Stunning views are just a quick drive up the mountain from Echo Mountain Inn in Laurel Park, North Carolina.
We visited Jump Off Rock in early June before nestling into our cozy beds at the Echo Mountain Inn. It was the perfect end to a beautiful day spent in Hendersonville, North Carolina.
Jump Off Rock is a lovely sunset spot and a great place to picnic with family and friends or to read a book in solitude on a park bench.
I snapped the above photo from the lookout at Jump Off Rock after sunset. While we awaited sunset, however, we did a little exploring.
There is a foot path which leads to the base of Jump Off Rock. At the base, there's a shallow cave. I wanted to see it all, but we couldn't go very far because I was wearing the wrong shoes for rock scrambling. My feet had no traction and I kept sliding, so we turned back. I definitely recommend wearing sneakers if you plan on adventuring below the lookout point.
You know, I really didn't notice rocks until I moved to coastal Alabama where there are none. I have a whole new appreciation for rocks now. In the above photo, I'm peeking through a natural window to the cave just below.
The lookout spot at the top of Jump Off Rock provides a lovely view of the mountains. There's a wrought iron map on the barrier which names the mountains in the distance.
I should add that this vista is easily accessible. It is only a shuffle, saunter, stroll, traipse, ramble, but definitely not a hike from the parking area to the lookout point. This is perfect if you want to have an early supper downtown Hendersonville and then head up the mountain for a quick, amazing sunset view, no hike required.
After our Jump Off Rock adventure, we headed back to our bed and breakfast. We stayed at the Echo Mountain Inn in Laurel Park for a total of three nights and loved every minute of our stay. We had mountain and pool views from the windows of our cozy rooms in the main building.
My favorite part of our stay was breakfast in the dining room. Every morning we would help ourselves to tea and coffee, sit out in the sunroom, and quietly chat or read while we waited for breakfast time. My mom and hubby are pictured below in the dining room.
There are several huge picture windows in the dining room. We had a gorgeous view of the mountains every morning while we filled our bellies with hot, delicious food from the buffet.
After breakfast, we headed out to explore, shop, and eat. If you love bears as much as I do, click here to see some of the amazing bears we encountered downtown Hendersonville.
At the end of each day, it was so nice to call Echo Mountain Inn our home away from home. We had a truly enjoyable stay and we can't wait to go back!
One more quick recommendation. Hot Dog World is only an eight minute drive from the Echo Mountain Inn. It is a favorite of mine from childhood. Hot Dog World is a sacred institution and you absolutely must grub there at least once while visiting the Hendersonville area.
Here is a link to the Echo Mountain Inn website.
Echo Mountain Inn is located at:
2849 Laurel Park Hwy, Laurel Park, NC 28739
Or click here for the address on Google Maps.
Below is the address to Jump Off Rock:
4501 Laurel Park Hwy, Laurel Park, NC 28739
Google Maps will take you directly to Jump Off Rock, but I suggest pre-downloading the map in case you lose cell service on the way up. It's a beautiful, but winding drive to the lookout point.
Safe travels and enjoy the view!
Carpe Diem,
Melissa Anne
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