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Living the dream! It’s how residents describe life in North Carolina mountain communities like The Coves Mountain River Club. Nestled below the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway, Western North Carolina real estate developments like these boast some of the most spectacular views and outdoor adventures nature has to offer including days spent on America’s Favorite Scenic Drive.

The Blue Ridge Parkway attracts 18 million nature-loving adventure-seekers annually from across the country. And it’s no secret that many of them, after seeing and experiencing all the area has to offer, choose to settle in and reap the benefits of mountain living in their cozy North Carolina mountain homes.

But who exactly are the members of these type of North Carolina mountain communities? They’re people like you and me who relish relaxing afternoons fishing or canoeing along gentle streams. People who enjoy sleeping under the comforting shadows of majestic mountains. Folks who love waking each morning to foliage-rich seasonal splendor before hitting the hiking trails in Western NC for a high-energy climb or a casting a line quietly in the Johns River.

American author and outdoor enthusiast John Muir famously said, “The mountains are calling and I must go.” After experiencing the magnificent Blue-Ridge mountains first-hand, it’s easy to see why so many answer the call, and why they’re attracted to North Carolina mountain communities like The Coves Mountain River Club in western North Carolina.

Residents of The Coves are not only answering the call, they’re living the dream in riverfront homes that are just a short hike to Johns River, where fishing, tubing, and kayaking are on the daily to-do list. They’re enjoying custom-built homes on acres of land in a gated community that offers scenic-rich hiking trails in Western NC, horse stables, a community vegetable garden and vineyard, and a mountaintop infinity-view pool and fitness center with picture-perfect panoramic views.

Living the dream is about more than just doing what you want to do, it’s about living in a place that brings you bliss. It’s having a home in that idyllic corner of the world that everyone else longs to visit. Tucked away in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountain Range, The Coves Mountain River Club is close enough to the famous Blue Ridge Parkway to offer anytime-access to its vast range of outdoor adventures, but far enough down the mountain (2,500 feet lower in altitude) to escape harsh winters and snow.

Here, Mother Nature serves up all four seasons – including her brilliant fall foliage – but winters are pleasantly mild, and summers are cool enough for comfortable hiking or mountain biking. Living in North Carolina mountain homes at The Coves means having the best of both worlds. It’s a peaceful low-key retreat located just minutes from an endless supply of high-energy activities along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Known as “America’s Favorite Drive,” the Blue Ridge Parkway winds its way through 17 North Carolina and 12 Virginia counties. It was first introduced as the Appalachian Scenic Highway in 1935 as part of FDR’s New Deal, with the original purpose of stimulating the economy during The Great Depression. Today it’s known for stimulating the senses and continues to boost the economy as the most visited attraction in the National Park. The National Park Service maintains its 469 miles of roadway, 300 overlooks, 100+ hiking trails in Western NC, 91 buildings, and 133 additional structures, while protecting its diverse population of plants and animals through conservation efforts. All of this keeps Blue Ridge Parkway on the National Register of Historic Places.

Each mile along the Parkway is marked by a milepost (MP), starting with MP 0 at the entrance to Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia and ending at MP 469 at the Cherokee Indian Reservation in the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina.

Those looking to live the dream in a beautiful North Carolina mountain homes along the Johns River will want to take one of the two closest access points to The Coves (noted below) as they plan their visit to explore Western North Carolina real estate developments.

From north to south, here’s just a just of our favorite few highlights from among many in The Coves Mountain River Club neighborhood along America’s Favorite Scenic Drive:

• MP 280.8 (mile post) Boone entrance to Parkway, an access point from The Coves

• MP 285.1 Daniel Boone Trace: Visit trailblazer Daniel Boone’s camping cabin, monument and picnic area.

• MP 294 Moses Cone Park: Summer home of textile magnate Moses Cone a.k.a. “The Denim King.” The carriage house and main
house are said to be haunted. Hiking and carriage trails, apple barn, shows, and crafts.

• MP 294.6 Blowing Rock entrance to Parkway, an ideal route to The Coves. Enjoy year-round theatrical and musical performances on Blowing Rock Stage. Main Street is lined with one of kind boutiques and delicious restaurants.

• MP 297 Julian Price Memorial Park: A 4,344-acre park with a beautiful lake. Canoeing, campground, picnic area, fishing, and trails.

• MP 302 Tanawha Trail: A hiker’s dream! A mountain trail with a   tropical forest feel. Diverse foliage, rare vegetation, unique geological features.

• MP 304.4 Linn Cove Viaduct: Called “a marvel of modern engineering” and one of the most photographed attractions on the Blue Ridge   Parkway, it’s the last structure to be completed on the Parkway in 1987. The bridge wraps around the base of Grandfather Mountain, skirting its sides (rather than cutting through it) as a way to preserve it.

• MP 308 Grandfather Mountain & Flatrock Trail: At 5,964 feet, this mountain is the highest peak in the Blue Ridge and, from
the highway below, resembles an old man with a long beard and   sharp nose leaning back for a nap. Experience extraordinary
views from atop the mountain, or walk across the Mile-High   Swinging Bridge. Keep a camera handy to capture deer, bears,
cougars, eagles, and otters enjoying their natural habitat. Trail
spans 2,456 acres and offers some of the most challenging but
spectacular hiking.

• MP 316 Linville Falls Trail and Linville Gorge Trail: Hike through a diversity of trees, a virgin hemlock forest, an assortment of
fragrant wildflowers, and forest creatures, including deer, bear,
turkey, vultures, owls and hawks along these dramatic, rugged
trails. Bring a map, your camera and a compass.

We invite you to visit The Coves Mountain River Club and meet folks who are living the dream. Folks who are always looking for new neighbors to like you to share the joy with.

If you’re exploring the area for the first time, ask for our 70 page complimentary Western North Carolina Visitor’s Guide which provides more information about living in the foothills.