Beech Mountain, NC
Beech Mountain is cozy. Beech Mountain is our winter tradition.
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The Story of Beech Mountain
Long before it had ski lifts, Beech Mountain was hunting ground for the Cherokee, who called it “Klonteska,” meaning pheasant. In the 1960s a group of developers led by Grover Robbins of Blowing Rock bet on something nobody thought would work: a ski resort in the South. Beech Mountain Resort opened in the winter of 1967. Three years later, the Land of Oz theme park opened on the summit, yellow brick road and all.
The early years were rough. The developers went bankrupt in 1980 and Land of Oz closed. Property owners stepped in to save the mountain, and in 1981 Beech Mountain became a town. It turned into one of the Southeast’s favorite four-season escapes. Land of Oz still opens for a few special days each year, and fans plan whole trips around them.
Today Beech Mountain is the highest town east of the Rockies, at 5,506 feet. It’s a small mountain town with a big winter scene: 17 ski trails, a slopeside brewery, a bar at the summit, and Banner Elk and Boone just down the road. It’s close enough for a weekend from Raleigh, Charlotte or Atlanta, and far enough to feel like you actually left.
That’s why we keep coming back. Young & Stamped has hosted ski weekends on Beech Mountain for the past three winters. It’s the trip where first-timers learn to ski, solo travelers leave with a group chat, and après turns into the best part of the weekend.
Seasonal activities
Spring
Spring on the mountain is quieter. Snow hangs around into March, then the trails open up and the crowds thin out. Late-season spring skiing Waterfall and wildflower hikes across the High Country Quiet cabin weekends at off-season rates
- Mountain Biking
- Hiking
- Trout Fishing
Summer
Summer is Beech Mountain’s best-kept secret. At this elevation it rarely gets past the 70s, so when the rest of the South is melting, you’re up here wearing a hoodie. Lift-served downhill mountain biking on the ski slopes Scenic lift rides and drinks at the 5,506' Skybar The Emerald Outback trails, plus live music in the resort village
- River tubing
- Scenic Lifts
- Trail Running
Autumn
Fall in the Blue Ridge is the main event. The leaves turn early up here, and the views from the summit are unreal. Fall foliage drives and summit views Autumn at Oz weekend at the Land of Oz Cozy brewery nights with a fire pit and a flannel
- Kite Flying
- Holiday Markets
- Hiking
Winter
Winter is why we’re here. The slopes open in early December, and the snow and après scene run through March. Skiing and snowboarding on 95 skiable acres Snow tubing and ice skating in the resort village Après at Beech Mountain Brewing Co. and the Skybar
- Skiing
- Snowtubing
- Après
Beech Mountain, NC – must know & facts
Did you know?
The Cherokee called Beech “Klonteska” (Pheasant). The ski resort opened in the winter of 1967. The Land of Oz opened in 1970 and shut in 1980 after a fire and a decline in visitors. In 1981, Beech Mountain incorporated and reinvented itself as a quaint town and popular resort destination. The resort has 17 trails across 95 skiable acres with an 830-foot vertical drop. Beech Mountain Brewing Co. is one of very few breweries in the country owned and operated by a ski area. Summer temperatures hover in the 60s and 70s and rarely exceed 79 degrees.