Nearest Airport
: Tri Cities Airport, Johnson City, TN
at 56
Miles
Nearest Ski
: Ski Beech
at 8
Miles
Car: necessary
The history of Beech Mountain Community can be traced back to when the Cherokee Indians traveled through the area in search of its many elk, bear, and deer. Historians believe that the area was once a part of the Great Trading Path which stretched all the way from Virginia to Georgia, and which Indians as well as white men used. Arrowheads and other Indian artifacts have been discovered which verify this, along with a tree thought to have been marked by Indians traveling on the path. It is thought that this marked tree helped the first white settlers discover and settle in the Beech Mountain area.
As more and more people moved into the settlements, communities began to form around the churches which the earlier settlers had begun. These churches became the center point of people's lives, serving various functions such as schools, community meeting places, and the center of social life, with families walking back and forth to them with lanterns. Even today, Beech Mountain Community itself consists of five smaller communities -- Mt. Gilead, Fall Creek, Flat Springs, Beech Valley, and Beech Mountain -- all of which formed around churches of the same name which make up their center.
The Township of Beech Mountain (aka The Beech Mountain Community) is not within city limits, but located in the rural portion of the community. This part of Beech Mountain is still close to skiing, Buckeye lake, a network of hiking trails, Watauga Lake, 25 minutes to Boone, 1.5 mile to Beech Mountain Trail System (Westerly Hills Trail), 20 minutes to Mast General Store in Valle Crucis, less than 10 minutes to Watauga River & Trash Can Falls. There is so much outdoor activities to do from Hiking, Mountain Biking, Skiing, Fishing, Boating, and so much more.
