Santa's Branch Office
Around Boone, N.C., Mountain Scenery, Warm Inns And Fraser Firs Attract Weekend Tree Cutters
Wednesday, November 29, 2006; Page C02
How far would you go for the perfect Christmas tree? Around Boone, N.C., just across the Virginia border, they come from all over. They come for the long mountain views, weekend cabins, cozy inns and the Blue Ridge Parkway. But mostly they come for the Fraser firs, the Cadillac of Christmas trees, which thrive at elevations of 3,000 feet and higher.
Because of the Fraser's popularity and its restricted growing region, the so-called High Country of northwestern North Carolina has become a major Christmas tree region. And with suburban growth chipping away at tree farm land around Washington and other cities, more tree seekers are making a weekend of it in places like Boone, which boasts dozens of cut-your-own places and other getaway amenities.
  North Carolina's High Country is the biggest producer of Fraser firs on the East Coast. The popular Christmas tree thrives at elevations of 3,000 feet and higher. (North Carolina Division Of Tourism, Film And Sports Development) |
"It's part of our holiday," said Helen Diehl of Marietta, Ga., who next weekend will drive to Boone for an annual tree-cutting pilgrimage with a group of friends. "We all rent a house together and make it a big weekend."
Last year, tens of thousands of trees were sold at choose-and-cut Christmas tree farms in the Boone area, the heart of North Carolina's booming tree industry, about 6 1/2 hours from Washington. And it's not just cut-and-drive anymore. Before you fell your carefully selected tree, you can visit sheep or llamas at a petting zoo, take a ride on a hay wagon, sip cider or cocoa by a bonfire, marvel at antique farm implements or stop by a seasonal store stocked with crafts, wreaths and local goods.
"We bring the whole family," said Mary Ryan of Wilson, N.C., whose clan gathers from as far as Chicago for a yearly tree-cutting weekend. Every year they rent a cabin and spend a long weekend in the Boone area. "It's a good way to spend time with each other before the crazy holiday season," Ryan said.
North Carolina harvests about 6.5 million Christmas trees a year (second only to Oregon), and more than 90 percent of them are Fraser firs. The Fraser, partisans insist, is the ideal Christmas tree because of its deep color, pungent fragrance and densely packed needles that remain on the tree long after it's cut. The North Carolina Fraser has been chosen as the official White House Christmas tree nine times (most recently in 2005), more than any other tree.
But the High Country offers more than just groves of firs. Favored as a summertime getaway since at least the 19th century, the area has in recent decades become a popular four-season tourist destination, featuring ski resorts, regional theater and fine food. Here are some pointers for a tree-cutting weekend in the area:
TREE CUTTING: There are more than 20 tree farms in the Boone-High Country area. For contact information and directions, visit http:/
WHERE TO STAY: The Inn at Crestwood in Blowing Rock, located just off the Blue Ridge Parkway, is on a ridgeline with great views and offers a spa and indoor pool; rates range from $170 to $400 a night or more; 877-836-5046, http:/
EATING THERE: For gourmet cuisine, the most acclaimed spot is Artisanal Restaurant in Banner Elk, owned by a former chef at New York's Le Cirque; 4501 Tynecastle Hwy., 828-898-5395. Other top spots include Sirius, at the Inn at Crestwood (see above), which offers modern Southern cuisine and fantastic views of Grandfather Mountain. For wood-oven pizza, go to Bistro Roca, 143 Wonderland Trail, Blowing Rock, 828-295-4008; or Mulberry Street Trattoria, 179 Howard St., Boone, 877-264-4010.
BEING THERE: The Blowing Rock Stage Company will perform "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" through Dec. 10; http:/
INFO: Boone Convention & Visitors Bureau, 800-852-9506,http:/
