Towns to Visit: Black Mountain

Black Mountain/Montreat
1 hour drive northeast of Brevard.

The towns of Black Mountain and Montreat make an enjoyable whole- or half-day outing, depending on how much hiking and/or shopping you want to do.

Black Mountain has a lively downtown. There are dozens of craft stores and cafes, in a beautiful valley surrounded by mountains. To get there, take I-40 East from Asheville to the Black Mountain exit.

Montreat was originally a Presbyterian mountain retreat (and still is), but is now also a conference center, college, history center, campgrounds, and small town. It’s also a hiking center. To get there, from Black Mountain take route 9 north for 2 miles to the stone gate (shown) then another 1.5 miles to Lake Susan.

For a short walk, take a tour on foot through the town and college, starting at Lake Susan opposite the Assembly Inn on Assembly Drive, the center of Montreat. You might want to visit the Nelson Bell Library (corner of Appalachian Way and Lookout Rd) or see the 16-foot fresco “The Return of the Prodigal” in the Chapel of the Prodigal (across from the library).

One option is to hike or drive to the end of Graybeard Trail Road, which starts at Lake Susan. For a short 2 mile loop, from the end of the road follow the Graybeard Trail, taking a left on the Harry Bryan Trail, and then a left on the Julia Woodward Trail, and follow signs down the hill back to the start. If you instead took a right on the Julia Woodward Trail, it will end shortly at a small waterfall flowing between two boulders on Slaty Branch Creek.

For longer hikes, pick up a map at the Montreat General Store on Lake Susan.
If you have time on the way back, you might consider a visit to the Folk Art Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway. From I-40 West, take exit 55 (there will be brown signs for the Folk Art Center). Follow US70 a mile or so, and take the Blue Ridge Parkway North exit ramp. The Folk Art Center is a mile or so on your left. To return to Brevard from here, you could take the Blue Ridge Parkway south for 12 miles, taking the NC-191 (Brevard Road)/ NC Arboretum exit. Follow NC-191 south for 7 miles to its intersection with NC-280. Take a right on NC-280 and follow it 12 miles to its intersection with US64, and on to Brevard.