Wilson Creek Wild & Scenic River can be rough, calm, cold, raging, beautiful and serene. It’s a pure watershed and a source of drinking water.
Wilson Creek’s rugged gorge offers skilled kayakers 2.3 miles of big challenges including Class IV whitewater rapids.
Going Off-Road to the Wilson Creek National Wild & Scenic River
Well, maybe not really “off” road – but at least the less traveled gravel roads so common in the NC mountains.
We recently found ourselves off in the Jeep for a photo-expedition to the beautiful Wilson Creek area. A popular hiking, swimming and picnicking destination, the Creek is actually quite lengthy and often wider with much more dramatic scenery and rougher water than other local rivers.
You can hike to the Creek from the Blue Ridge Parkway or drive along the mostly gravel Brown Mountain Beach Road. All along the route there are access points where you can easily get to the Creek with sturdy wooden stairs and/or trails just off the road. Thoughtfully, they have even built permanent bathroom facilities along the way. The more adventurous can get down to the water the old-fashioned way at any point they can manage.
You won’t see many people along this route, but you will come across the occasional folks fishing, sunbathing (there are actually a few sandy beaches), camping or enjoying some extreme kayaking. It’s a great area to take some really scenic photos and enjoy getting outside in this amazing part of the county.
This area of Caldwell County used to be known for harboring some unsavory types, but local residents banded together and fought for designation as a National Wild & Scenic River. In 2000, with the national designation in hand, residents worked with officials to build the Wilson Creek Visitor Center and see to the purchase of 640 acres of land through the Foothills Conservancy. The land was formerly home to a hosiery mill and ruins of the old stone structures have been cleaned up and can now be seen along the road.
Betsey’s Ole Country Store and Trout Pond is on Highway 90 by the Mortimer Campground. Bruce Gray has owned the store and adjacent facilities for 20 years (he even has Wi-Fi). He first visited the area as a child with his Father who had trained here with the Green Berets in the 1950s.
When enjoying the scenery leaves you all tuckered out, be sure to stop by Betsey’s Ole Country Store by the Mortimer Campground. You can’t miss it – it will be the only rustic building, in fact the only building of any sort, flying both the Israeli and American flags. Originally built sometime in the 1930’s they now serve snacks, drinks and Nathan’s hot dogs pretty much any way you’d like them. Owner Bruce Gray will be more than happy to fill you in on the local sights and activities.
Bruce directed us to nearby Thorps Creek Trail (in the Mortimer Recreation Area in the Pisgah National Forest) where a short five-minute hike ends at the serene, picturesque Thorps Creek Falls. From Betsey’s, a very short drive or walk takes you to the Mortimer Recreation Area; drive through the campground and park at the end of the road where you will find the trail head, then follow the trail upstream.
Trailhead leading to the Falls.
The falls are at about 1,640’ elevation and are not huge, but the 15’ cascade drops into a calm, clear pool resulting in a striking setting. Once there, you will find an engraved stone plaque commemorating the loss of someone obviously very special. The sentiment has been left in memory of Betsey, for whom Bruce named the Country Store 20 years prior, after her untimely death in an accident. Betsey was obviously well-loved and the marker makes this an even more special place to stay awhile and contemplate life.
A moving tribute to Betsey graces the lovely Thorps Creek Falls.
USDA guide to Wilson Creek:
http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5334062.pdf
Wilson Creek Visitor Center: 828-759-0005
Open daily, year round, with extended hours during the summer months; call for hours.
View from upstairs at the Cone Manor.
Many visitors to the NC High Country have stopped on the Blue Ridge Parkway (milepost 294) to see the lovely Cone Manor. Left to the state by Moses Cone, the home and estate include orchards, lakes and carriage trails.
Mr. Cone was known as “The Denim King” and he and his family were generous to their neighbors and employees. Having no children, he continued his generous legacy and left the property to the state for public use upon his wife’s death.
Today, the home is one of two Parkway Craft Centers (the other is outside Asheville) and is filled with a wide variety of beautiful hand-crafted items. Weekends feature demonstrations by local artisans. The grounds offer several public trails, as well as carriage trails for horseback riding (you can see the local horse trailers along the Parkway on weekends).
But the little-known treat is the upstairs tour run by the National Park Service on weekends from June-mid-October. Park Rangers conduct the tours and explain the colorful history of Moses and Bertha Cone as well as the Cone sisters. It’s a perfect activity for any history or art buff.
Tours times are Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. Groups are kept small and reservations are required. To reserve, call the National Park Service Information Desk at the Manor House: 828.295.3782.
The 100 foot “undersea” acrylic tunnel featured in the Ocean Voyager exhibit.
A Pacific coral reef in one of the worlds largest living tropical reef exhibits.
The expansive Georgia Aquarium is worth a visit – with or without kids.
We visited (without children), and were able to take advantage of the one-hour behind-the-scenes “Sea Keeper Tour” for ages 10+. We saw the veterinary areas, labs, filtration system, coral reef mechanism, and the top of the 6.3 million gallon Ocean Voyager exhibit the Whale Sharks call home. A 20-minute “Quick Dip Tour” is available for families with kids 5+ and also gets you to the top of the Whale Shark exhibit. You can also arrange to swim or dive with the Whale Sharks.
The Aquarium covers everything from cold water environments, featuring Beluga Whales and a shy giant Pacific octopus, to the river habitats of Africa, South America and Asia. Local coastal and river settings are not ignored and there are plenty of hands-on, interactive activities for kids of all ages.
The four Whale Sharks were amazing and I could’ve watched them as well as their companion sharks, mantas and thousands of fish for hours!
You can easily spend a day. Be sure to avoid lines and get your tickets on-line in advance. Many local hotels have overnight/Aquarium packages and, if you stay downtown, you can walk through Centennial Park to the Aquarium. If you drive in, parking at the Aquarium is $10, or $9 if purchased on-line.
Tip: Be sure to book any behind-the-scenes tour and your time for the “Dolphin Tales” show in advance. Popular times book up quickly. If you get tickets through a hotel you may need your ticket numbers because you will need to book these times directly with the Aquarium. I say “may” because after being told I had to have the ticket numbers, once I got them, no one ever asked for them . . . .
Surface view of a Whale Shark from the vantage point of a behind-the-scenes tour.
One of the four Whale Sharks at the Georgia Aquarium.
Pacific Sea Nettles, each with their lacy oral arms and 24 stinging tentacles.
Tale fluke of a beautiful Beluga Whale in the Cold Water Quest exhibit.
Enjoying some bluegrass and gospel music by Tennessee group Rambling Rose, at Carolina Barbeque in Newland. Best smoked chicken, fried chicken fingers and pecan cobbler anywhere!
