly so special?

The Photinus carolinus is the only species of firefly in North America whose individuals can synchronize their lighting display, meaning they can flash in unison. Photinus carolinus famously resides in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, where it is a major draw for visitors from late May through early June. 

Every summer, Grandfather Mountain hosts a Grandfather Glows nighttime viewing event which take place on the lower half of mountain to view this spectacular phenomenon of millions of fireflies glowing at once.

This year it takes place from June 26, June 29, July 1. 7-11 PM. You can sign up for the waitlist here https://grandfather.com/waitlist/

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Enjoy Linville Caverns in Banner Elk!

This spring and summer, if you are looking for a unique family day trip, Linville Caverns fit that bill. They are the only show caverns in North Carolina and have been open for tours since the late 1930s.

The Linville Caverns are a limestone cave system which are open from Thursday through Monday each week from 9am – 5pm. Guided tours are offered on site and can’t be pre-booked. Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for children 5-12 years old, and those 4 and under are free.

The guided tours include a tour guide giving the geological history of the caverns, as well as how different formations such as stalactites and stalagmites were formed. Also included, is descriptions of all of the life found in the caverns such as tricolored bats and little brown bats.

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Hiking on Grandfather Mountain

One of the most popular excursions in the Boone area is visiting Grandfather Mountain. The mountain has plenty of activities to do from visiting the museum, multiple animal habitats to observe, and of course trails to hike with the mile high swinging bridge as the highlight.

If you are looking for casual trails to hike, Grandfather Mountain does have those too. The Black Rock Trail is a 1 mile trail which offers lots of stunning mountain views and rock formations. It is a mostly shaded trail and only descends a total of 300 feet so is a not very strenuous walk back to the car.

The Woods Walk & Picnic Area is a 1/2 mile trail which is perfect for all ages, including small children. It is a very wide trail with many benches to sit down and rest. There are also signs along the trail which describe the different plants and animals in the park.

The Bridge Trail is another 1/2 mile trail which ascends 300 feet in elevation and has many rock formations on the side to enjoy. The highlight of the trail is walking under the mile high swinging bridge. This trail is slightly more strenuous than the others but not too bad.

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Snowshoe Guided Tours at Sugar Mountain

While in most parts of the South, autumn solely means a slightly cooler weather change, in the Boone area, it also means we are nearing the season for winter activities on the nearby ski mountains!

On many of the ski resorts, they offer more than just skiing, for instance on Sugar Mountain, they offer snowshoe guided tours. Starting on December 1, tours are offered every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 3pm. And on Saturday at 9am and 3pm. There is both an adults and children’s tour for those between the ages of 8-11. The tours are 1 hour.

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