Great visit with our grand children. They loved the shop, in particular the prospecting. Micah was brilliant with the children, explaining about each of the rocks they had found. When he didn't know the answer to their question he went to his book. Service above and beyond!! Highly recommended.

By far the best bang for your buck!! Tons of big gems, friendly and knowledgeable staff. Great experience and beautiful stock all different gems and crystals. Kids and parents loved it ❤️

I’m in visiting from out of town and this was this place is a must go! Chris was amazing and patient. He was equally as excited for our excitement as well as to teach/educate us on the gems and geodes! Will visit again!

See all photos— I think I got some good ones! This was extremely cool. Nice setup, very organized. Could find everything. So much to look at, its amazing. Very reasonable prices. High quality pieces. All different sizes. I’ve recently getting into spirituality such as crystals, singing bowls, meditation, chakras, etc so I really appreciate stores like this. It was refreshing. My boyfriend and I spent about 30 minutes in here but if we weren’t absolutely starving and rushing to dinner it could’ve easily turned into 2 hours. He bought some things too. What I ended up buying is in the last pic. So content with my choices. 🤩 ***Only “complaint” I have isn’t about the store in specific, but just something I wanted to mention about how early everything closes in Brevard. Need to be weary of that if you’re staying around the area coming from out of town, you might not be able to get anything to eat that’s not fast food after 6pm. Don’t really understand it.

Please like/comment if you find this review useful! Visited the Gem Mine 4th of July weekend and we had a blast. In our group was 3, 7, 9, 14, and adults! We all enjoyed the experience. Prices are reasonable and the customer service was phenomenal! There was a ton of things to look at and unique souvenirs to purchase of all varies prices. I think they are needing to expand their store to allot miners a little more room without being so close to the merchandise, especially for young miner and parent interaction. You can share your bucket!

CO y and June were so helpful. They helped us soothe for gems we got the green giant $66. A 5 gallon bucket it was $70.40 with tax. We found lots of treasures. We got two geodes and they broke them open at the shop for us. We also purchased cute jewlery at the store. They have cards on the significance of the gem.

We loved it! The staff was friendly, and made sure we had a good time. The store was beautiful, plenty of beautiful rocks to choose from. Mining was fun, the bucket we purchased lasted a pretty good while and we all could share it. We found a lot of beautiful gems!

Kirt and Cathy Kaempfer are fantastic to work with! My hubby and I have had our hearts set on Connestee Falls for a few years now, and began seriously looking at houses and lots several months ago. We chose Kirt and Cathy as our preferred real estate agents after meeting them at open houses in the community. We found them to be personable, knowledgeable and extremely fun to work with. They've been patient with us, since we really put them to the test (though not intentionally) for several months looking at oodles of lots to find the perfect retirement spot just for us. We finally found some beautiful lots to combine into a larger lot, and they helped us through the due diligence process as well. They are not only accommodating professionals, we're now happy to call them friends!

A long overdue review!! We met Kirt and Cathy Fall 2023 undecided if we wanted a permanent or part time residence in Connestee Falls, NC. Many homes were shown on that visit. They kept us posted on all of the properties available that would suit our needs for both situations. We made it back end of May 2024. Again they continued to find the “perfect home” for us, always very honest in opinions about properties pros and cons. We found our dream home. Thank You Kirt and Cathy. It was such a pleasure to work with both of you! Great work ethic! Congenial! and Professional! And they even did a post hurricane Helene home update for us when we could not reach home! At that time they were low on fuel and that was a precious commodity at that time. That is Dedication! Thank You !

My wife and I met Kirt and Cathy Kaempfer in June 2024 when we discovered the Connestee Falls community. Their knowledge about Connestee Falls and the surrounding areas was invaluable to us as we decided on a future retirement home that we recently purchased in April 2025. From start to finish, they were extremely professional, personable, and responsive. Kirt and Cathy connected us to a long list of service providers (inspectors, surveyors, real estate/closing professionals, etc.) and excelled in contract negotiations, swiftly orchestrating a fair and equitable agreement between us and the sellers. They offered and were willing to work 7 days a week and after hours when needed. In addition, they graciously continue to assist us as we live between two homes in different states. Our entire home-search to buying process could not have gone more smoothly! Kirt and Cathy have our highest recommendation.

Kirt and Cathy were amazing to work with. They are incredibly knowledgable in so many areas-not just Brevard. Since we began to work with them in September 2023-they educated us on many communities and developments in a vast area in many different towns and counties. We didn’t have a specific area in which we were looking and they didn’t hesitate to drive all over to show us the homes of interest to us. Communication and LISTENING to what we liked and didn’t like-I appreciated all of the questions they asked us to better understand our needs and preferences. In that we live out of state-Cathy and Kirt always accommodated our requests to see homes when we’d tell them the dates we’d be in town. Punctual, professional and personable-we are so pleased we chose them to find our dream home. They are definitely FULL SERVICE REALTORS who don’t hesitate to go the extra mile for their clients. We highly recommend their team.

Kirt and Cathy Kaempfer were the listing agents when I sold my home in Coneestee Falls. What a positive experience! They make a great team. Their communication was excellent - they always responded promptly with any questions I had. Moreover, they were "hands on" and were willing to jump in to do what was needed. They were professional, personable, and a joy to work with.

Wow! This was a great place. I imagine every house is unique and so they can't be compared, but the amenities here are incredible. From swimming/fishing/boating in several lakes, to waterfall hikes and relaxing to the fireflies. You won't be disappointed. Oh, and the views are great too. I could have spent far longer than a long weekend there and hardly even visited the magic outside the association!

Lynda Hysong is simply the best real estate agent on the planet! We started working with her well over a year ago. At the time we were in search of the perfect mountain view lot. Fast forward to December 2018 and with Lynda’s help we purchased a beautiful lake front home. Throughout it all Lynda was patient, professional and helpful. Her knowledge of Connestee Falls is unmatched by anyone. If you are interested in purchasing a lot or home in Connestee, you should make your first phone call to Lynda!

We came in Sunday (during White Squirrel Weekend ) to try a different beer than we drank at the festival....what a mistake. The beertender wasn't friendly or warm, didn't look up to make eye contact, was quasi rude, actually, and HE made a mistake about not hearing correctly about a cider & gave me an IPA. I hate IPA more than any other beer, that's what my hubby was drinking. He didn't say sorry, didn't acknowledge he didn't hear correctly, infact he tried to do the blame game and say that's what you ordered, uh, no honey, I would never order an IPA, I know my taste buds. He had an attitude and took it away, replaced it, no eye contact, no sorry, just his pompous attitude. Needless to say, we'll never go back there or buy the brewery brand in any bottle shop if we see it around town. Beer was decent, but your front person put a bad taste in everyone's mouth. (Let me also say there were maybe 10 ppl at the bar/in brewery and half had been served so I don't want anyone thinking it was 25 deep & he was actually weeded - he was not at all, just clearly didn't want to be there). Sidenote, he didn't ask if we wanted plastic cups to walk around the district (or go to festival) and turned so fast when we ordered that you couldn't say anything else (clearly he left too fast to even hear my actual order) so when we asked for plastic cups after the fact he was even more perturbed. SMH

What a great friendly brewery! We have been several times and have really enjoyed not only the beer but other patrons at the bar. The "Local Corner" folks are great for recommendations of places to eat or nearby places to go. The bartenders always greet us with a smile and a delicious cold brew! Everyone is always welcome!

Very cool spot!!! We had the pleasure of passing through Brevard and it is such a cute little spot. We had picked out the brewery on the map as a reward for hiking lol. It was great. The bartender, Chris, was wonderful. He gave us a ton of recommendations on stuff to do in the area and it was a delight talking to him about his favorite beers and things. The brewery doesn’t serve food but has snacks like chips and pretzels, plus they allow outside food. Chris recommended the Mexican restaurant next door, a cafe, and even had menus ready for us. We wended up grabbing food from Big Mikes across the way. We came back for another beer and had a great time at the brewery. I loved the red ale and the Pilsner.

Good beer. Not much atmosphere. Bartender was a total jerk. Unfriendly and marginally rude. I will never spend my money there again.

Best IPA I've had in a long time. Maybe ever. Highly recommend stopping in for a swig!

**Update -decided to make sure to get pics at the brewery and venture out for a short day trip** So we’ve ventured out more than once from Asheville to this gem on-site at the brewery however when your busy even getting their basic brews at the store is still worth it. Cheers !!!

Clean, nicely priced beers. I have to admit that I got used to a selection of different IPAs and funky styles and I am on the fence whether I should applaud this brewery for the purity of their line up and the generic names, or if it is a retro nove that will backfire. I was not too impressed with their American Lager and I couldn't shake the feeling of a skewed Feng shui.

Great trail!!! Not difficult. You can walk even with elderly parents. Lots of impressions. Total delight. I recommend it to everyone!!!

Hike the whole Arlo trail straight through northbound. Took us about 16 hours it was pretty difficult but incredible! The trail can get pretty rough at times and very steep. Water is tricky on this hike I suggest bringing a water filter

Trail is approx 30 miles from end to end. I hiked south bound and did the trail in a little over 12 hours. Some of the trail is extremely well marked and other spots will have you questioning your sanity. Plenty of hikers on the weekends and borderline over-crowded around Black Balsam Knob. Water sources were available every 5-7 miles. The elevation change around Pilot Mountain is the absolute hardest part of this hike. Hiking poles very much recommended. The treated lumber steps around BRP can get slick, as in I slipped and fell with hiking poles. Overall a very enjoyable hike, flower gap delivered on its namesake. Hiked the end of September and leaves on the beech trees were the primary color makers thus far.

I don't go there for hiking, but to fish the Davidson River. Such a beautiful place, if I was dropped off there with no clue to what part of the country I was in, I would guess Northern New Hampshire or Northern Maine. (All fish were released unharmed)

Very beautiful scenery on the Art Loeb trail on Black Balsam Knob. Rough Rocky hike but worth it all. You can park on road or further up in lot. We saw a lot of birds soaring on a windy day. There is another trail: Sam Knob trail that is more for family with younger children. We did see peeps pitching a few tents but not sure if permits needed. Enjoy🌞😌

If you're section hiking or backpacking, this is a tough trail. Going NOBO is no joke! Do your research if you are camping on this trail. Some water sources are seasonal so don't plan on constant water sources. There are two shelters along the trail and that is where you'll find your constant water source. There are no privies so get used to squatting in the trees. Be sure to dig a hole 500ft away from water sources so you don't contaminate good drinking water. Be prepared for chilly and cold nights at the higher elevations. Always be prepared for cold weather to pop up. Elevation gain going NOBO is pretty strenuous with lots of switchbacks. Once you get to the BRP and a little further up from it is when it levels off. Going SOBO has its challenge as well once you hit the narrows. The elevation gain in there is rough with steep ledges. There are a couple of good water sources right away in between camp Daniel Boone and the camp site before the narrows. These could be seasonal water sources so make sure you're prepared with plenty to drink. Enjoy the trail! Give the trail its due respect because it'll make you work for it! It's a great training trail for anyone trying to get in shape for hiking and packaging the AT.

Amazing time doing this thru hike! Three days of being out in the woods with amazing views, trails, and some hectic weather. Spontaneous trail magic at a crucial climb helped us and two, one day thru hikers who were out of water. Camping out on Black Balsam Knob during 40mph winds and freezing temperatures really tested us and our gear. 10/10 will do again!

Great customer service, reasonable prices, and awesome hidden treasures. I always wondered where you're supposed to go to get the random items for those DIY projects on Pinterest — things like windows and glass insulators and assorted quirky antiques. Apparently, this is where! (And I really can't overstate the quality of the customer service)

We love the Shabby Shack! We found great things new and old. The owner was so great with my son. Overall it was a friendly and productive shopping experience. We cannot wait to go back and visit again.

Of course, there is a lot of junk here, but almost always you can find something you'll want. Prices vary, expensive to inexpensive, depending on what you just gotta have. If you gotta have that big bell in the back, then expect to pay the big bucks. (Apparently, no one has wanted it bad enough in the past year. Lots of collectibles of various kinds. Furniture, old tools (some of which even I can't figure out), coins and bills, kitchen items, and just the unusual as conversation pieces, along with things I remember my grandparents using in their daily lives. Worth a stop. We isn't about every four to six months. Parking and getting out is a little tricky.

I had a great visit! Lots of great native and some really cool Japanese items and you can get a hair cut by Sherry!

This place is funny and fun. I always find something unique. I even bought a great hat there that I've gotten a lot of compliments on.

Lots of cool stuff. You never know what you might find antiques or handcrafted stuff. In parking lot people sell fruit and Christmas trees.

Great place to buy or sell all kinds of antiques! Beautiful selection of anything you could think of!

I spent the morning driving Headwaters Road or FS475. An old Forest Service gravel road in Pisgah National Forest, in Brevard, NC. Slick Rock Waterfall is about a mile up on the right once you turn onto Headwaters Road. It's set back about 40 or 50 feet from the road. A beautiful little waterfall. I would imagine that after a big rain that you is spectacular to see. There is a beautiful camping area across the road from the waterfall.

This is a beautiful little waterfall off the beaten path. It’s off of 475b, Headwaters Rd., which is an unpaved forestry road. The waterfall is easy to get to once you’ve found the trailhead, and there is parking large enough for 5-6 cars.

Can’t wait to get back to see this waterfall again when the leaves turn. The hike is easy enough and it’s just so peaceful.

Slick Rock Falls is a nice waterfall that is very easy to visit. From the Pisgah Wildlife Center and Fish Hatchery go left and almost an immediate right on gravel Headwaters Road (FR-475B). It's just over a mile to a parking area on the right. You can hear the waterfall from the parking and maybe see it in winter when the leaves are down. The hike to the falls is just a couple hundred feet and easy. In low water, it's not too exciting, so best to visit after a good rain. You can scramble around on the rocks and even go behind the waterfall, but be careful - the waterfall got its name for a reason. The rocks are around the falls are very slippery. There's also a lower waterfall that is much less well known. From the parking area, cross the road and head down through the roadside campsites. After the last site, cross Slick Rock Creek and pass a rock overhang. Lower Slick Rock Falls is just past here. Lots of dead trees cover the falls, but it's still rather scenic and easy to visit.

Normally, this waterfall is easy to reach but we had to hike 1.1 miles to reach it, since a recent snow fall had closed it. Really enjoyed the hike & the waterfalls, which had a lot of icy growth from the slow water and cold conditions. This is worth seeing, especially while also catching Looking Glass Falls, which are very close by. Photographers may want to check the solar orientation as the sun made is difficulty to take some of the shots that I normally would take. Still had fun & tried some new ideas!!

Very pretty little waterfall with surrounding ferns making for some nice photography.

Very peaceful location, just be sure to stay on the path! They are called 'Slick Rock' Falls for a reason. And then the winter season if you catch the light just right, you may also see rainbows at the bottom of the falls.