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Here at Blue Ridge Mountain Rentals, we want all of our guests to have a wonderfully unforgettable experience and return to the High Country many times in the future.
We've compiled some local info and tips to help you make the most of your visit!
Good Neighbor Reminders
Rental properties are located in neighborhoods that include both short-term guests and year-round residents. All visitors must respect the rights and space of nearby homeowners and other vacationers.
Life in the mountains is relaxed, so take your time to enjoy it. Many of the homes in our rental program are located on roads where residents and other visitors walk or walk their pets and enjoy the beauty of our mountains. Please don't drive very fast on our quiet streets!
Noise is a part of life, but loud noise is a nuisance to neighbors that are not on vacation. Be respectful of others in the area by observing outdoor quiet of 10:00pm. It's also important to remember how easily sound travels and is amplified here in the mountains due to our geography. A little consideration goes a long way as most short-term rental complaints are because of noise disturbances.
For properties that allow pets – Make sure they are on their best behavior. Barking or wandering dogs are a nuisance. It is asked that dogs be under control at all times and please be courteous and clean up after your pets. Most counties do enforce a Leash Law for all dogs that are outside.
Trash should be managed carefully to avoid encouraging bear activity. Remember not to leave food unsecured outside or in your car!
Checking Out Of Your Rental
We hope you enjoyed your stay with Blue Ridge Mountain Rentals! Please refer to the checkout email and text sent to you for full departure instructions, and we look forward to seeing you again very soon!
In Case of Power Outage
Power outages happen occasionally here in the mountains. Most often they occur during a storm with a lot of wind, rain, ice, and/or snow (or all of the above!) If the power happens to go out during your visit, please call the power company to report the outage (from the home's landline, if it has one) as well as informing our office. When reporting a power outage, you will need to provide the home's address to the power company.
WATAUGA, ASHE, CALDWELL, ALLEGHENY, AND WILKES COUNTY HOMES:
Blue Ridge Energy, 800-488-2383
Service areas include Appalachian Ski Mountain, Aho Gap, eastern Beech Mountain, Blowing Rock, Blue Ridge Mountain Club, Boone, Deep Gap, Echota, Fleetwood, Foscoe, Jefferson, Lenoir, Purlear, Richlands, Seven Devils, Todd, West Jefferson, Wilkesboro, & Yonahlossee.
AVERY COUNTY NC and CARTER & JOHNSON COUNTY TN HOMES:
Mountain Electric Cooperative, 828-733-0159
Service areas include Banner Elk, western Beech Mountain, Cranberry, Eagles Nest (all areas), Elk Park, Linville, Linville Land Harbor, Monteagle, Newland, Sugar Mountain, & Watauga Lake areas of Tennessee.
BURKE, MCDOWELL, AND RUTHERFORD COUNTY HOMES:
Rutherford Electric Membership Corporation, 828-584-1410
Service areas include Lake James, Marion, Morganton, and Old Fort.
Winter Weather Driving Tips
It's very important to come prepared with 4WD or AWD and possibly chains for any visit during the months of November-March. Visitors who do not come prepared for snow, ice, sleet, or a combination of all three may quickly find themselves stuck in a ditch! Blue Ridge will inform you if there's a major snowstorm in the forecast, but it's best to plan ahead and be prepared now. We strongly encourage all of our guests to bookmark www.BooneWeather.com. Do not use weather reports from Charlotte-area news stations as they are often inaccurate for our area.
Make sure that you have enough food and bottled water for a few extra days at the house in case you do get snowed in. Local concierge services will not be available to deliver items to you, so please prepare in advance.
Parking on the access road leading to a house, not in its driveway, is illegal and can result in accidents, fines, vehicle towing, and inability for locals and rescue vehicles to get to you or others around you.
Keep a box of cat litter and some cheap throw rugs in your trunk to provide extra traction in case you do slide off the road.
When driving up a hill, maintain a constant speed of at least 15mph. Going slower may not provide you the necessary velocity to get to your destination.
Encourage all passengers to remain calm.
We can plow the driveway of your home once the snow has stopped falling ONLY if there is 3" or more of accumulation, so if that much snow falls BE PATIENT and enjoy the snow and our plow trucks will get to you as soon as they can. If a plow is needed, we are not able to give a firm time when a plow truck will be by. Our plow guys are not able to plow neighboring access, side roads, or roads within a gated development so even if the driveway is plowed you may still need to wait for the other streets to be cleared.
Hiking Tips
The High Country has miles of hiking trails for all abilities! To make the most of a trail experience, keep these tips in mind.
Wear proper closed-toed footwear with good ankle support. Trails can be muddy with loose or slick rocks and are not suitable for sandals and flip flops.
Get out early in the morning or late afternoon if you want to see wildlife. These are the best time of the day for stunning nature photos, and the trails are less crowded.
Be prepared for sudden change in weather, especially in the summer. Pack or dress accordingly. Layers are your friend!
Bring water and high protein snacks with you. Hiking is great exercise! Remember to pack out your trash with you.
Others around you do not want to hear someone's music or phone call. If you don't want to hear the sounds of nature, please use headphones or earbuds.
A guiding principle for any outside time is “Leave No Trace”. Don’t litter, leave flowers and rocks for others to enjoy, and don’t deface rocks or buildings.
It’s best to stay off a trail after dark. It’s easy to get lost for even those who are familiar with the trails, and it gets very chilly at night in the mountains even during summer.
Fill up your gas tank before getting on the Blue Ridge Parkway. There are no gas stations along it, and you may have to travel a few miles off the Parkway to even find one.
While trails are often well groomed, you’re still in the wild. Keep your eyes open for harmful plants such as poison ivy, and animals such as snakes or bees. Wasps will sometimes build their nest in the ground along a trail. There are venomous snakes in the area, but they usually keep far away from people and trails. It’s always wisest to stay on the marked trail to protect yourself and the delicate natural ecosystem.
Don’t drink creek or river water without purifying it. Just because it’s clear doesn’t mean it’s safe.
Keep dogs on leash at all times on trails for the safety of the dog and other hikers, and observe trail markers to indicate if a trail is dog friendly or not.
If you’re hiking alone or in a small group, tell someone where you’re going and when you expect to be back. Leave a note on the dash of your car for authorities.
Do not approach or feed wildlife on land controlled by the National Park Service. Approaching or feeding any animals within a national park is illegal, even the cute ones like ducks and squirrels. If an animal approaches you, you must back away for your safety and that of the animals.
Bring hiking sticks or collapsible hiking poles. Most trails are well groomed, but a loose rock can cause you to lose footing, and sticks help your body so you can hike more without pain.
When resting, please move off the trail so others can freely pass.
Remember that cell signal is very spotty in the woods! It's wise to download offline maps on the Google Maps app before you leave the house.
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