Hike on July 4th with the Swannanoa Valley Museum
Towering over 700 feet above downtown Black Mountain, Sunset Mountain is the town’s nearest, highest, and least developed mountain. During the first quarter of the 20th century, this spot was a busy tourist attraction until a fire in the 1920s destroyed the Peabody Hotel, which was situated on its peak. Nicknamed Miami Mountain because of once visible whitewashed rocks that spelled out the word “Miami,” the mountain contains spectacular scenery and a view of Asheville’s skyline, the Newfound Mountains, and the Great Smoky Mountains.
The Swannanoa Valley Museum will host the Sunset Fireworks Hike on the Fourth of July, which will take participants on a moderate mile-long hike to the top of Sunset Mountain to see the sun set and a fireworks display. Wendell Begley, a native of Black Mountain who will lead the group, will share stories and photographs from the mountain’s history.
Participants will meet in the parking lot of the Black Mountain Savings Bank, 200 E. State Street, at 6 p.m. Guests should bring along something for dinner, water, a folding chair, a flashlight, a poncho (in case of inclement raining), a camera, and warm clothes as it tends to get chilly after dark. The Museum’s team will transport chairs up the mountain and provide watermelon and soft drinks. Cost is $35 for members, $50 for nonmembers, and $25 for those under 18. For further details or to register, email info@swannanoavalleymuseum.org or call 828.669.9566.
