Fall foliage and fine craft in Western North Carolina

The Asheville Citizen-Times has a front-page article today about where to see the fall colors. Their Burnsville-Mount Mitchell Tour recommends stops at the Toe River Arts Council in Burnsville, OOAK Gallery in Micaville, and the art and craft studios along NC 80:

Burnsville-Mount Mitchell Tour

The Mount Mitchell Scenic Highway is a slow-paced loop drive starting in Asheville. Fall color should just be starting in lower elevations including Burnsville (3,000 feet) and peaking on the Blue Ridge Parkway just north and south of Asheville.

Start: From Asheville, take future I-26 West about 17 miles to Exit 9. Continue on U.S. 19 East for 14 miles to Burnsville. The drive is about 35 miles.

Stop: All parking is free in Burnsville. Stop at the Visitor Center, 106 West Main St., 828-682-7413, for maps and information on hikes, mountain biking, fishing spots and scenic drives. Visit the Toe River Arts Council next door for an overview of the area’s robust art scene and list of art studios. Check out the historic Nu-Wray Inn, Southern Drifters Outfitters, clothing and trinket shops, and restaurants like Appalachian Java and the Garden Deli.

Drive: Take U.S. 19 East about 6 miles toward Micaville. Stop at OOAK (One of a Kind) Art Studio at the intersection with N.C. 80. Head south for 14 miles on N.C. 80, dotted with pottery, glass, jewelry and other art studios.

Stop: Carolina Hemlocks Campground for a short hike or a picnic, or to set up camp. Walk along the South Toe River. Stop at Mount Mitchell Golf Course and Black Mountain Campground.

Last stop: Folk Art Center at MP 382 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Bathrooms, crafts of the Southern Highland Craft Guild, National Park Service ranger on duty, maps, guidebooks.

– Karen Chávez, writing for the Asheville Citizen-Times

Read the complete article here: https://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/2019/10/18/fall-foliage-color-has-finally-come-mountains-western-north-carolina/4000809002/