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A High Country Hideaway

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Todd Bush photo

Todd Bush photo

Halley Burleson photo

Sandwiched between Beech Mountain and Sugar Mountain along the Elk River in North Carolina’s High Country, the tiny burg of Banner Elk rises as a destination for all seasons. In summer, visitors flock here to mountain bike, swim in Wildcat Lake, hike to stunning waterfalls, drive the Blue Ridge Parkway, and simply revel in the slower pace and cool mountain air at the town’s elevation of 3,470 feet.

Adding to the appeal of the outdoors is tranquil Apple Hill Farm (tours daily at 2 p.m.), where owner Lee Rankin raises alpacas, llamas, donkeys, angora goats, and Great Pyrenees livestock guardian dogs. “We aim for that moment when people relax and connect with the animals,” Rankin said. 

Banner Elk, named for Martin Banner, who established the first permanent settlement in the area in 1848, lures leaf peepers aplenty in fall. But winter is when the town truly sparkles. From Thanksgiving to early March, this High Country haven bursts at the seams with an avalanche of skiers. 

Drama Queen

For a town with only one traffic light, Banner Elk is surprisingly big on theater. “Banner Elk is the mecca for theater in the High Country,” said Gary Smith, Artistic Director of Ensemble Stage, a nonprofit theater company that moved to Banner Elk from Blowing Rock in spring 2017.

Smith and Managing Director Lisa Lamont hold performances—from historical dramas to psychological thrillers and staged radio plays—year-round in a 100-seat auditorium inside the 1939 Banner Elk School. The musical variety show in December is a holiday highlight. 

Under the artistic direction of Dr. Janet Speer, Endowed Chair of Performing Arts, the Lees-McRae Summer Theatre adds high-caliber musicals to the town’s performing-arts mix. Professional productions are staged in the 750-seat Hayes Auditorium on the pet-friendly campus of Lees-McCrae College, the loftiest (4,000 feet) campus east of the Mississippi River. 

Delicious Diversions

Complementing the arts is a thriving food and beverage scene. Case in point is Artisanal, a fine-dining restaurant set in a rustic-elegant barn-style building on the grounds of the Diamond Creek Golf Club. A literal field-to-fork operation, Artisanal partners with nearby Springhouse Farm for organic produce grown to the chef’s specifications.

The first commercial winery in Avery County, Banner Elk Winery, made its debut in 2005. Along with six grape varietals, the winery grows organic blueberries, which it uses to make Blueberry Wine and port-style Blueberry “Ice.” Can’t tear yourself away? Reserve one of the seven luxurious suites in the winery’s on-site villa.

Mark Ralston, owner of Flat Top Mountain Brewery, traces his beverage experience back to his college days when he brewed beer in his dormitory-room closet in Japan. Today he crafts nine different beers, all made with mountain spring water from a local artesian well.

Small Town Christmas

At Christmastime, Banner Elk dons its holiday best, decking out Tate-Evans Park with 2,000 luminaries on the first weekend of December as part of the Small Town Christmas celebration. Festivities begin on Friday evening with the lighting of a 40-foot-tall Frasier fir in front of Banner Elk School. Runners gather early Saturday morning for the 5K Holiday Race, followed by breakfast with Santa at Dunn’s Deli. The day winds down at sunset with the Parade of Lights.

On Sunday, locals head to one of Avery County’s two-dozen tree farms to pick out a Frasier fir to grace their homes for the holidays. The most popular type of Christmas tree in North America, Frasier firs grow best at 3,800 to 4,000 feet altitude, spawning the county’s nickname, “Christmas tree capital of the world.”

Small but mighty in terms of its allure, Banner Elk wins the hearts of visitors no matter the time of year. Gary Smith echoes their common sentiment: “Banner Elk is one of the most amazing communities I’ve ever been in.”

Banner Elk, North Carolina

WHERE TO STAY

WHERE TO EAT

Downhill Run

On a busy winter weekend, it’s not unusual for Banner Elk’s modest year-round population of 1,144 to swell to as many as 8,000 people. The draw? Skiing and snowboarding at Beech Mountain and Sugar Mountain, the nearest ski resorts to town. 

The highest ski area east of Rockies, Beech Mountain Resort (5,506 feet elevation) celebrates its 50th anniversary this season. On the slopes, eight lifts and 15 ski trails accommodate enthusiasts. Although the area sees an average annual snowfall of nearly 85 inches, the snow at both resorts is manmade.

A lodge, four restaurants, two sport shops, a rental facility, and even an ice rink and a tubing area number among the amenities in the resort’s ski village. And that’s not to mention Beech Mountain Brewing Company, with its four flagship brews. Perched at the top of the mountain, the glass roundhouse containing Skybar 5506’ (open in winter and summer) is a perfect spot to sip a cocktail and drink in a breathtaking view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. 

Just south of Banner Elk, Sugar Mountain climbs to 5,300 feet, with 21 trails and eight lifts crisscrossing 125 acres of skiable area. Restaurants, equipment rentals, an ice-skating rink and a tubing run await below in the village. For those who don’t fancy racing down the slopes, Sugar Mountain offers guided snowshoe tours. 

The second weekend in December brings SugarFest to the resort, complete with ski and snowboard demonstrations, live music and fireworks. This year’s festival features ski clinics led by four-time Olympian Marco Sullivan, and figure-skating presentations by Olympic silver-medalist Paul Wylie.

For information about ski resort tickets and passes, check online at beechmountainresort.com and skisugar.com.

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