"Bair" Necessities
Everything you need to know!
HOW DO I ENTER THE HOUSE?
There is an electronic keypad on the front door. You received your code Via email or text. Please keep this number with you. It will stop working at 10:15 AM the morning of your check out.
WHO MIGHT I SEE ON THIS PROPERTY DURING MY STAY?
You may see wildlife in the woods. The property managers or caretaker may come by if there is an issue. The groundskeeper may show up as well to work on landscaping.
Western North Carolina is home to black bears. They are beautiful to watch, but should never be intentionally fed, and trash should always be secured during your stay. In recent weeks, wild peacocks have also come to visit our property, specifically the back deck. We ask that if they arrive during your stay to be please be patient with us as we are diligently trying to have them relocated.
WHAT DO I DO WITH THE TRASH?
There is a bear-proof box and trash can located near the parking area for trash. Our trash service will only collect bags, so please place only appropriately bagged trash inside the box.
There is a key if needed for the red trash box outside. This is the little silver key in the kitchen in the basket by the sink. If you do not bag all of your trash you will lose your damage deposit. No loose trash is allowed in the bear box or can.
IS THERE WIFI?
Yes! The router is downstairs below the shuffle board table.
Network name: vsat-5g-93225c
Password: tknja50wrmid994z
CAN WE DRINK THE WATER?
Absolutely. The water is safe to drink!
WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE HOUSE?
There is a regular drip coffee maker and the kitchen is well equipped with plenty of pots, pans, dishes, and gadgets. Feel free to use any spices or condiments.
Sheets for the upstairs futon in the queen bedroom are located in the dresser and sheets for the downstairs futon in the game room are in a basket on the bookshelf.
HOW DO I WORK THE T.V.?
The television in the living room has Dish Network Satellite TV, a DVD player, and a RokuTV for streaming services. Changing the “input” on the Dish remote will allow you to navigate between the different options. The television in the downstairs game room has a DVD player.
GRILLS
There is a gas grill on the back deck.
Please clean the grill after each use.
HEAT AND A/C
Feel free to control the thermostats to your liking.
FIREPLACE
There is a wood burning fireplace in the living room. There is a small amount of wood provided for you on the front porch.
Please make sure that when you start a fire to open the flute.
When looking at the fireplace there is a small metal arm that moves left and right when you open the wire.
Please make sure that it is to the right when starting a fire so that smoke goes up the chimney and not in the house.
When you are finished please slide it to the left ensuring that it is closed.
WHAT TO DO IN A POWER OUTAGE
Don’t panic! Duke Progress will get the power back on as soon as they can. There is a flashlight and extra batteries located in the upper cabinet to the right of the sink.
The house uses a well to provide water, which requires electricity for the pump to function. In the event of a power outage, there is water provided in the pantry.
WASHER/DRYER
The laundry room is on the lower level. We’ve left a few laundry pods above the washer in case you would like to wash a load while you are here.
WHAT IS AROUND THE HOUSE?
The cabin is in a great central location with easy access to Old Fort, Black Mountain, Montreat, and Asheville. It’s the perfect home base to explore all that Western North Carolina has to offer, while still private enough to enjoy some peace and quiet.
At the end of the main, paved driveway, a left will take you to Old Fort. You will pass Andrew’s Geyser and several picnic areas with access to streams and creeks. In downtown Old Fort, there is a new local brewery called Hillman Beer. Our area is well known for our craft beer scene and Hillman boasts fantastic food as well! There is also a small grocery store called Frisbee’s Supermarket.
A right will take you to Black Mountain and Montreat, with quick access to I-40 West if you would like to visit Asheville. Downtown Black Mountain is nothing short of charming! It is home to many locally owned shops and restaurants, all with incredible mountain views. Lake Tomahawk has a .55 mile walking trail with a clear view to the Seven Sisters Mountain Range. There is also a golf course near the lake.
HIKING
“Bair” Necessities is only 3 miles from the start of the Point Lookout Trail. (Take a right at the end of the main, paved driveway). It’s a downhill, paved path with several overlooks. It is open to walking, running, and biking, but not vehicles. It is part of a much larger mountain biking trail, but the portion you will access from the cabin is much shorter in length.
Check out the website “AllTrails” (full link below) to see other hiking options in our area. This site allows you to see the length of trails, relative difficulty, estimated time, and feedback from other hikers.
https://www.alltrails.com/us/north-carolina/black-mountain
OTHER HELPFUL WEBSITES
Please be respectful of our 10:00 a.m. check-out time.
- Remove all used sheets and leave in a pile on the bed.
- Place all used towels in the downstairs hallway and start one load in the washing machine before leaving.
- Load any dirty dishes and start the dishwasher.
- Make sure all trash is bagged and placed in the bear-proof trash box.
- Please set the thermostat back to 68 degrees.
- Turn off all lights and lock all doors.
Thank you for staying with us! Please remember to sign the guest book and leave “Bair” Necessities a review on your preferred booking site!
CONTACTS DURING YOUR STAY
If there is an after-hours emergency,
you can reach us at (828) 774-6285
During our office hours (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm)
You can call one of our property managers.
Eddie Colley (828)776-3834
Jessica Colley (352)598-7879
Office Number (828) 419-9128
Restaurants, treats, & breweries
There are too many restaurants, breweries, and shops in the Old Fort and Black Mountain area to mention them all. They all have something to recommend them but here are a few that we especially like.
Old Fort restaurant options
Headwaters Kitchen - just 5 minutes from downtown, be sure to try this breakfast and lunch cafe! The chef has created a delicious, eclectic menu you won’t want to miss!Hillman Beer - situated by Mill Creek in downtown Old Fort, enjoy their delicious lunch and dinner menu while you try out their extensive list of craft beer. Such a great atmosphere, you’ll want to stay a while! Catawba Cafe & Cones- get your fill of country cooking, ice cream, and a daily selection of baked desserts. Located behind McDonald’s, on the way to Catawba Falls. GoGo’s Cinnamon Rolls - you won’t want to miss these handcrafted cinnamon rolls, with 10 flavors to choose from! Located downtown, next to Frisbee’s supermarket. Black Beary’s Café - this diner-style cafe in downtown Old Fort offers ice cream, milkshakes, malts, cookies, and other desserts. They also have a small food menu! Old Fort Ride House - whether you need a cup of espresso, local food and snacks, beer, or just a water refill for your ride/hike, the Old Fort Ride House opens at 7:30am daily. Located downtown, beside Hillman Beer. Whistlestop Café- if you’re looking for pizza and sub sandwiches, stop by this cafe in downtown Old Fort. Hours can vary, so call first!
Black Mountain restaurant options
Veranda - cute lunch place on Cherry Street in downtown that is open for lunch seven days a week. Good sandwiches, salads and soups that are always homemade. Nothing out of a can here. You will also be tempted by their homemade cakes.
Black Mountain Bistro - probably the nicest outdoor dining patio in town. Huge variety on their menu for lunch or dinner that is guaranteed to satisfy everybody in your crowd. Everything from sandwiches and salads to pasta and steak.
Ole’s Guacamole - Also in the running for best outdoor dining as it is situated along a beautiful creek. All of your favorites done really well. Fun place with friendly staff. Authentic.
Goldfinch - A newcomer in town on Cherry Street that also has a great patio for people watching downtown. Right now they are only open Thursday through Sunday for dinner and Sunday lunch. Very creative and lots of relatively healthy and vegetarian offerings, but as meat eaters we love their pork shoulder on anything! Very eclectic menu. Also, creative cocktails.
Trailhead - cool bar and restaurant with an open and airy industrial feel. Big local draft beer selection. Surprisingly good bar food including burgers, salads and daily specials. Always busy, it might take a little while to get seated but it’s worth the wait for the fries and onion rings alone!
Mac’s Burgers - Mac’s specializes in huge, always fresh, hand pattied, smash griddle burgers. Located in an old trailer behind the police station it’s all about great burgers and fries, not atmosphere. They do have a nice outdoor deck where you can chow down. Perfect for the whole family. Doesn’t matter at all if you are sweaty after a long hike in Montreat. They also have a permanent food truck at Lookout Brewing in town.
Bush Farmhouse - another newcomer that makes the best of their indoor /outdoor setting that used to be a natural food market in an old home. They have kept the outdoor menagerie at the back of the property that includes fancy chickens and a couple of miniature donkeys. The South African owner was a famous chef in New York City who was ready to get out of the rat race. Excellent and eclectic menu that celebrates his South African roots. Hard to explain but we recommend you experience the Bush Farmhouse. Open most days for lunch and dinner.
Que Sera and Tayloe’s Oyster Bar - One of the oldest restaurants in town (although they moved to a beautifully renovated old building on the railroad tracks a few years ago) the former 60’s Alabama football star and his wife serve up fine dining on one side of the building with a casual oyster bar on the other. All the dishes are available on either side. The Louisiana inspired dishes feature excellent seafood and beef preparations. One of the few authentic oyster bars in the area. Everything is shipped fresh and prepared to your liking. I’ve never been that impressed with their beer selection but my wine loving friends think they do a great job. Full cocktail bar. Open for dinner and Sunday brunch. Reservations recommended.
La Guinguette - Their name may be hard to pronounce but their buckwheat crêpes, empanadas and tamales will have you coming back for more. And they also have nice outdoor spaces.
We also recommend Louise’s, Berlinder Kindl, Thai Basil and Blue Ridge Biscuit Co.
Breweries
OLD FORT BREWERIES
Hillman Beer - Nestled against the beautiful fresh water of Mill Creek, the brewery boasts 10,000+ square feet of indoor/outdoor seating with over 32 taps. Enjoy the numerous community-style tables or grab a private two-top on the deck by the creek.
Whaley Farm Brewery - Whaley Farm Brewery has set out to specialize in Appalachian farm beers, English pub ales, and continental lager styles. Brewed with Whaley-grown and locally sourced herbs, flowers, spices, and fruits, you will find beers familiar and truly unique in each pint.
BLACK MOUNTAIN BREWERIES
Lookout Brewing - Lookout’s owner started with a tiny brewing system about seven years ago and has grown into a really nice taproom with local restaurant and bar distribution. We think they do a nice job with IPAs and pale ales and they are a great choice to get a local feel. Very chill place for an afternoon beer with friends.
Black Mountain Brewing - located right downtown these guys opened just before the pandemic and have soldiered through. Another small brewing operation but they have a nice little taproom with good views from their outdoor stacked double decks. I don’t love everything here but they usually have several beers that hit the spot. They also have a permanent food truck called Smokehouse that is good.
Pisgah Brewing - these guys are the OG of the Black Mountain brewing scene. They have a pretty significant canning operation that distributes throughout Western North Carolina. They haven’t re-opened their funky taproom since the pandemic but they have started serving again in their outdoor concert park. Their beers aren’t among my favorites but they are very popular so I suggest you decide for yourself.
ASHEVILLE BREWERIES
There are too many breweries in Asheville to give you any kind of definitive list, but here are a few crowd favorites.
Burial Beer - I think these guys brew, hands down, the best, most creative beers almost anywhere. A huge selection of IPAs are always available. They have two locations in Asheville but I think their South Slope taproom is a must visit.
Dsslvr - Founded by former brewers at Burial, these guys are, not surprisingly, also excellent at IPAs. They have an extremely funky taproom in downtown Asheville that is also a must visit.
Wicked Weed - The downtown location also has a full restaurant although in my opinion that’s not the draw. Their south slope location focuses on sours if that is your thing. Lots of tourists but probably a place to check out. Right next to Wicked Weed is the Orange Peel, a super cool old entertainment venue that features great touring bands. They also have another venue downtown called Rabbit Rabbit that gets national acts for outdoor, festival, standing room only, type events.
Sierra Nevada Brewing - this national brewer’s East Coast brewery in Mills River is a bit of a drive but is well worth experiencing. When it was built six or seven years ago on 180 acres it was rumored they spent $200 million. It shows. If you are a skier you would recognize that this brewery is the Vail or Deer Valley of beer. The road coming in feels like you are on the Blue Ridge Parkway and then you pull up to this spectacular, massive brewery. If you are a beer nerd like me, it is too amazing for words. They offer tours that are hard to get into but anyone can take a self guided tour. The food there is great and they serve lots of beers that they never distribute. Highly recommended.
If you are a beer lover then please don’t limit yourself to these suggestions. Get out there and explore because everybody loves something different and Asheville is nothing if not different!
