A thick forest surrounds Lost Cove's remaining structures.

Entering Western North Carolina’s Lost Cove

Long before the last family departed, settlers in a remote corner of Yancey County gave their mountain town the name Lost Cove. Years later, the choice seems prophetic. The once-thriving community has returned to nature, tucked out of sight, lost to all except historians and hikers.

History

The 1950s: At The Drive-In

After the war, North Carolinians hit the road on gasoline that’s newly cheap and plentiful. Sleek cars in a kaleidoscope of colors carry families to drive-in theaters and restaurants, where they watch and dine under the stars.

Making The Mountains-To-Sea Trail

For more than 40 years, the Mountains-to-Sea Trail has stretched nearly 1,200 miles across North Carolina. But for the passionate advocates who work to move the path off of roadways and into woods and fields — a fraction of a mile at a time — improving the trail is an ongoing journey.

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