Beech Mountain is a

town A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an ori ...

in both Avery and Watauga counties in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...

. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 320. The town is located atop

Beech Mountain Beech Mountain is a town in both Avery and Watauga counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 320. The town is located atop Beech Mountain and is the highest town east of the Rocky Mountain ...

and is the highest

east of the

Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in straight-line distance from the northernmost part of western Canada, to New Mexico ...

at 5,506 ft (1,678 m) in elevation. The nearest municipality at a higher elevation is

Des Moines, New Mexico Des Moines is a village in Union County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 143 at the 2010 census. Des Moines is a small village surrounded by large cattle ranches. The summit of Sierra Grande, the largest shield volcano in the Raton ...

, some away. The town relies heavily on tourism, with the population swelling as high as 5,000 in the summer, and to 10,000 during the peak of ski season. The abundance of outdoor activities, mild summer temperatures (compared to the rest of the

southeast The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each sepa ...

), and ski resort make it a popular location for people in

the Carolinas The Carolinas are the U.S. states of North Carolina and South Carolina, considered collectively. They are bordered by Virginia to the north, Tennessee to the west, and Georgia to the southwest. The Atlantic Ocean is to the east. Combining Nor ...

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

and

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

to own both summer and winter vacation homes.

Geography

Beech Mountain is located in Avery and Watauga counties, North Carolina. Beech Mountain is located at (36.206374, -81.883115). According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of t ...

, the town has a total area of 6.7 sq mi (17.4 km), all land. At an elevation of 5,506 feet (1,678 m), Beech Mountain is the highest incorporated community east of the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it fl ...

. Beech Mountain Ski Resort is one of very few ski areas operating in the

Southeastern United States The Southeastern United States, also referred to as the American Southeast or simply the Southeast, is a geographical region of the United States. It is located broadly on the eastern portion of the southern United States and the southern por ...

Demographics

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...

of 2000, there were 310 people, 145 households, and 95 families residing in the town. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...

was 46.6 people per square mile (18.0/km). There were 1,868 housing units at an average density of 280.8 per square mile (108.5/km). The racial makeup of the town was 97.42%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...

, and 2.58% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 0.97% of the population. There were 145 households, out of which 15.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.3% were married couples living together and 33.8% were non-families. 21.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.45. The age distribution was 12.6% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 33.9% from 45 to 64, and 22.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 51 years. For every 100 females, there were 108.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.9 males. The median income for a household in the town was $47,500, and the median income for a family was $52,813. Males had a median income of $32,031 versus $22,000 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the town was $26,799. About 2.8% of families and 8.5% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including none of those under the age of eighteen or sixty-five or over.

Climate

Beech Mountain has a

humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freezing ...

(''

Dfb DFB may refer to: * Deerfield Beach, Florida, a city * Decafluorobutane, a fluorocarbon gas * Dem Franchize Boyz, former hip hop group, Atlanta, Georgia * Dfb, Köppen climate classification for Humid continental climate * Distributed-feedback ...

''), and is the coldest town in North Carolina as well as all of

Southeastern US The Southeastern United States, also referred to as the American Southeast or simply the Southeast, is a geographical region of the United States. It is located broadly on the eastern portion of the southern United States and the southern por ...

, with winters comparable to coastal New England and summers far cooler than the surrounding Piedmont and even other mountain towns. Summers are typically mild and rainy, with some cooler and warmer days sprinkled in. Winter temperatures are cold and very snowy, with daily highs around freezing and lows in the teens, though above freezing winter highs tend to keep the snowpack down.

Recreation

Beech Mountain has become known as a recreational mecca on the East Coast and is the main driver in its economy. Due to its high altitude, the cool summer temperatures make it an ideal place to escape the heat of the flat lands and the ample snowfall during the winter allows for over 3 months of skiing and snowboarding each year.

Hiking

Beech Mountain has over 28 miles of dedicated hiking trail within the town limits. Popular trails include Upper and Lower Pond Creek, which traverse along the banks of Pond Creek, and Grassy Gap Trail, which descends along Grassy Gap Creek to Buckeye Recreation Center. The Emerald Outback has become a popular hiking and trail running destination, boasting 11 miles of pristine trail mostly above 5,000' in altitude. Several overlooks exist facing the southward mountains in the trail system. Each summer, the recreation department provides guided hikes to view birds, flowers, plants, and other items along the trails.

Biking

Biking on Beech Mountain has been a staple since the early days of the town. Cyclists enjoy both road cycling and mountain biking opportunities atop the mountain. The recreation department maintains the Emerald Outback trail system and has invested into several trails with jumps, berms, and other features. During the summer months, Beech Mountain Resort opens their downhill bike park, which is accessible via chair lift. Several competitions take place on the downhill trails each year. Beech Mountain is also known for its road cycling. Highway 184 on the front side of the mountain is one of the most difficult climbs in the southern United States. It was made famous during the 1990s as it was the queen stage of the now defunct

Tour DuPont The Tour DuPont was a cycling stage race in the United States held annually between 1989 and 1996, initially called the Tour de Trump in the first two years. It was intended to become a North American cycling event similar in format and prestig ...

, as well as during

Lance Armstrong Lance Edward Armstrong ('' né'' Gunderson; born September 18, 1971) is an American former professional road racing cyclist. Regarded as a sports icon for winning the Tour de France seven consecutive times from 1999 to 2005 after recovering fr ...

's recovery from cancer treatment.

Fishing

While the mountain does not contain the large rivers typically associated with mountain trout fishing, there is a plethora of places to cast a rod within the town limits. Over 3 miles of the streams on the mountain are stocked with trout from the NC Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as Buckeye Lake and Lake Coffey. Fish include brown, rainbow, and brook trout. Guided tours are available through the Buckeye Recreation Center, as well as single day fishing licenses specific to Beech Mountain. Each year in June, the Kiddo Fishing Derby attracts several kids to Lake Coffey as the season opens for trout fishing.

Skiing and snowboarding

Beech Mountain was originally developed around the ski resort, Beech Mountain Resort. The resort was opened in 1967 and has expanded ever since. Currently, there are 17 trails and 8 lifts over 95 skiable acres. The mountain hosted large racing events during the 1970s that attracted several Olympians to the resort. After falling into disrepair at the turn of the century, the owners of the resort have begun making large capital improvements to bring the resort back to it prior grandeur. There is a wide range of terrain, including a beginner area, a terrain park with several jumps and features, more difficult terrain, and one of the top slopes in the south on the backside of the mountain in Oz Run.

Sledding and tubing

Beech Mountain is the only municipality in the southern United States to operate a free public sledding hill. Located across from the town hall building, the sled hill is open all winter long to children under the age of 12. The hill is no longer supervised during business hours, which roughly coincide with daylight. Patrons must bring their own sleds, which can be brought from home, rented or purchased at nearby merchants. Also, be prepared to pay hourly metered parking (the hill is a bit steep & long to walk with small children), card accepted. Beech Mountain Resort offers tubing, which users must purchase tickets in person for, only issued on the day of visit. Tubing tickets are sold in two hour blocks (times available based on weekday/weekend) but be aware that you actually get less because the tube lanes close at least 15 minutes prior to end of session. You can sign the waiver electronically online, which will save you time at the ticket booth.

Buckeye Recreation Center

The Buckeye Recreation Center is an indoor facility dedicated to expanding the recreational needs of residents and visitors alike and is the central hub of the town recreation department. The center opened in 2005 and includes a full-size gymnasium, indoor tennis court, 2 indoor pickleball courts, meeting areas, fitness area with state-of-the-art equipment, kids playroom, an indoor walking track, and lobby with free WiFi. Outside of the building, there are 2 outdoor tennis courts, a softball field, a walking path, and large ropes playground. Additionally, the center rents out canoes, kayaks, and other water equipment for use in nearby Buckeye Lake. During the summer, the center hosts a daycamp for kids of all ages, as well as several other activities and events for residents and visitors alike.

Beech Mountain Club

The Beech Mountain Club is a private club that originated as a homeowners association when the mountain was first developed. Today, memberships can be purchased through ownership of property on the mountain. The Club offers an 18-hole golf course, 10 Har-Tru tennis courts, a 25m pool, 5 pickleball courts, and an indoor fitness center. Due to the very infrequent nature of hot weather in the summer, the golf course boasts a "free round of golf" if the temperatures exceed 80 degrees. In the winter, the Club operates the Alpen Haus at the foot of the ski resort.

Other activities

With 63 miles of low traffic town roads, Beech Mountain offers a great place for road running and walking. Several running races take place on the mountain each year. During the winter months, less traveled roads are not plowed, which allows for usage of cross country skis and snowshoes. These activities are also permitted on the town maintained trails. The Beech Mountain Resort also offers ice skating in the winter, as well as roller skating and disc golf in the summer months.

Notable people

Ray Hicks Lenard Ray Hicks (August 29, 1922 – April 20, 2003) was an Appalachian storyteller who lived his entire life on Beech Mountain, North Carolina. He was particularly known for the telling of Jack Tales. He was a recipient of a 1983 Nati ...

, Appalachian storyteller *

Frank Proffitt Frank Noah Proffitt (June 1, 1913 – November 24, 1965) was an Appalachian old time banjoist who preserved the song " Tom Dooley" in the form we know it today and was a key figure in inspiring musicians of the 1960s and 1970s to play the trad ...

, banjoist

References

External links

Town of Beech Mountain

Beech Mountain Chamber of Commerce

Beech Mountain News

Beech Mountain Ski Resort
{{authority control Towns in North Carolina Towns in Avery County, North Carolina Towns in Watauga County, North Carolina