LEAF-PEEPER’S PARADISE: Why Autumn is the Perfect Time to Visit Burnsville NC

by Bret Love; photos by Bret Love & Mary Gabbett

As a travel destination, the town of Burnsville (population 1,628) isn’t nearly as well-known as NC High Country hotspots like Banner Elk, Blowing Rock, and Boone. 

But if you’re hoping to explore the glorious natural beauty of Western North Carolina during peak Fall leaf-peeping season, Burnsville’s perennial under-the-radar status makes it an attractive alternative. 

Located in Yancey County (about 19 miles northeast of Asheville as the crow flies), Burnsville is best-known for the 6,684-foot-tall Mt. Mitchell, the highest peak in North America east of the Mississippi River. Like much of Western NC, this area was hit hard by Hurricane Helene in September 2024. 

But where other parts of the region have long since recovered, Mount Mitchell State Park remains closed for the foreseeable future, as does the section of Blue Ridge Parkway connecting the park to Burnsville. Still, the town of Burnsville, NC has been reopened to visitors for 9+ months now, offering a picturesque town square, impressive restaurants and breweries, a thriving cultural arts scene, and outstanding outdoor adventures.

Autumn is arguably the best time to visit, with the surrounding Black Mountains (a sub-range of the Blue Ridge Mountains) rich with gem-like shades of red, gold, and green.

Read on for our guide to all the best things to do and places to stay in Burnsville, and discover why this charming town deserves to be on your Blue Ridge Mountains bucket list! 

THINGS TO DO IN BURNSVILLE

Downtown Burnsville is home to a 2-acre town square centered around a statue of Otway Burns, the swashbuckling privateer-turned-war hero-turned-politician for whom the town was named. This town square is bustling with activity on Saturdays, when it hosts the Yancey County Farmers’ Market for much of the year. It’s also where you’ll find major annual events such as the Mount Mitchell Crafts Fair in August and the Old Timey Fall Festival in September.  

The easily walkable downtown business district is home to the Burnsville Visitor Center, the Yancey History Association Museum, and many of the town’s most beloved restaurants and shops. For a taste of the area’s thriving cultural arts scene (rooted at the Penland School of Craft in nearby Spruce Pine), visit the Toe River Arts Gallery on W Main Street. They showcase an incredible array of local art at great prices, with Toe River Arts Fall Studio Tours offered annually in November. 

If getting in tune with nature is more your speed, check out Roaring Fork Falls. The 1/2-mile trail follows along a fairly flat forest service road through the Toe River Valley, with a 50-foot high, 100-foot long cascade that drops into a shallow pool as your reward at the end. The rocks at the base make this a fantastic place for a picnic. Want to learn more about the flora and fauna of the 1,100-acre Toe River Valley? Go for a guided walk in the woods with Snakeroot EcoTours. They’re led by naturalist Tal Galton, who offers half-day, full-day, and overnight tours that may include waterfalls, fungi, Blue Ghost fireflies, or customized itineraries.

For those who prefer seeing fall colors from the comfort of their car, consider a road trip on one of Yancey County’s nine Quilt Block Trails. It’s kind of like a scavenger hunt into the countryside, where colorful quilt blocks adorn barns, churches, and more. There are 150+ blocks in the area, one of the largest concentrations in the USA. 

One of Burnsville’s more unique outdoor attractions is the Mayland Earth to Sky Park.  Its Bare Dark Sky Observatory is home to one of the largest public telescopes in the southeastern US, and the Glenn & Carol Arthur Planetarium boasts a state-of-the-art projection system. The dark skies in the area also make this an excellent place to practice your astrophotography skills.

Other awesome outdoor adventures in Burnsville include fishing, rafting, and tubing on the Toe River, and countless hiking trails that offer access to the breathtaking scenic vistas of the Black Mountains. 

PLACES TO EAT IN BURNSVILLE

Perhaps surprisingly for its size, Burnsville offers a number of quality restaurant options for a small town with less than 1,700 residents. The beloved Garden Deli (opened in 1987) and Snap Dragon Bar & Kitchen (2015) are neighboring restaurants on the square, both owned by Gregory Yuziuk. The former features an expansive outdoor patio and a NY deli-style menu by day, with steak, ribs, and other hearty options at night (Thu-Sat only). The latter offers a nautical theme and diverse culinary influences, including Asian, Cuban, and Caribbean fare. 

Pig & Grits is the best BBQ restaurant in the area, with an upscale-meets-down-home vibe. They slow cook local meats over hickory, creating delightfully smoky dishes that pair perfectly with their Signature Seasonal Sauces—don’t miss the Cherry Bourbon!

Homeplace Beer Company is a family-friendly gastropub that easily rivals the best restaurants we’ve visited in more tourist-driven towns. They serve Hog Hollow Wood Fired Pizza, wood-fired wings, microbrews, and more in an expansive outdoor setting that includes fire pits, picnic tables, cornhole, and live music.

Appalachian Java is the place to go for gourmet coffee, pastries, and lunch options, but the cozy café can get VERY busy, even on weekday mornings. Consider ordering ahead if you’re in a hurry. 

In addition to these popular favorites, other Burnsville restaurants include Little Tokyo (Asian fusion), the upscale Live Oak Gastropub, Pacifico Seafood & Grill (Mexican/seafood), and Carriage House Sundries, which is tucked behind the NuWray Hotel. 

PLACES TO STAY IN BURNSVILLE

If you’re planning on making Burnsville your base for Autumn leaf-peeping adventures, the town offers an array of hotels, B&Bs, and vacation rentals to choose from. The most famous of these, the NuWray Hotel & Carriage House, was built in 1833, making it the oldest continuously operating hotel in the state of North Carolina. Originally a 2-level log structure with 8 guest rooms, the hotel was also a tavern and trading post, pre-dating the formation of Yancey County. A section of the original exterior siding remains on display today in the NuWray’s 2nd floor lobby. This historic hotel went through a foreclosure before it was purchased by James & Amanda Keith in 2021. After undergoing a 3-year restoration process, the NuWray Hotel re-opened in May 2025 with 27 guest rooms and a full-service restaurant.

Other lodging options in Downtown Burnsville include the 15-room, budget-friendly Carolina Country Inn and the 6-room Terrell House B&B, a historic 2-story colonial that dates back to the early 1900s and once served as a women’s dorm for a Presbyterian school.

There are also dozens of cabin and cottage rentals available in the Burnsville area, but the most unique of these is arguably Yummy Mud Puddle. It’s located just 1.5 miles from the town square, but it feels like your very own private mountaintop nature retreat. Owned by artists Claudia Dunaway and John Richards, the 3BR/2BA rental is filled with their colorful art– a hodgepodge of pottery, prints, sculptures, and more. 

There’s also an expansive back deck overlooking a gorgeous pond that attracts an array of wildlife (wild turkey, deer, songbirds, etc), with the dramatic Black Mountain range looming large in the background.