Tryon, Saluda, Columbus, Rutherfordton, Forest City
Maybe thermal belt doesn’t sound romantic, but hear me out. The phrase refers to a temperate area where logic suggests it shouldn’t be. What does that mean, exactly? It means that in a section of the North Carolina mountains where you’d expect long, cold winters, the moderate temperature produces gloriously long autumns and earlier-than-normal springs. It’s one of the reasons why you’ll find lots of orchards here. Therefore, to stretch your autumn or to have an early mountain spring, travel to Tryon, Saluda, Columbus, Forest City, or Rutherfordton, the principal towns in the thermal belt.
Though this corner of the state is primarily farmland, the terrain—especially near Columbus, Saluda, and Tryon—is mountainous. You’ll enjoy soaking in the horse country around Tryon, home to some of North Carolina’s most significant equestrian events. If you like towns that harken back to days gone by, then Saluda will rise to the top of your list. Forest City and Rutherfordton aren’t very touristy but they do offer several interesting places to visit.
By the way, don’t worry if you can’t quickly pronounce every syllable in Rutherfordton. Just do like the locals and say Ruff’ton.
Where to Stay
A weekend at the Stone Hedge Inn (828-859-1974; www.stone-hedgeinn.com) in Tryon will make you feel like you’re really part of the landed gentry. To stay where F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway once lodged, book your weekend at the 1760 Pine Crest Inn (800-633-3001; www.pinecrestinn.com) in Tryon. In Rutherfordton, stay at the Victorian-style Carrier Houses Bed and Breakfast (800-835-7071; www.carrierhouses.com), located a short distance from downtown. In Saluda, try The Oaks Bed and Breakfast (800-893-6091; www.theoaksbedandbreakfast.com), just a step from downtown.
Where to Eat
It’s a little hard to find restaurants in this area, particularly for evening meals. Many of the inns, however, do take dinner reservations. A good spot for lunch is Legal Grounds, a funky coffee shop just down from the courthouse in Rutherfordton. Also in Rutherfordton is Doc’s, an ice-cream parlor that sells made-on-the-premises ice cream like “Coconut Almond Joy.” Preston’s Pub and Grill in downtown Tryon was reportedly the first bar in North Carolina to legally sell beer when Prohibition ended. The chicken salad is exceptional here. Located on Main Street in Saluda, the Purple Onion Café is open for lunch and dinner.
Ways to While Away the Day
Crafts
Saluda is a hotbed for crafts. The single best place to stop is the Saluda Mountain Crafts Gallery, open Monday through Thursday from 10 A.M. to 5 P.M., Friday and Saturday from 10 A.M. to 6 P.M., and Sunday from 11 A.M. to 5 P.M. For information, call 828-749-4341. If you like ironwork, visit Saluda Forge, located at the corner of Pearson’s Falls Road and Main Street. Bill Crowell, the blacksmith, says that if you dream it, he can create it. The forge is open Monday through Saturday from 10 A.M. to 5 P.M.
In Tryon, the Silver Fox Gallery on Main Street is full of contemporary furniture, paintings, and wearable art. It’s open Monday through Saturday from 10 A.M. to 5:30 P.M. and Sunday from 1 P.M. to 4 P.M.
Golf
Red Fox Country Club (828-894-8251) in Tryon and Rutherfordton Golf Course (828-287-3406) and Meadowbrook Golf Course (828-863-2690) in Rutherfordton are open to weekend golfers.
Heritage
If you’re in Rutherfordton, pick up a copy of the walking tour. In addition to pointing out the historic buildings, it guides you to local shops and restaurants.
Museums
One of the state’s best museums is the Rutherford County Farm Museum, located on Depot Street in Forest City. Though it’s cluttered, you’re sure to see things here you can’t even imagine, like gas-powered irons, a huge yellow-jacket nest, and Grove’s Tasteless Tonic, the concoction that made E. W. Grove of the Grove Park Inn in Asheville a very rich man. This museum, the result of the collecting habits of Wilbur Burgin, a retired navy captain, is not to be missed. An admission fee is charged. For more information, call 828-248-1248.
Tidbits
Carter P. Brown from Michigan started the local equestrian tradition by founding the Tryon Riding and Hunt Club in 1925. Tryon’s horse-show grounds served as the United States equestrian training grounds in 1956.
“Morris the Horse” in downtown Tryon is the fifth generation of the Tryon Toymakers’ most popular toy. The first horse was made in 1928 for the Tryon Riding and Hunt Club.
Outdoors
Hiking
The 220-acre Foothills Nature Center (FENCE) outside Tryon offers four miles of relatively easy trails to walk. From downtown Tryon, drive south on U.S. 176, turn left on New Market Road, turn left on Hunting Country Road, and drive until you see the FENCE sign. The center is open daily from dawn to dusk; call 828-859-9021 or visit www.fence.org. The Pacolet Area Conservancy sponsors weekend walks with FENCE; call 828-894-3018.
Scenic Drive
Tryon serves as one terminus of the Pacolet River Scenic Byway, Saluda the other. This drive may be the steepest in North Carolina. It follows the Saluda Grade, the steepest mainline railroad grade in the country. The track has 50-plus curves and rises 885 feet in three miles. The grade ranges between 3.7 percent and 5.59 percent. If you don’t have a lot of time to devote to a drive, take heart: it’s only 10 miles long. Follow U.S. 176 from one town to the other and let the scenery wow you.
Waterfalls
A project of the Tryon Garden Club, Pearson’s Falls is located outside Tryon off U.S. 176 North. The falls are spectacular, as are the engineered trail and bridges. The falls are open from 10 A.M. to 5 P.M. They’re closed on Mondays and Tuesdays from November to February and on Mondays (except for holidays) the rest of the year. An admission fee is charged; call 828-749-3031.
If you don’t mind taking one of the area’s steepest, most winding drives, you can see Shunkawauken Falls, purportedly the highest waterfall east of the Rockies until the road split it into two sections. Though parking is severely limited near the falls, the drive is worth the trouble. You’ll see some of the most outstanding long-range views the area has to offer on your way. From downtown Columbus, turn onto Houston Road and follow it to White Oak Mountain Road. Follow White Oak Mountain Road up, up, and up until you reach the falls.
Since 1998, Rockhouse Vineyards and Winery has been producing small quantities of Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc wines. It’s open Thursday through Sunday from 1 P.M. to 5 P.M. but is closed January, February, and major holidays. From U.S. 74 east of Tryon, turn south on N.C. 9. For more information, call 828-863-2784 or visit www.rockhousevineyards.com.
Other Points of Interest
The Polk County Courthouse in Columbus was built in 1857. Unlike the many wooden courthouses that burned, this native-clay structure has survived.
Festivals/Events
| April-October | For information about the Block House Steeplechase Races, the Tryon Horse Trials, and the Hunt Club Horse Show, call 828-859-6109 or visit www.trhcevents.com. |
| June | Blue Ridge Barbecue and Foothills Crafts Festival, Tryon |
| July | Saluda has hosted Coon Dog Day for nearly 40 years on the first Saturday after the Fourth of July. The main event is the A.K.C.-sanctioned show of coon dogs. |
| October | At the Any and All Dog Show in Tryon, competitors vie for recognition in such categories as the dog with the most interesting tail, the dog that looks most like its master, and the dog that would rather be home. |
| Forest City Jazz Festival |
You can contact the Polk County Tourism Development Authority by calling 800-440-7848 or 828-859-8300 or by visiting www.ncmountains.org.
You can contact the Rutherford County Tourism Development Authority by calling 800-849-5998 or 828-245-1492 or by visiting www.rutherfordtourism.com.
For other nearby activities, see the “Weekend in Apply Country” and “Weekend in Hickory Nut Gorge” chapters.
