Explorin’ Mad Co
Marshall, mars Hill & HOt Springs
asheville and its surrounding buncombe county may be one of the most popular tourist destinations in the southeast, and is the main attraction for many of our own guests, but we also like to encourage everyone to spend a little time experiencing the unique appalachian charm of madison county while they are here.
Madison county begins about 20 minutes north of Asheville, and like much of WNC, has deep roots in Appalachian culture including traditional folk music, art, agriculture, and outdoor recreation. Whereas visitors to Asheville will find crowds of like-minded and excited tourists, including families with screaming children, outdoor enthusiasts bottlenecking on popular hiking trails, and the inevitable bachelor/-ette parties with screaming adults, visitors to Madison will find a slower, quieter crowd where sounds of birds, trees, rivers and bees drown out all else.
In addition to containing roughly 55,000 acres of Pisgah National Forest and one of the largest homesteading communities in the country, Madison is also home to three small towns - Marshall, Mars Hill, and Hot Springs - all of which have their own character and quirks, and all of which are worth a drive and a stroll.
Marshall
Situated alongside the picturesque French Broad River, historic downtown Marshall is a charming, vibrant, and TINY area that has undergone a revival as a hub for the arts in the past few years, with numerous studios, galleries, and diverse shops and eateries emerging on both main street and across the river on Bannahasset Island.
Mars Hill
Mars Hill is best known as the home of Mars Hill University, a (very) small liberal arts college founded in 1853, and as demonstrated with its beautiful stone and brick architecture, makes it the oldest college or university in Western North Carolina.
Hot Springs
Nestled in a valley beneath Pisgah National Forest, Hot Springs is a small, historic resort town known for its abundant natural resources and beauty. It is not only home to a historic, 200 year old hot springs resort, but with its location at an intersection of the French Broad River and the Appalachian Trail, which runs right through Main Street and provides many through-hikers with an opportunity to recharge and restock, Hot Springs has remained a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts for hundreds of years.