September 13

Valley History Explorer Series Hike #7: Leaders Choice (Kitsuma)

This hike will follow the Kitsuma Trail to a viewpoint boasting sweeping vistas of the Swannanoa Valley, including a breathtaking view of Mt. Mitchell, which is visible on clear days. Today, Ridgecrest is best known as the home of the Lifeway Ridgecrest Conference Center. The conference center was first founded as the Southern Baptist Assembly by Dr. Bernard Washington Spilman in 1907. The center is marked by a large white cross, which is visible as drivers heading west on I-40 crest the top of the Blue Ridge on their way up from Old Fort.

September 20th

uckner’s Knob was the original name given to today’s Craggy Pinnacle, named after the Buckner family, one of the early families to settle on the Barnardsville side of the Craggies. The Flats of Craggy were the spot where the boys from North Fork side of the Craggies and those from the Barnardsville side would meet for baseball games and campouts. The flats were much more open then due to the grazing of cattle and sheep for many years. This 4.0-mile, moderate hike will begin with history and views from the top of Craggy Pinnacle and then a hike to Craggy Flats and back to the Craggy picnic area at Bearpen Gap.
**Note: The route of this hike as shown is dependent on the reopening of the BRP up to Mount Mitchell State Park prior to the date of the hike. If the BRP remains closed as of the date of the hike, an alternate hike will be substituted. Registered hikes will be notified if the route has been changed as soon as possible prior to the hike.**

Difficulty: Moderate, 3.3 miles
Elevation Gain: 794 feet

Join The Swannanoa Valley Museum & History Center Haunted History walking tours in downtown Black Mountain’s historic district. Traveling some of Black Mountain’s most storied streets, visitors will learn about the humorous, haunting and harrowing history of the Swannanoa Valley while being visited by some of its most famous spirits. This event, which is a fundraiser for the museum, will highlight local tragedies and triumphs- and the many ghosts, friendly and frustrated, born from these events.