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If 6,400 acres of water for kayaking, boating and water skiing in your front yard aren’t enough, just head down the road to the Pisgah National Forest or the Blue Ridge Mountains for some hiking, mountain biking or skiing. Walk over to Linville Gorge to challenge your climbing skills. Or drive up the road to Asheville for a day of art gallery viewing and antiquing.
When you live at Lake James, it’s all in your own backyard.
Boone is home to Appalachian State University, consistently ranked among the most respected and acclaimed comprehensive universities in the south. It’s also a nationally-known outdoor adventure destination with mountain biking, hiking and camping in the nearby Pisgah National Forest and trails and preserves within the town limits – including a section of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail which runs right through town on its 900-plus-miles across North Carolina.
Some of North Carolina’s top public and private golf courses are located in Boone. And in the cooler months, skiing is nearby.
The Blowing Rock, an immense cliff 4,000 feet above sea level overhanging Johns River Gorge 3,000 feet below, is one of North Carolina's oldest attractions. Hikers and visitors have been coming here since 1933 to enjoy the cool mountain temperatures; storybook town with its museums, shopping and festivals; and views of Grandfather Mountain, Table Rock, and Hawksbill Mountain.
There’s even a fascinating legend about how Blowing Rock got its name.
The present Lake James State Park sits on the south shore of the Lake in McDowell County. Convenient to every home at Lake James, it offers swimming, water skiing, canoeing, boating, sailing, fishing, picnicking, and tent camping, as well as many trails and scenic overlooks. Several public access areas and three marinas are available for the convenience of water sports enthusiasts.
Recently, the state of North Carolina purchased approximately 3,900 acres on the north side of the lake for a new larger state park that will greatly increase recreational opportunities available to the general public as well as help preserve this pristine natural resource. Citizens groups have been instrumental in acquiring over 4,000 acres of pristine shoreline tracts that will now be preserved, protected and made available to the general public. About 2,000 of those acres will be carefully developed into the brand-new Lake James State Park.
It’s no wonder that the first pair of wild American Bald Eagles seen in the area in over 40 years chose Lake James as home.
Over millions of years, the scouring action of the Linville River created this dramatic gorge, with its average depth of 1,400 feet. Known as the “grand canyon of North Carolina,” Linville Gorge is a haven for hiking, rock climbing, fishing and nature watching. Explore more at NorthCarolinaOutdoors.com. The Gorge is located in the Pisgah National Forest.
In 1926, a group of local businessmen built a nine-hole golf course using a team of horses. The course grew over the years and today the Marion Lake Club is an 18-hole, par 70 semi-private facility complete with pro shop, vintage clubhouse, swimming pool, tennis courts and a members’ marina with about 40 boat slips. Annual memberships are available. Learn more at www.marionlakeclub.com.
Part of the vast Pisgah National Forest that covers much of the north and central western
mountains of North Carolina is located in Burke County, on the northwest side of Lake James. The forest has some of the most beautiful and rugged mountain scenery in the state and offers many recreational opportunities including hiking, camping, horseback riding, climbing and more.
Breathtaking views of mountains, ponds and streams are the only distractions from your game at this semi-private golf course. Nestled in the foothills of western North Carolina, the Silver Creek Golf Course is a championship design by Tom Jackson, one of today's leading golf architects. The par 72, 18-hole layout is set on 170 acres in the 553-acre community of Silver Creek Plantation. It has five sets of tees to accommodate and challenge golfers of all skill levels, and includes Bermuda fairways, immaculate bent grass greens, a sophisticated irrigation system and concrete cart paths.
Silver Creek Plantation offers affordable golf course living with other amenities such as a pool, tennis court and clubhouse. When complete, the community will have 222 single-family homes, 20 townhomes and eight homes on 10- to 15-acre sites. Learn more at www.silvercreekplantation.com. |
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