Overview:

Just 48 miles and less than an hour's drive from Asheville, NC, and less than ten miles from the delightful villages of Waynesville, Dillsboro and Sylva, each with its own classic Main Street charm, exists a place as rare and exciting as it is peaceful and beautiful----a true gem of the Great Smokey Mountains. 

Situated on 4,400 spectacular, long-protected acres of prime forest, waterfalls and streams, the Balsam Mountain Preserve brings to reality the concept of a vast "mountain park" with an exclusive Gated Residential Community and exceptional recreational facilities nestled carefully inside. 

Approximately 3,000 acres have set aside for perpetuity as a permanent Conservation Easement, never to be touched----to be managed by North American Land Trust in concert with the Balsam Mountain Trust, a non-profit trust, responsible for preserving the habitat and history of this pristine wilderness.  On the rest of the land of some 1,400 acres are planned exclusive allotments of generous homesteads which average in size from 2 acres for just 350 families, who will singularly enjoy the protected natural environment and cultural history.  Elevations on the Preserve range from 2,600 to over 5,400 ft., with rugged mountains, rushing streams and peaceful coves contributing to a sense of privacy and quiet seclusion.

To discover a parcel of remote, undeveloped and undisturbed land of this size is unique in all the Blue Ridge Mountains.  But what makes the Preserve more special as a mountain property is its accessibility to nearby major cities by divided and interstate highways - no frustrating two-lane mountain roads!

Amenities:

The Preserve includes amenities such as a staffed Gatehouse and an Arnold Palmer designed 18-hole Golf Course scheduled for completion in 2006, as well as Horseback Riding Trails & Stables, Fishing, Mountain Biking, and Hiking as just some of the sporting activities available.  A real Mountain Boarding House complete with Guest Houses are also part of the package, as well as a Nature Center, Sports Garden, Camping sites, and Community Gardens. (See an interactive presentation and maps directly below.) 

Location:

The Balsam Mountain Preserve is located in the immediate vicinity of three historic mountain towns, Waynesville, Dillsboro, and Sylvia, near Balsam gap within the Great Smoky Mountains in the southwestern corner of North Carolina. The Smokies are  made up of multiple sub-ranges of mountains; some names are general and fairly interchangeable - like "Smokies", "Appalachians" and "Blue Ridge" - while others are specific to certain locations. The Preserve rests along the western flank of the Great Balsam mountain range, near where the Plott Balsam mountains meet the Richland Balsam mountains. Four-lane US Highway 23/74 (The Great Smoky Mountains Expressway) leaves I-40 near Waynesville in Haywood County, climbs westward through Balsam gap, intersects the famous Blue Ridge Parkway and descends into Jackson County.  (See an interactive presentation and maps directly below.)

The Trust:

The entirety of the Preserve is managed by the Balsam Mountain Trust, a nonprofit organization owned by the Developer, and funded in perpetuity by real estate transfer fees and private donations, and staffed by two full-time employees.  The Trust's educational mission is fulfilled by the Balsam Mountain Nature Center. Here members, guests and research partners have access to working labs, a resource center and a museum of natural and cultural history. Educational outreach programs to members, guests, and educational institutions in the surrounding community are coordinated at the Nature Center.  These programs have already shown great success; the Trust has conducted joint projects with many regional universities and environmental organizations during the past two years, and continues to strengthen that mutually beneficial web of research.