Plenty of destinations entice visitors with boasts of what they have. In Yancey County, it’s the great outdoors with endless recreation, a small town continuously evolving to showcase its folk heritage in new ways, and a wonderfully wild and remote setting.
Nothing captures that appeal like the Bare Dark Sky Observatory. Surrounded by peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains and miles of wild forest land, the observatory offers one of the best nighttime views in the United States. “It’s very, very dark out here, and the stargazing is incredible,” Amanda Pastore says. She’s the coordinator of the Earth to Sky Park, which includes the observatory.
An awe-inspiring night sky is just one of the natural wonders awaiting visitors to Yancey County and Burnsville. In the neighborhood of the 6,684-foot Mount Mitchell, plan five outdoor activities that give you the space and freedom to embrace the great outdoors.
Experience our awe-inspiring views while spending time outdoors, or find unique treasures in our one-of-a-kind boutiques in downtown Burnsville. Wind down after a day of adventuring at a nearby cozy cabin. Your perfect getaway awaits!
With three rivers and innumerable creeks, branches, and streams that teem with trout and smallmouth bass, Yancey County is a fly-fisher’s haven. Paul Kisielewski, founder and owner of Southern Appalachian Anglers, has been a full-time guide in the area for nearly a decade. His favorite spot is the South Toe River, which stretches from Black Mountain campground to the edge of game land in the Pisgah National Forest. There, Mount Mitchell has helped create a haven for wild trout.
“All that water is coming from the highest peak east of the Mississippi, so it’s really clean and a little bit colder,” Kisielewski says. “The elevation, the tree cover, and the shade all help the water temperature. It’s a very good ecosystem.”
Southern Appalachian Anglers’s four full-time fishing guides are intimately familiar with local waterways. They offer guided wading and float trips, as well as backcountry excursions that trek into Pisgah National Forest and private game lands.
If you’d rather ride the water than fish it, tuck yourself into a tube and float down the Toe River. Loafers Glory Rafting and Tubing offers scenic 2.5-hour river rides. They provide the inner tubes, life jackets, and shuttle service; all you need is yourself and your sunscreen.
The wildlife is a highlight of any Loafers Glory trip. Scan the crystal-clear water for fish, or watch the river banks for deer, ducks, and geese. Look for Goose Poop Rock, too, a favorite picnic spot that (fortunately) doesn’t live up to its name.
Don’t forget to snap a celebratory picture of your climb to the top of Mount Mitchell. photograph by Sam Dean & Sean Busher
Lace up your boots to discover Yancey County’s lush mountain landscape on foot. From the parking area at Black Mountain Campground, it’s a breezy half-mile hike down to Setrock Creek Falls. If you continue your drive farther down the South Toe River toward the base of Mount Mitchell, you’ll find Setrock Creek’s bigger cousin, the cascading, 100-foot waterfall Roaring Fork Falls.
No need to choose one fall or the other. The trailheads leading to Setrock Creek and Roaring Fork are a short drive apart.
Take a self-guided barn quilt tour to see some of the colorful hand-painted squares on buildings in the area. photograph by Sam Dean & Sean Busher
Throughout Yancey County, traditional mountain quilt designs on large wooden squares adorn a network of approximately 150 houses, barns, and churches. Painted by local volunteers, the eight-by-eight-foot quilt blocks are a quintessential part of Burnsville culture. While most are inspired by a family story or heirloom quilt, some give a nod to a farm’s history or serve as a tribute to a lost loved one.
Choose from nine self-guided Quilt Block driving trails.
Endorsed with Dark Sky status from the Dark Sky Association, the Bare Dark Sky Observatory boasts the largest telescope open to the public in the southeastern United States. On a clear summer night, the Milky Way is often visible, and astronomers have sighted objects as distant as 126 million light years away.
Roughly three weekends a month, depending on cloud cover and the lunar calendar, the observatory — also home to a planetarium — hosts events where astronomers calibrate the telescopes for public viewing. And the grounds are open for self-guided stargazing around the clock.
Try a cocktail at Snap Dragon, a nautical-themed bar and restaurant inspired by Burnsville’s namesake Capt. Otway Burns and his ship, the Snap Dragon. photograph by Sam Dean & Sean Busher
After hiking, fishing, and stargazing, you may feel inspired to explore Yancey County’s great indoors. We recommend starting with these five local favorites:
Take a self-guided tour of local studios to meet artists like Rob Levin of Levin Glass. photograph by Sam Dean & Sean Busher
When you’re ready for a place to relax as you take it all in, book a stay at one of the boutique lodging options in town. You can stay in the newly renovated NuWray Hotel, an almost-200-year-old hotel, complete with 22 rooms, plus a couple of cozy guest rooms that the property also maintains in the space above Carriage House Sundries. There’s also the Terrell House Bed & Breakfast, a colonial home with six rooms and a full-service breakfast each morning. Click here to start planning your trip!
Every September, Gorges State Park celebrates the monarch butterfly — and the awe and wonder of its annual migration — with a festival fit for a king.
From sweeping vistas to secluded coves, North Carolina’s four national forests conserve our untamed lands for wildlife and human explorers alike.
Abloom year-round, the Elizabethan Gardens feel fit for a queen. Beyond their beauty, they’re also a living memorial to one of our state’s enduring mysteries.
On his namesake show, the Mount Airy native shared the spotlight with a fictional version of his hometown.
