2023 Highlands Experience Guide

The Highlands Experience Guide is your resource to all Highlands NC has to offer. With information about outdoor adventures, accommodations, dining, and cultural activities, this annual guide will help you plan your trip to the area. You too will find that Highlands NC truly is The Height of Happiness!

2023 EXPERIENCE GUIDE

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highlands experience guide A publication of the Highlands Chamber of Commerce/Visit Highlands, NC 2023

Publisher: Kaye McHan, Executive Director Editor-in-chief: Kara Addy, Communications Manager Art Director: Ansley Tolleson

Photo Editors Greg Newington Graphic Design Jillian Nickell Contributing Writers Kara Addy, Anna Dayton, Luke Osteen, Randolph P. Shaffner Contributing Photographers Marty Boone, Chelsea Cronkrite, Molly Harris, Colleen Kerrigan, Stephan Pruitt, Brian O’Shea, Greg Newington Advertising Colleen Kerrigan, Business Services Manager Circulation Anna Dayton

Highlands Experience Guide has made every effort to ensure information is accurate and assumes no liability for errors or omissions. The views and opinions that appear in this publication are not necessarily those of the staff or organizations. Highlands Experience Guide: is owned and published once each year by Highlands Chamber of Commerce/Visit Highlands, NC, 108 Main Street/P.O. Box 62, Highlands, NC 28741. 828-526-5841. Periodical postage paid at Asheville, NC and additional mailing offices. Please send address changes to Highlands Experience Guide, P.O. Box 62, Highlands, NC 28741 Please send address changes or office@highlandschamber.org

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CONTENTS

Surrender to the Outdoors

Immerse

in Arts, Shopping and Festivities

Indulge

Savor

in Spas, Resorts, Inns and Lodges

our Inspired Cuisine and Beverages

101

Insiders Guide 115 Journey 129 Business Guide 139

2023 HIGHLANDS NC EXPERIENCE GUIDE

FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MESSAGE THE HEIGHT OF HAPPINESS, ALL YEAR LONG

WE’RE REGULARLY ASKED THE QUESTION, “WHAT IS your favorite time of year in Highlands?” The truth is, it’s dif- ficult to answer. Is it winter, with occasional snowfalls that blanket our moun- taintops and meadows? Winter’s holiday season brings our community together to light up Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park and again to wave to our friends and neighbors as the Christmas Parade passes by. We can long recall the laughter and happy faces of children spinning, skating and sliding dur- ing Snow Fest @ 4118, a weekend celebration in which the white stuff is guaranteed. Maybe, it’s spring. The fresh, green buds dress the trees, start- ing in the valleys and making their way up the peaks, cradling our rivers and waterfalls along the way. Our town prepares to welcome more friendly and familiar faces, some of whom will remain throughout the warm season. Spring brings our immersive, outdoor arts celebration, Meander in May, to Main Street and the surrounding downtown area. Summer is especially joyous, with live music under the stars each Friday and Saturday night. Our all-day July 4th celebra- tion is punctuated by fireworks that explode over the moun- taintops. Our cool summer temperatures are a key draw for those seeking refuge from warmer locales. Indoors, our theatre stages come alive with performances that enchant and enter- tain. Our restaurants take advantage of the opportunities to create delectable cuisine featuring farm-to-table dishes from the season’s bounty. And then, there’s fall. We can almost smell the smoky comfort of a fire pit gathering new and old friends for the lost art of conversation over a favorite libation. Crisp blue skies accent the spectrum of colors as the leaves perform their final act – grand displays that steal our breath and remind us how grateful we are to call this special plateau home. Exciting fall festivals abound, from our Highlands Heritage Jamboree to Halloween on Main to Food & Wine. Yes, it’s difficult to select a favorite season in Highlands. That’s why we encourage you to spend time with each and discover your own special, seasonal joys at The Height of Happiness. 

KAYE MCHAN Executive Director Highlands Chamber of Commerce/Visit Highlands, NC

Elevate Your Family Fun!

For hours and information about our activities, visit HighlandsOutpost.com

to the Outdoors

2023 HIGHLANDS NC EXPERIENCE GUIDE

Fly Guy the

As owner/general manager of Brookings Anglers, Matt Canter’s life is “where trout and happiness collide.

BY KARA ADDY

“Fly Fishing is an interactive game with nature that will take you to beautiful destinations you would otherwise not see.” Matt Canter’s description of the sport he loves comes amid a career that has taken him wading and floating along countless waterways in N.C. but also to other parts of the U.S. and far beyond.

TWO AREA LOCATIONS When working, Canter travels between Brookings Anglers’ two locations as well as to fishing destinations throughout the mountain region. “The Cashiers shop was founded first, in 1988,” Canter explains. The charming cottage on Highlands’ Spring Street has been in operation for about seven years. With the tagline, “Where trout and happiness collide,” Brookings is a premier outfitter and fly shop with a well- known reputation for expertise and excellence within the industry. “Their guide staff is second to none,” Trout Unlimited published in a 2020 profile. “Fish with the folks from Brookings Anglers, and not only will you catch fish, but you’ll walk away a better fly angler and have stomach cramps from laughing all day.” Brookings offers fishing gear and two types of local, guided excursions: wade and float trips. Prices for wade trips range from $250 for a half day/one person to $500 for a full day/two or more people. Float trips for trout begin at $550 for a full day hosting one or two anglers. For those who want maximum solitude (and usually above average-sized fish), Brookings offers experiences on private waterways, thanks to agreements it has established with landowners. Fishing the private waters will cost from $300 (one person, half day) and $700 (two people, full day) and up. Want to go to school? Full-day fly-fishing schools held year round for private parties, are a wonderful way to learn the basics. “Fall to spring is the best time to learn,” Canter says. “Just get on a river and you’ll have room. And you don’t have to worry about the trees.”

Some of his favorite stories have happened close to home. There was the time he helped pull, push and carry 350 pounds of gear five miles into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park wilderness. The April weather presented a thunderstorm and snow. But the fishing was “downright amazing.” The High Point, N.C. native grew up fishing the waterways from the state’s mountains to its coast. He began fly fishing for bluegills and largemouth bass at age 11 and caught his first brown trout in a Western N.C. creek when he was 12, starting what would become a lifelong “addiction.” Canter migrated from High Point to attend Western Carolina University in Cullowhee (about 30 miles from Highlands) – and the journey proved to be life changing. Not only did he meet his future wife Natalie there, but he also spent as much time as he could on the area’s rivers. When he wasn’t in a classroom or on the water, he was tying flies. After earning a Bachelor of Science degree in parks and recreation with a focus on outdoor leadership, Canter began working for Brookings Anglers as a full-time guide. He and Natalie had settled in nearby Brevard when a dream opportunity for Canter surfaced: to manage the Brookings shop. A decade or so later, Canter became majority owner in the business. “My wife deserves a lot of credit for supporting my dreams in the fly-fishing industry and putting up with the ongoing holiday and weekend workdays that the career requires,” he says. Today, the couple enjoy spending time in the outdoors with their children Emery, 12, and Tripp, 8. The family camps, hunts, hikes and – of course – fishes together.

2023 HIGHLANDS NC EXPERIENCE GUIDE

The bins of colorful flies in the tidy Highlands shop display like art. For a novice, the options could seem overwhelm- ing, but Canter offers assurance with a slight smile: “You can make it as simple or as complicated as you’d like.” FISH... AND PEOPLE Fly fishing is a niche market, Canter says, making up less than one percent of the fishing industry. Canter not only loves the complexity of the sport but also the chal- lenge, the learning, the destinations and the people. Traditionally, most fly-fishing activity on the plateau has been enjoyed by second homeowners during the sum- mer who bring along their sons, daughters and grand- kids for a multi-generational experience. “We know of families that have passed the sport down to three gen- erations and are ready to watch a fourth,” Canter says. But things are changing. Unexpected interest in the sport rose during the pandemic, as people searched for new ways to enjoy themselves while staying safe under quarantine. Fishing equipment manufacturers, outfitters and guides experienced challenges in meet- ing demand. “I saw a lot of younger interest, a lot of women take new interest,” Canter says. “Now, our job is to maintain that interest, to bring them along.” LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

Canter’s enthusiasm for the area is contagious. Surrounded by Nantahala National Forest, Highlands sits on one of the tallest plateaus east of the Mississippi with layered mountain views cut by winding rivers. “We can get to 30 fishing locations within 30 minutes,” he says. “And there are things to do all year here.” What sets the area apart from others, Canter believes, is the diverse types of water and even the species. “To me, it’s the variety. What I like is having the ability to give two guys five to seven different experiences in one week.” Controlled by Duke Energy, the Tuckaseegee is a “big, tailwater river,” while the Chattooga “is a totally dif- ferent type of trout stream,” Canter explains. And then there’s fishing for smallmouth bass, which is a different experience altogether. Perhaps a best-kept secret in Western N.C., smallmouth bass fishing in the region is exceptional, especially in mid-summer when the water is slow-moving, warm and clear. Trout have their own optimal conditions, and Canter knows what they are. “Trout need between 45 and 65 de- grees to thrive, so in the summer, it’s best to fish the little streams,” abundant in the higher elevations, he explained. As winter comes around, the bolder and wider waters of the French Broad and Tuckaseegee become ideal. Does he have a favorite type of waterway? Canter is

2023 HIGHLANDS NC EXPERIENCE GUIDE

“WE WANT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE WHO HAVE A THIRST FOR THE SPORT HAVE A GOOD TIME, WITH CURRENT INFORMATION & EQUIPMENT TO EXPERIENCE THE LATEST IN THE INDUSTRY.”

particularly fond of mid-sized rivers such as the Chattooga, North and East Fork of the French Broad, the Upper Nantahala and the Oconaluftee. PROTECTION IS PARAMOUNT That his livelihood depends upon healthy and plentiful natural spaces is only one reason Canter is a conservationist. When he’s not working or with his family, Canter can be found along the rivers and trails, often enjoying his latest hobby – mountain biking. He envisions Brookings embracing even more of a conservation mission in the future, partnering with Trout Unlimited, American Rivers, and the Nantahala National Forest to push for more protection. “The conservation topic is something I could discuss for days,” he says. “It’s my livelihood, and the great outdoors and public lands are my playground and passion in life.” He does not want history to repeat itself. In the early 1900s, the logging industry severely disrupted the canopies essential for brook trout to survive. As a result, the counts dipped. Trees help filter pollutants, prevent bank erosion, normalize temperatures and provide food to the aquatic bugs, including the flies that nourish the brook trout. These days, logging practices are drastically different, Canter says, and are, in fact, helpful to produce younger, denser forests that offer biodiversity to wildlife. Today, a different threat is on the horizon. Warming climates and increased development, combined with a trout population that cannot tolerate warm water or silted streams, mean good stewardship of our backyards is critical, Canter says.

“Leaving your stream banks shaded, putting cold-water releases on ponds and impoundments, and installing proper silt fences any time you disturb the ground on your property are all vital measures to take in ensuring the longevity of healthy, wild trout popu- lations here on the plateau,” he says. “Water runs downhill, and it begins on top of the mountain.” FLY-FISHING AND THE FUTURE Brookings has partners all over the world ready to serve those who desire destinations other than the Appalachian Mountain rivers. During 2023, guides and guests will travel to the Bahamas, Montana, British Columbia, Argentina and Brazil. In 2024, Brookings will occupy a brand- new facility built by Canter’s business partner, Stephen Zoukis, on the banks of Cashiers Lake, about 20 minutes from Highlands. “The whole idea is to offer beer and wine and create a hangout spot,” he explains. Live music and fishing demonstrations are on the table. Within five years, he hopes to expand the Highlands location. Whether at a shop or on the water, the goal is to create connections and lasting relationships. “A lot of what we share is to set you up on your two feet. We want to make sure people who have a thirst for the sport have a good time, with current information and equipment to experience the latest in the industry.” On the other hand, Canter adds, Brookings can provide a turnkey, easy experience. “They can show up with a pair of sunglasses, and we’ll take care of the rest.” 

2023 HIGHLANDS NC EXPERIENCE GUIDE

PROTECTING AND PRESERVING THE Wild Places BY LUKE OSTEEN

From vistas to flora to wildlife, Highlands’ natural spaces offer distinct, unsurpassed experiences. That’s just one reason why preserving them is important. If it’s true that the Cherokee people called the Blue Ridge Mountains, “the Great Blue Hills of God,” and that our national parks are thought of as America’s Cathedrals, then Highlands surely is one of our country’s high churches. Positioned on a plateau at the southern end of the Appalachian Mountain range, in one of only two temperate rainforests in the continental U.S. (the other is in the Pacific Northwest), Highlands is blessed by nature’s bounty. Layered mountain backdrops, dense woodlands, scenic vistas and spectacular waterfalls have enthralled visitors to Highlands for generations.

2023 HIGHLANDS NC EXPERIENCE GUIDE

Highlands is a place where one can occasionally see black bears crossing Main Street, spot Blue Warblers in the forests, watch snapping turtles and frogs along the rivers, see salamanders swimming below miniature waterfalls and admire the flowering of rare Piedmont rhododendrons. A special note about our salamanders: Highlands’ diverse population of these beguiling amphibians has earned our area the moniker “Salamander Capital of the World.” We take pride in the moniker, as their presence certifies the purity of our air, water and soil. All of this – the extraordinarily diverse wildlife and plant population, lush forests, a suite of rare habitats found at 4,118 feet – are hallmarks of what is one of the most biodiverse places on the continent. Stewardship of these sacred spaces is taken seriously. Conservationists, residents and community leaders alike have long recognized the threat of biodiversity loss. Understanding that the future for Highlands was contingent on preservation, town founders forged a belief in the

possibility of humans living in harmony with nature and underscored the dangers of overgrowth. From the start, grassroots efforts have helped protect the fragile ecosystem. Much of the land around Highlands is protected by the Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust (HCLT), the country’s oldest such organization. HCLT owns approximately 300 acres associated with the town and is its largest landowner. With 3,800 acres in 130 places under its stewardship, HCLT has played a pivotal role In the community, the Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust (HCLT) has played a pivotal role in the creation of Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park and as active partners in the development of the Highlands Plateau Greenway. Its local history is significant. In 1909, the Highlands Improvement Society purchased the top of Satulah Mountain, making its descendant HCLT. For more than a century, it has paved the way for conservation, protection, and restoration of wildlife and rare species habitat, public recreation opportunities, and water

2023 HIGHLANDS NC EXPERIENCE GUIDE

quality. Additionally, it has been instrumental in protecting some of the area’s most iconic views, with nine properties open to the public: Brushy Face Preserve, Dixon Woods Park, Kelsey Trail Preserves, McKinney Meadow, Pinky Falls, Ravenel Park, Rhodes Big View, Rhododendron Park, and Satulah Mountain. Conserving Highlands’ unique, wild places has been the goal of the Highlands Biological Station since its founding in 1927. Now an education and research facility with a multi-campus complex centered at Western Carolina University, it includes the Highlands Nature Center and the Highlands Botanical Garden – a 12-acre refuge for the botanical diversity of the plateau.

Associate Director Jason Love is a passionate advocate for the restoration of the indigenous botanical bounty that has been lost under interstates and replaced by generic hothouse blooms. “Planting native plants ensures the survival of the songbirds and salamanders that live only here, along with the continuation of insects that pollinate our crops,” says Love. “If bees and other pollinators disappear, so too will many species of plants. Without bees, the whole food chain would collapse.” Recognizing the dire need for preservation, Highlands became a certified Bee City USA in March 2018. Since then, it has become a better place for pollinators – committing to increasing the abundance of native

2023 HIGHLANDS NC EXPERIENCE GUIDE

plants, providing nest sites, and advocating for the reduction of pesticides. To realize these goals, community partners have removed non-native species on the Highlands Plateau Greenway, helped the Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust create two new habitats, and enhanced the pollinator garden at the Highlands Biological Station. As Highlands’ population soared and residents increasingly crossed paths with bears, the need to develop a strategy for educating the public on how to coexist with bears and avoid human- bear conflicts became paramount. In response, local photographer Cynthia Strain spearheaded a campaign that resulted in Highlands becoming the first town in the nation to receive BearWise

community recognition. In 2021, two ordinances were enacted aimed at reducing confrontation, by reducing the availability of food and installing bear-proof cans to prevent bears from wandering Main Street. “The whole community feels safer, and the bears are no longer being acclimated to human forces,” Strain says. This human commitment results in nature’s survival. And, as Highlanders understand, that benefits all living things . 

2023 HIGHLANDS NC EXPERIENCE GUIDE

Fly Fishermans’ Paradise A FRESHWATER

To truly understand the allure of Highlands, you need only ask a fly fisherman. What every angler understands after wading in its cool waters cradled by mountains, is the magic of Highlands is the sum of all its parts. Which is to say, the natural bounty is intoxicating: clear lakes, glistening rivers, black bear and brown trout. It draws anglers who’s hearts quicken at the thought of rivers filled with trout jumping between fern-covered rock and blossoming mountain laurel.

BY LUKE OSTEEN

2023 HIGHLANDS NC EXPERIENCE GUIDE

They were hooked. And they now admit to being at their happiest when they are fishing. “It’s what we think about the most outside of our daily activities,” Heckel said. Every April and November – to coincide with the Bear Shadow and Highlands Food & Wine festivals – they work the area’s river, hoping to land one of the brown trout that Heckel calls a river monster. Cox and Heckel are part of a population fueling a fly-fishing resurgence. Highland Hiker was one of the first fly-fishing schools outside of Vermont when the company started sending people on guide trips in 1984. Proprietor Chris Wilkes explained why the sport is gaining renewed popularity. “We are in a boom period for fly fishing. During the pandemic, people realized they could fish in non-populated areas and didn’t need a lot of spare time to do it. It used to be a lot of guys in their 40s and 50s. But these days, everybody from 10-year-olds to 70-year-old couples are fly fishing. And trout don’t live in ugly places. Even on days when you’re not catching fish, you’re standing in a beautiful spot.” “Highlands is a freshwater fly- fisherman’s paradise,” said Shockley. Shockley knows what he’s talking about. He’s been guiding folks on the waterways around Highlands for more than 14 years. “There are 2,200 miles of impressive, fishable trout water within an hour’s drive,” he said. “Though prime months are May and October, we can trout fish in Western North Carolina 12 months of the year–and you can’t beat the scenery.”

Raleigh residents Scharles Cox and Amanda Heckel had been coming to Highlands for more than a dec- ade, but they truly fell in love with the area when they discovered fly fishing five years ago. “We’d see people fly fishing or hear them talking about it at Highland Hiker, and think, ‘Why are we not fly fishing in a place we love?’” said Heckel. On their first outing, local guide Leland Shockley took them casting

on the Chattooga River and then, unexpectedly on a hike down to Secret Falls – a gorgeous 50-foot waterfall. Barefoot (they had yet to buy waders), they fished the serene pool at the bottom of the falls. As the waters rushed around them and the mist floated above, they discov- ered what so many had before; that there’s a peace and tranquillity on the river that places fishing into a world perfect and apart. “I never felt more connected to nature,” Cox sighed.

2023 HIGHLANDS NC EXPERIENCE GUIDE

Col. Robert Sanders of Salem, S.C. heard the call of the plateau’s wild waters. When he retired from the U.S. Army, he set his sights on a home close to the Cullasaja and Chattooga rivers. “Some people retire and have no idea what to do with their time. For me, it’s fly fishing and hiking, and for decades I’ve been coming to Highlands; it’s why I bought a lifetime North Carolina fishing license,” he explained. “Fly fishing is a funny mix of science and intuition, and it’s always a learning experience.” Accompanying Sanders are his son, Chris (who grew up casting lines all over America), and Chris’ sons Jack, 11, Wade, 8, and Sam, 4. “All of the grandkids have learned the basics on Harris Lake,” Sanders explained. “Once they’ve mastered the essentials, we usually head out to the Cullasaja – although Sam has a Snoopy fishing rod and likes looking for salamanders. It’s a great activity that’s exciting, yet it also teaches patience. I think everyone could use a lesson in patience.” With 107 miles of waters within five miles of town, abundant with a variety of wild and stocked trout, it’s not hard to find that perfect spot to cast your line. Close to Highlands, the Cullasaja River flows through spectacular waterfalls and is filled with wild rainbow and brown trout. About a 15-minute drive away is the Chattooga, which earned designation as a National Wild and Scenic River in 1974. The N.C. portion is exclusively wild brown trout country. Home to the highest trout count per mile of river in the U.S. is the Tuckaseegee or “Tuck”, the largest in the area. Loaded with rainbow, brown and brook trout, along with smallmouth bass and walleye, it’s a dam-controlled river.

Forty-five minutes away in the Pisgah National Forest is N.C.’s most well- known river, the Davidson. Near Franklin is the Little Tennessee, a favorite smallmouth bass destination. With rainbow and brown trout aplenty, the Whitewater River, is about an hour away, at the S.C. border. The current state record brown trout was caught 52 miles from Highlands in the Nantahala, or “Land of the Noonday Sun” river, as the Cherokee language translates. The rivers all beckon equally with a chance to leave the world behind, to escape to a serene place where there’s only water, the mountains and the sky above. And, of course, the fish. 

“TROUT DON’T LIVE IN UGLY PLACES”

CHRIS WILKES, HIGHLAND HIKER

2023 HIGHLANDS NC EXPERIENCE GUIDE

IT’S OFFICIAL

2023 IS THE NORTH CAROLINA YEAR OF THE TRAIL

The effort to secure designation for NC Year of the Trail was led by the North Carolina Great Trails State Coalition, a broad-based group of diverse organizations, agencies, and supporters advocating for increased state investment in all types of trails statewide: hiking, paddling, mountain biking, equestrian, and paved. With sponsorship support from Visit NC, NC State Parks, and others, the Coalition is leading planning efforts for NC Year of the Trail at the state level, with goals to: • Inspire people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds to try trails • Demonstrate the importance of trails to elected officials • Boost outdoor recreation tourism across the state • Encourage Year of the Trail events in all 100 counties • Promote safe and responsible use of trails • Advance diversity and inclusion on trails

s designated by the NC General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Cooper during the 2021 Long Session, this is the NC Year of the

Trail. 2023 NC Year of the Trail cele- brates North Carolina’s vast network of trails, greenways, and blueways which showcase our diverse land- scapes - grand mountain vistas, qui- et rivers, vibrant urban greenways, coastal forests, and the rolling hills of the piedmont. NC Year of the Trail is the largest statewide celebration of trails and outdoor recreation in North Carolina history. North Carolina is the Great Trails State, where each of North Carolina’s 100 counties should be able to enjoy the proven benefits of trails, including health, safety, economic development, tourism, transportation, and environment. Trails are the backbone of our state’s growing $28 billion outdoor recreation economy.

For more information about NC Year of the Trail, visit greattrailsnc.com or @greattrailnc.

2023 HIGHLANDS NC EXPERIENCE GUIDE

SURRENDER TO THE OUTDOORS

In North Carolina, there is a trail for each of us. An open invitation for bikers, hikers, paddlers, and riders. For amblers, explorers, and commuters. These paths are a place of refuge and recreation, connecting us to the very essence of this state. To its storied, winding history. And - with our active use and care - to its future. Because we blaze and sustain trails together: those born and bred here, and those beckoned by its promise as the Great Trail State. Along these trails, we lead and we follow. We march on our own and we build community. We find new purpose, generation after generation. Because North Carolina’s trails are for all of us. To enjoy, to sustain, and to champion. This is our year. The Year of the Trail.

2023 HIGHLANDS NC EXPERIENCE GUIDE

into the

Highlands is perfect for those looking to lose--or find--them- selves amidst forests, meadows and hills. Generations of natu- ralists, artists and dreamers have discovered paradise on the trails that wind through our wilderness. So, check the weather, grab your gear and a camera, and prepare to create memories in these magical places. (Just don’t wander off the marked trails.) Woods

2023 HIGHLANDS NC EXPERIENCE GUIDE

BARTRAM TRAIL – OSAGE OVERLOOK

gins at the same place but ends at Whiteside Church on Whiteside Cove Road, so two vehicles are required. To get there: From Highlands, travel east on Main Street for 4.5 miles. Main Street will become Horse Cove Road. Look for its intersection with Bull Pen and Whiteside Cove roads. Turn right onto Bull Pen Road (#1178/#1180). Proceed for 5.4 miles to the Iron Bridge. The trailhead is on the left, just before the bridge.

with grills and a lake for swimming and fishing (with a N.C. fishing li- cense). A day-use fee is required, and picnic shelters must be reserved. Its Cliffside Loop Trail is an easy 0.75- mile walk around the lake. To get there: Follow U.S. 64 West for 4.5 miles, turn right at the Cliffside Lake sign and continue for 1.5 miles.

Named after the distinguished natu- ralist, Bartram Trail runs more than 100 miles from Oconee State Park in South Carolina through Georgia and North Carolina to the Great Smoky Mountains. This long-distance trail is marked with yellow blazes. The two- mile segment from the Osage Moun- tain trail head is a difficult hike, due to an elevation gain of 1,100 feet. The reward is views of Blue Valley and Tessentee Valley from the top of Scaly Mountain. To get there: From downtown High- lands take N.C. 106/ Dillard Road. Travel 5.5 miles to a paved overlook area and trail head to the left. Park on the same side as the overlook but access the northbound Bar- tram Trail to Scaly Mountain on the opposite side of the road via the stairs. Look for the sign reading “Bartram Trail to Hickory.” CHATTOOGA LOOP TRAIL & CHATTOOGA RIVER TRAIL TO WHITE- SIDE COVE Chattooga Loop Trail is almost two miles and begins to the left of the notable Iron Bridge. Moderate in difficulty, it is a great hike for the entire family. Chattooga River Trail – a 6.25- mile, one-way hike – be-

ELLICOTT’S ROCK & BAD CREEK TRAILS

CHINQUAPIN MOUNTAIN

This area boasts Ellicott’s Rock, an enormous boulder embedded in the Chattooga riverbank, bearing the letters “NC” as carved by sur- veyor Andrew Ellicott who thought this was the intersection of North Carolina, Georgia and South Caro- lina. (Spoiler Alert: It wasn’t. That’s Commissioner’s Rock, bearing the symbol NC/SC 1813.) Choose from two trails: Bad Creek Trail to Ellicott’s Rock is a moderate trail that stretch- es three miles, one way. Ellicott’s Rock Trail is 3.5 miles and more dif- ficult. Prepare for a good workout! To get there: From downtown High- lands, head northwest on Main Street, which will become Horse Cove Road. Turn onto Bull Pen Road and pass the Iron Bridge. Ellicott’s Rock trail starts at six miles; the Bad Creek trail starts at 10 miles. Both drop steeply down from opposite sides of the river near Ellicott’s Rock (on the left bank looking down stream) and continue down river.

The trail head for this 3.2-mile round trip is at the Glen Falls parking area near downtown Highlands. It is a moderate walk, and the trail crosses streams several times. A mile-long series of switchbacks leads to the top. To get there: Head west on U.S. 64 and turn left on N.C. 106. Drive 1.7 miles and look for the sign to Glen Falls Scenic Area on the left. Turn left, then immediately bear right onto Glen Falls Road. Travel on this gravel road for one mile to the park- ing area. CLIFFSIDE LAKE RECREATIONAL AREA This is a delightful plunge into na- ture’s glorious bounty! Enjoy several hiking trails – some of which lead to waterfalls – as well as picnic tables

2023 HIGHLANDS NC EXPERIENCE GUIDE

HICKORY KNUT GAP You’ll feel like you’re far away from civilization! This moderate, 3.5-mile, out-and-back trail is great for bird- ing. From the trail head, walk for ap- proximately 0.3 mile to where the trail splits to the right. Follow the blue blazes through the rhododendron canopy to the junction with Bartram Trail at approximately one mile. Turn right onto the yellow-blazed Bartram and continue to the Scaly Mountain summit. Side trails to the left and right also offer amazing views. Be cautious of the bare rock sections, which can be slick when wet or icy. To get there: From Highlands, take N.C. 106 four miles to Turtle Pond Road and turn right. Turn left onto Hickory Knut Gap Road and drive 0.9 mile to the trail, which is a For- est Service Road on the left. Park on the right. HIGHLANDS BOTANICAL GARDEN & HIGHLANDS BIOLOGICAL STATION Just a half mile from downtown High- lands awaits this is lovely, little jewel with several gardens to explore. The gardens are free and open to the public year-round, from sunrise to sunset. To get there: From Main Street, head northwest as it becomes Horse Cove Road. Look for Highlands Nature Center and park in the gravel area across from it. The garden paths be- gin to the left of the Nature Center, with maps posted along the trails. HIGHLANDS PLATEAU GREENWAY “Connecting the heart of Highlands” is this system of walking and hiking trails that protect and connect the natural settings and historic sites of the area. More than 10 miles of

RABUN BALD This steep hike offers 360-degree views of the Georgia and North Carolina mountains from the second highest point in Georgia. To get here: From Highlands, take NC 106 East (Dillard Rd.) for about 7 miles, then turn left onto Hale Ridge Road. After five or six miles, look for trail marker no. 211 on the left. SATULAH MOUNTAIN The payoff of this hike that begins in downtown Highlands is a peak of 4,543 feet with a 270-degree view to the south, east and west. To get there: Park downtown and walk south, up the hill on 4th St. At the curve, walk straight onto Satulah Road. Continue to the end of the road; then, follow the old roadbed an ad- ditional 0.5-mile to the clearing at the top of the mountain. SLICK ROCK TRAIL This is a simple, 0.2-mile round trip. The hike may be short, but the sum- mit offers an impressive view of the mountains. To get there: From downtown High- lands, take E. Main/Horse Cove Rd. to the end of the pavement. Take the right fork onto Bull Pen Road and continue one mile. On a sharp left curve, look for a pull-off and a steep, unmarked path on the right. SUNSET ROCK This astonishing site is just a few hundred yards from downtown High- lands. Sunset Rock is an ideal choice for a late afternoon stroll. It’s a short, 0.5-mile walk to the top. Beautiful sunsets and views of Brushy Face Mountain unfold over the town, while you sit on a natural amphitheater on slabs of granite.

natural trails and sidewalks are open daily, from sunrise to sunset. To get there: The trail head is on Oak Street between the intersection of S. 3rd St. and S. 2nd St. It is the nexus to any trail on the Greenway. JONES KNOB This portion of the Bartram Trail fea- tures spectacular views, with Jones Knob and Whiterock Mountain be- ing the highlights. An old roadbed leads right to a wildlife manage- ment field. After the trailhead, at the far end of the field, yellow blazes mark Bartram to the right and blue blazes mark the Jones Knob spur trail to left. Follow the blue-blazed trail for .03 mile to a delightful mountaintop view. To get there: Take U.S. 64 West to Turtle Pond Road. Turn left and travel 1.1 miles to SR1678. Turn right on the road (which may be marked Dendy Orchard Road) for 1.4 miles to the top of a hill. Turn left on Jones Gap Road (FR4522) and continue two miles to the park- ing area. The trail leaves the park- ing area on the right. THE NARROWS This is an easy, four-mile round trip hike off Whiteside Cove Road. It features spectacular views of the Chattooga River forced into a nar- row channel, exploding over boul- ders, and revealing an unexpected swimming hole. To get there: From downtown High- lands, take N. 4th St./Horse Cove Road and turn left onto Whiteside Cove Road. Travel 0.9 mile. The trail is on a logging road on the right and descends two miles to The Narrows. You’ll pass a trail to the right, which continues to Bull Pen Bridge on Horse Cove Road. Be sure to return the way you came.

2023 HIGHLANDS NC EXPERIENCE GUIDE

YELLOW / SHORTOFF MOUNTAIN This strenuous hike with amazing views is 4.8 miles one way, so allow for a full day of adventure. The reward is a spectacular, pano- ramic vista from the top of Yellow Mountain. To get there: Take U.S. 64 East from Highlands three miles and turn left onto Buck Creek Road. Follow Buck Creek Road for 2.3 miles. The trail will be on the right. For more information on these and other favorite hikes, stop by The Highlands Welcome Center at 108 Main Street, call 828-526-2112 or visit highlandschamber.org. 

WHITEWATER FALLS TRAIL This easy, 0.6 mile-round trip trail will reward you with a spectacular view of the highest waterfall in the Eastern United States. To get there: Take U.S. 64 East to Cashiers and turn right onto N.C. 107 South. Turn left onto Wigington Rd., then left at the stop sign onto S.C. 130, which turns slightly left and becomes N.C. 281. Look for the Whitewater Falls sign and turn right. The trail descends steeply into the river. An overlook is located along the trail. To the left, the trail continues and fords the river. There are numerous spots for picnicking and shallow pools for wading and quick dips.

To get there: Take Main Street for 0.5-mile east to the Highlands Na- ture Center on the left. Park and follow the sign to a gravel road to Sunset Rock and Ravenel Park. Note: The trail is a private drive, so do not block it when you park. WHITESIDE MOUNTAIN This jaw-dropping spectacle is only six miles from town on U.S. 64 East. The moderate trail, crowned by a panoramic vista, is a two-mile loop that climbs above sheer cliffs. To get there: Take U.S. 64 East from downtown Highlands and turn right at the sign onto Whiteside Moun- tain Road. Travel one mile to a well- marked parking area on the left. This is a fee area, and a restroom is at the end of the parking lot.

2023 HIGHLANDS NC EXPERIENCE GUIDE

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2023 HIGHLANDS NC EXPERIENCE GUIDE

FALLING WATERS THE

igh atop a mountain plateau and nestled by a unique rain- forest, Highlands’ waterfalls draw visitors from around the world. Some are quiet and diminutive, just more than a rivulet. Others call with raging waters that tumble over granite cliff faces with commanding force. All are beguiling. No trip to Highlands is complete without a trip along U.S. 64 West, the Mountain Waters Scenic Byway, which offers four se- quential waterfalls just outside of town: Bridal Veil, Dry, Bust Your Butt and Cullasaja. As much as their beauty beckons, all water- falls should be approached with great caution. Keep in mind: • The best way to enjoy a waterfall is from a safe distance. • Heed posted warning signs and stay on established trails. Avoid “shortcuts.” • Never climb on or around waterfalls. Stay behind guard rails and fences. • Never wade or play in water feeding a waterfall. Rocks can be slippery and currents swift; it is easy to lose your balance. • Keep children and pets close.

Here are a few of our most beloved waterfalls.

2023 HIGHLANDS NC EXPERIENCE GUIDE

Bridal Veil Falls This small, picturesque fall – one of three main waterfalls in the Cullasaja Gorge – is one of the most unusual and popular in the South. Its 120-foot cascade is seen from U.S. 64 West, and visitors may walk behind its gentle “veil.” According to Cherokee lore, a woman who walks behind the falls in the spring will be married by the first snow. Look for its rainbow in the afternoon sun. To get there: From downtown Highlands, travel less than three miles on U.S. 64 and look for it on the right. Bust Your Butt Falls A series of stair-step falls on the Cullasaja River, this is a highly popular spot. Park, stretch your legs, soak in the view and dangle your toes in the water. (But be aware of swift currents and slippery or hidden rocks!) To get there: From downtown Highlands, drive about six miles on U.S. 64 West and pull over on the right or left. Cullasaja Falls This is a powerful series of rushing waterfalls along the Cullasaja River – 250 feet high and framed with a dramatic cliff face. While the gorge is breathtaking in the spring and fall, winter is when its rock formations can be seen. The falls are easily viewed from the road; it is not safe to try and hike down to the base. To get there: From Highlands, drive less than nine miles on U.S. 64 West and notice the pull over on the left side of the road. Drive further, turn around at a safe place and retrace your route to park in the pullover. Be sure to park your vehicle completely off the road, as passing trucks need two lanes to navigate the curve. Stay safe! Dry Falls Thundering over a cliff, this 75-foot fall allows visitors to walk underneath while staying relatively dry. From the parking area, a pleasant walk down stone steps leads to a path that goes behind the waterfall fed by the Cullasaja River. To get there: From Highlands, drive just more than three miles on US 64 West to the parking area on the left. A nominal parking fee is required.

2023 HIGHLANDS NC EXPERIENCE GUIDE

Glen Falls Comprised of three, 80-foot falls dropping 640 feet, the entire Glen Falls’ trail descends some 700 feet in one mile. So, the hike down is easy, but back up is steep. To get there: From Highlands, take N.C. 106 towards Dillard, GA. After driving about two miles, look for the sign to the falls. Turn left, then immediately right onto a dirt road. Drive just more than one mile to the parking area.

Kalakaleskies Falls (Lake Sequoyah Dam Falls)

Though less popular than other falls along the Cullasaja Gorge, Kalakaleskies offers a series of smaller falls below the Lake Sequoyah Dam. Great caution should be taken when hiking the trail, as the riverbanks are steep. Taking young children and pets below the dam is not recommended. To get there: Take U.S. 64 West from Highlands. About two miles after this highway intersects with N.C. 28, pull off into the parking area on the left. Pinky Falls A short walk will lead to a local favorite, Pinky Falls. A small cascading waterfall with a sandy beach, Pinky is perfect for a picnic and wading in the water. To get there: Take U.S. 64 East from Highlands. Take a left on Flat Mountain Road. Find a parking pull-off just past the bridge on the right. Rainbow Falls Hiking this moderately difficult trail brings great reward. Hike alongside the rushing Horse pasture River until you reach the 150-foot waterfall. In the mornings, the mist from the waterfall creates rainbows, hence its name. To get there: From Highlands, take U.S. 64 East through Cashiers for about 20 miles, then turn right on NC 281 South. In 0.9 miles the park entrance road is on the left. Continue for 1 mile, pass the visitors center and the turn off for the loop road, then find the Rainbow Falls Parking area straight ahead.

2023 HIGHLANDS NC EXPERIENCE GUIDE

Secret Falls Once a long-held secret, this fall is now accessible via a trail constructed across public lands. Enjoy the seclusion and undeniable sense of mystery that shrouds this charmer. To get there: Travel south (towards Walhalla) on N.C. 28 from Highlands’ Main Street. Follow this road for just more than four miles and turn left onto Rich Gap Road. After 0.6 mile, make a right on Forest Service Road (FR45670), a gravel road that may be marked as Big Creek Road. Drive approximately 1.75 miles on this unpaved road to the Upper Trail Head parking area on the right. The old road turns into a footpath which leads to the falls. Sliding Rock Falls Created by the Chattooga River, this natural waterslide glides over a 10-foot-high rock face with a few large pot- holes. The water is cool, making it a popular spot during the summer. Visitors can slide down the rock, or just wade in the pool below the rock. This quiet spot has delighted guests for generations. Stop along the way to see the World’s Smallest Post Office. To get there: From Highlands, take Horse Cove Road to the end of the pavement. Turn left onto Whiteside Cove Road and travel approximately five miles. Look for a small parking area off the road. Whitewater Falls This is the highest waterfall east of the Rocky Mountains, with the upper portion falling 411 feet. Fed by the Whitewater River, it cascades over massive rock pillars. To get there: Take U.S. 64 East from Highlands to Cashiers and turn right onto N.C. 107 South. Travel about nine miles, crossing into South Carolina, and turn left onto S.C. 130 South. Follow signs to Whitewater Falls.

For more information on these and other favorite water- falls, stop by The Highlands Welcome Center at 108 Main Street, call 828-526-2112 or visit highlandschamber.org. 

2023 HIGHLANDS NC EXPERIENCE GUIDE

Get Outside The Mountain Retreat & Learning Center Offers Outdoor Education and More Located on Dillard Road, four miles south of Highlands, the Mountain Retreat & Learning Center offers year-round programming for youth and adults. Additionally, it offers retreats for individuals, corporations, and other organizations. Private event usage is available as its schedule permits. Please check its website for event additions and updates. Its 2023 schedule includes:

APRIL 23 – 28: MUSIC WEEK - Individual and group Instruction in voice and various instruments

JULY 16 – 22: INTERMEDIATE FARM CAMP

JULY 29: INTRODUCTION TO WILD MUSHROOMS JULY 30: FARM DINNER

MAY 7 – 12: CLIMATE JUSTICE CONFERENCE - Exploring issues related to climate change and implications for justice

JULY 23 – 28: INTERGENERATIONAL CAMP - Camp experience for all ages - adventures, workshops, con- nections with people and nature AUGUST 3: HERBALISM WORKSHOP

MAY 20: FORAGING TOUR

MAY 25: HERBALISM WORKSHOP

MAY 28: FARM TOUR AND DINNER JUNE AND JULY: YOUTH CAMPS Age six through high school, traditional camps, outdoor ad- venture camp, farm camps, youth leadership camps JUNE 3: FORAGING TOUR - Mushrooms or edible and medicinal plants

AUGUST 5: FORAGING TOUR

AUGUST 26: INTRODUCTION TO WILD MUSHROOMS

AUGUST 27: FARM DINNER

AUGUST 27 – SEPT 1: ADULT FARM CAMP

JUNE 8: HERBALISM WORKSHOP June 11 – 17: Intermediate Farm Camp

SEPTEMBER 10: FARM DINNER

JUNE 22: HERBALISM WORKSHOP

SEPTEMBER 14: HERBALISM WORKSHOP

JUNE 24: INTRODUCTION TO WILD MUSHROOMS

SEPTEMBER 24: FARM DINNER

JUNE 25 – JULY 8: HIGH SCHOOL FARM CAMP

OCTOBER 8: FARM DINNER

JULY 15: FORAGING TOUR - Mushrooms or edible and medicinal plants

Additional summer programming (with dates to be determined) includes the John McCutcheon Songwriting Workshop and Aaron Shearer Classical Guitar Institute. The Mountain Retreat & Learning Center is located at 3872 Dillard Road via Hwy. 106. For more information, call 828-526-5838 or visit themountainrlc.org.

2023 HIGHLANDS NC EXPERIENCE GUIDE

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2023 HIGHLANDS NC EXPERIENCE GUIDE

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2023 HIGHLANDS NC EXPERIENCE GUIDE

Highlands At Its Best! 2023 will be a season like no other at the all new PAC. Join us as we present a dazzling array of creative and entertaining performances all for your enjoyment in our new state-of-the-art performance theatre. Visit our website for our spectacular line-up!

For Tickets and Information: HighlandsPerformingArts.com Highlands Performing Arts Center 507 Chestnut Street, Highlands, NC

THE CURTAIN RISES ON HIGHLANDS’ NEW

Performing

Arts Center

THE SCENE It’s 2015. A Board of Director’s meeting – specifically, a yearly planning retreat – is in progress. Members of the Highlands Performing Arts Center’s board are seated, engaging in lively chatter about the organization’s bright future. Ideas, goals and needs are being shared. The conversation pauses after a bold suggestion is made...

BOARD MEMBER “Let’s build a theater.”

And so it began.

BY KARA ADDY

Mary Adair Trumbly was five years into her role as execu- tive director of the Highlands Performing Arts Center – or PAC as it’s often called. Her ears delighted in the four words spoken at that now-historic board meeting. “I was thrilled they said it,” she recalls. “They got there on their own. I completely agreed but I didn’t have to say a word.” To say a lot has happened in the seven years since that retreat would be a grand understatement. An intense fundraising campaign, decisions on budget, site and timeline, architectural planning -- the background scenery was ever-changing. And then, in a dramatic entry from stage left, the story’s villain appeared: the pandemic. It would have been easy for the staff, board and volun- teers to step back and halt their efforts in 2020. But be- ing fully committed, they locked into the vision of having all the community’s performing arts groups under one roof, embraced the momentum and pushed through. In the fall of last year, the curtain rose on the gorgeous, new facility on Chestnut Street, adjacent to the PAC’s former home. Its mountain modern style sends a clear message: The future of performing arts in the mountain town of Highlands has arrived.

Taking center stage through the entire production was Cindy Trevathan whose husband, Rick, served as the PAC’s board chair. “We wouldn’t be here without her,” Trumbly says. A committed volunteer, Trevathan says she “felt com- pelled to continue,” even when the pandemic hit, and costs rose. She remembers well that fateful 2015 board retreat, as it marked the beginning of her journey. The project “just made sense.” “The town was growing and our performing arts venues – an old school auditorium and church – needed to grow with it. From the early screening to deciding what and where to build to navigating the pandemic and associ- ated cost increases, I just felt compelled to continue.” Receiving top billing along with Trevathan, according to Trumbly, are Jane Webb and Geri Coleman, both of whom served on the PAC board. Except for $60,000 from Macon County, the $14.8 mil- lion raised all came from private sources. (As of this writing, the PAC still needed $1.1 million to completely close the books on the construction campaign. An op- erating endowment is another need.)

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