Ashe County · North Carolina
Creek, pond, and ten quiet acres
Essential services close to the property.
Downtown West Jefferson is four minutes away and packs a lot into a few blocks: two breweries, a bistro, a proper pub and the oldest cheese factory in the South.
A cozy pub in the historic downtown doing burgers, wings and sandwiches with a solid craft beer list. The easy answer when nobody can agree on dinner.
Pub Food · DowntownThe dress-up-a-bit option downtown, with a proper bistro menu with wine and craft cocktails. Worth booking ahead if you're here on a weekend.
Date NightThe South's oldest cheese factory, running since 1930 and still turning out around 30,000 pounds a week. The store sells the whole range plus local jams and curds, and there's a free viewing room where you can watch them make it. Stock up on the way back to the house.
Oldest Cheese Plant in the SouthFor a town this size, West Jefferson punches well above its weight, with a designated arts district, a mural on nearly every block, and two of the most remarkable pieces of religious art in the state a short drive apart.
There are around 19 murals scattered through the few blocks of downtown, painted by local artists and covering the county's mountain history: farming, music, the railroad, the cheese plant. Park once and walk it; you'll find them tucked down side streets and on the backs of buildings. Best hour you'll spend in town.
Free · Self-GuidedA small 1905 mountain church holding Ben Long's first frescoes: Mary Great with Child, John the Baptist, and The Mystery of Faith, all painted directly onto wet plaster. People drive a long way for these and most visitors have the place to themselves. Open around the clock, free to visit, and quietly astonishing.
Open 24/7 · FreeYou've got ten acres and two creeks to wander before you even get in the car. When you do, some of the best walking in the High Country is within half an hour.
Two creeks, a pond full of koi, a pasture and the old water wheel. Wear boots after rain and keep an eye out. Deer and wild turkey come through regularly, and they're usually more startled than you are.
Right Outside the DoorAshe County sits at the top of the High Country, so the classic Blue Ridge days out are all within an hour or so.
One of the great drives anywhere, and it runs right past the top of the county. Head south toward Boone for overlooks and waterfalls, or north toward Virginia for the quieter stretch. Check nps.gov/blri before you set off in winter, since sections gate closed for snow and ice.
Check Conditions in WinterThe biggest town in the High Country, with Appalachian State, a proper main street, breweries, bookstores and the best choice of restaurants in the area. Good rainy-day plan.
A pretty mountain village with a walkable main street, good shops and the Blowing Rock overlook itself. Pairs neatly with a stretch of the Parkway on the way there or back.
An old railbed turned quiet lane that runs flat alongside the New River, and one of the loveliest easy bike rides or slow drives in the state. The general store in Todd is the natural stop.
A few things worth knowing before you settle in.
Everything here is a short drive. Town is four minutes, the grocery store about ten. Mountain roads wind and phone signal comes and goes, so it's worth downloading your route before you set out.
Deer and wild turkey cross the property regularly and it's one of the best things about the place. Please don't feed them, don't leave food or trash outside, and keep an eye on children in the open.
The fire pit is yours to use. Check whether Ashe County has an active burn ban before lighting it, keep it contained, and make sure it's completely out before you go inside. The indoor fireplace is not in use, so please don't light anything in it.
You're high up in the Blue Ridge here. Mornings are often foggy and evenings turn cool even in midsummer, so bring something warm for sitting out on the deck.
The back door has a multipoint lock, so locking it takes one extra move. Pull the door closed, lift the lever handle up until it stops, then turn the lock. Lifting is what drives the bolts into the frame. Nothing is wrong with the door and it is not stuck, that is simply how this style of lock works. Opening it needs nothing special.
The master bedroom closet, the downstairs closet and the utility room are locked, and the barn is off limits. That's the owner's own storage rather than anything to do with your stay, and there are dressers in the bedrooms for your things. Every room, the covered deck, the fire pit and the grounds are all yours.
Keep it bagged and inside until you leave, then just leave it in the house and our cleaning crew takes it out. Nothing outside overnight, please.
Ashe County Cheese has been running since 1930 and is the oldest cheese plant in the South. The store is four minutes away, the viewing room is free, and the curds do not survive the drive home. Consider yourself warned.