Whatever Your Calling, Find It In Black Mountain
The picturesque hamlet of Black Mountain, North Carolina, delivers all the quintessential ingredients that a mountain tourist town should.
Black Mountain is a magnet for arts and culture, a playground for outdoor adventure, a utopia for shopping and browsing, and a feast for culinary pallets. Whether you’re a loafer or explorer, a casual day-tripper or weekend warrior, Black Mountain is a destination that does it all.
Window shopper’s paradise
Black Mountain is made for strolling.
Its array of distinctive shops will pique your curiosity and spark your imagination. There’s a shop for every hobby, a boutique for every collector, and a storefront for every interest.
Animal lovers will swoon over Bone-a-fide Pet Boutique. Quilters will adore Black Mountain Quilts. Sports fans will cheer over team memorabilia at Score. Kids will go gaga for the unique toys at Cherry Street Kids. Wine connoisseurs will rave over The Merry Wine Market. And healthy-living types will relish Black Mountain Natural Foods and locally-sourced grocer Roots and Fruits Market.
There’s galleries for every taste as well, from photography and pottery to jewelry and antiques. The notable Seven Sisters Gallery has anchored the downtown Black Mountain arts scene for 35 years, with fine arts and crafts of all mediums and rotating shows by visual artists. Visions of Creation Gallery features hand-made jewelry.
Don’t miss the Old Depot Association, an artist co-op housed in a restored, century-old train depot that showcases the work of 75 regional juried artists and crafters. The depot still sports benches where passengers once waited and stenciled letters above the ticket window.
Some of Black Mountain’s unique shops are destinations in their own right, like Black Mountain Yarn Shop.
It has garnered national accolades from a vast following of fiber artists who make a pilgrimage here to browse the yarn selection, pull up a chair to the knitter’s circle, swap designs or just talk shop. Speakers, workshops and clinics lend to the lively and welcoming vibe.
Stop in to AVL Solar for a cool assortment of solar-powered gadgets and portable solar panels for recharging your devices, including solar panels built in to outdoor gear for charging up on the trail or handy, pocket-sized versions that go anywhere.
Spice It Up has shelf after shelf of teas by the ounce—from loose leaf to herbals to aromatics—plus a fun selection of infused oils and vinegars, smoked and seasoned salts and flavored sugars.
Craftsmen abound in Black Mountain, from fine furniture makers to blacksmiths to luthiers, including the finely crafted guitars at Bailey Acoustics and unique dulcimers at Song of the Wood—a must if you’ve never tried your hand at a bowed psaltery.
No trip to Black Mountain is complete without a gander through the famous Town Hardware and General Store, serving up a heaping dose of nostalgia and whimsy. Its 90-year-old roots as a hometown hardware store are alive and well with isles of nuts and bolts, tools, paint, hooks, knives, furniture wax, light bulbs—they probably even have that “doohickey, thingamajig or whatchamacallit” you’ve been searching for.
The store also pays homage to the Five and Dime of yesteryear with practical homewares like dish towels and old-fashioned apothecary items, along with home and garden décor from wind vanes to oil lamps. Kids will love the old-fashioned toys like Radio Flyer wagons and rubber band guns, plus the cooler of root beers and orange sodas.
Outdoor junction
An outpost for adventure, Black Mountain caters to hikers, bikers, runners, anglers and backpackers looking for a jumping off point for outdoor recreation. Nestled at the foot the Blue Ridge Parkway and cradled by the Black Mountain range, the stunning landscape at Black Mountain’s doorstep is an outdoor paradise.
Early explorers plying the peaks in search of the highest mountain in the East—a title eventually claimed by Mount Mitchell—arrived in Black Mountain by wagon before continuing the rugged journey on foot. The town continues to serve as a base camp today.
Outfitters in town stand at the ready to help, whether you’re planning an extended backpacking trip, a casual trail run, or single-track action.
Take a Hike Outfitter is a well-appointed outdoors store with gear by every major name in the industry. From outdoor clothing and footwear to backpacking meals, camp chairs, and sleeping bags, find everything you need to adventure in style. Their pro staff are glad to help with trip planning and trail suggestions, as well.
Vertical Runner is a great resource for runners, while Epic Cycles offers repairs, parts, rentals and advice for trail riding or road routes. One Fly Outfitters has an extensive inventory of fishing gear and supplies, plus offers instruction and guided trips on waters throughout the Smokies.
A culinary empire
Along with its impressive mix of specialty boutiques, mom-and-pop shops and eclectic galleries, Black Mountain’s culinary abundance is downright dizzying.
From the upscale new-Southern menu of Que Sera to hand-crafted pizzas at My Father’s Pizza, from German fare at Berliner Kindl to the hipster twist on soul food at Blue Ridge Biscuit, you’ll be wishing there were more meals in the day to sample it all.
The settings are as varied as the cuisine, from historic hotels like the Monte Vista or Red Rocker Inn to porch dining at the classic Louise’s Kitchen and Black Mountain Bistro.
Play your cards right to make room for the fanciful dessert shops, like Hey Hey Cupcake, Sweets on Cherry Street candy shop or the famous fudge at Kilwin’s. A plethora of bakeries and coffee shops dot the downtown district as well.
To make the most of Black Mountain’s dining diversity, jump on a downtown walk-about with Creative Mountain Food Tours. Guides intersperse local history and downtown sites with stopovers at six restaurants during the Ultimate Foodie Tour. They also do a dessert tour and a pub crawl.
On the craft beverage scene, Black Mountain is home to the well-known Pisgah Brewing, the nano-sized Lookout Brewery, plus Black Mountain Cider Works + Meadery producing hard cider and honey wine.
Grab a pint at Trail Head Restaurant and Bar, relax at UnWine’d wine bar, or rub elbows with locals during trivia night at Black Mountain Ale House with 19 beers on tap. We’re rather fond of the tagline at Black Mountain Ale House—“upscale yet unpretentious”—which is a perfect fit for Black Mountain in general.
Attractions
When you tire of browsing shops and restaurants, wile away an afternoon at Lake Tomahawk, just a stone’s throw from downtown. With a walking path around the lake, a playground for kids to burn off steam, an outdoor pool and idyllic picnic spots, Lake Tomahawk is a crowned jewel for Black Mountain.
When the sun slips below the ridgeline, Black Mountain’s vibrant nightlife scene springs into action. Live music is a hallmark of this culturally-endowed town. Bands of all genres belt it out several nights a week at venues around town, including the famous White Horse Black Mountain, the outdoor stage of Pisgah Brewing Company, and the stalwart Town Pump Tavern.
Browse the Saturday morning Black Mountain Tailgate Market, partake in beer and yoga on Sunday afternoons at Pisgah Brewing, tag along for a run with the Posse Running Club, play a round at Black Mountain Golf Course or catch the summer outdoor concert series at Lake Tomahawk.
For an agritourism experience, venture just outside town to Round Mountain Creamery or Hop ‘n Blueberry Farm.
Stop in to the Swannanoa Valley Museum to learn about the cultural heritage and early settlement of the region, plus unique characters and historical stories showcased through rotating exhibits.
Housed in a historic fire station built in the early 1920s, the museum is part of the downtown National Historic District. Guided hikes showcasing the natural and cultural history of the area are available.
The Black Mountain Center for the Arts is a community gem, offering theater performances, concerts, an art gallery and a robust line-up of workshops and classes, from pottery and painting to music and dance.
Black Mountain has a rich legacy as a mountain retreat offering solace, comfort and renewal for the soul—from Southern aristocrats escaping summer heat by train in the late 19th century to an exploding number of Christian conference centers during the 20th century.
The Black Mountain area is home to half a dozen religious retreat campuses, some open to the public for touring. There’s the Episcopal Camp Dorothy Walls, the Presbyterian Montreat Conference Center, the LifeWay Baptist Ridgecrest, the Free-Will Baptist’s Cragmont Assembly, Christmount Assembly by the Christian Church, the YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly and the non-denominational Light Center with a meditation labyrinth and geodesic dome for prayer.
Black Mountain has several festivals during the year, including its signature Sourwood Festival in August, a celebration of the delectable heritage of mountain honey with tall the ubiquitous makings of a solid street festival, including live entertainment, nearly 200 craft and food vendors and kids’ activities and games.