“Research is part of what they do at Southern Highlands Reserve. Come take a walk through an extraordinary and ever-changing forest laboratory.”

High above the lakes of Western North Carolina — with a stunning panoramic view of the mountains spanning the Blue Ridge Parkway — Southern Highlands Reserve showcases native plants and the rare ecology of high-elevation Southern Appalachian forests. The garden, part of 120 acres protected by the North American Land Trust, is designed to uphold and honor the spirit of the land. Their work, research, and partnerships at Southern Highlands Reserve (SHR) help preserve threatened species.

This May 2 tour of SHR will be the inaugural garden tour of the newly formed Oconee Bell Chapter of the NC Native Plant Society Chapter, serving the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau and its surrounding areas. Attendance is limited and priority will be given to NCNPS members. A waiting list will be maintained.

This private tour is priced at $50 per person with a cap of 20 participants for SHR staff to lead you on a personalized journey through the garden. Access to nature, beautiful landscapes, to wild places and far-reaching vistas — is important, and SHR is committed to creating those opportunities. As we meet, please come prepared to pay $50 per participant by cash or check (payable directly to Southern Highlands Reserve).

We have confirmed that space for parking is sufficient so our instructions are to meet for our 10 am tour at the Reserve. To get there, we highly encourage printing or taking a screenshot of directions as cell signal and GPS can be unreliable when traveling to the Reserve. Download a PDF of directions from their web page at this link: https://southernhighlandsreserve.org/getting-here/.

The address is: 558 Summit Ridge Road, Lake Toxaway, NC 28747

The office phone number is: (828) 885-2050

Although space for parking will be sufficient, you may want to make your own arrangement to car pool for the drive up Toxaway Mountain, which is steep. To find other confirmed participants, look for the email that was sent on April 27 from Nancy Anderson at oconeebellco@ncwildflower.org to those who registered.  Contact Nancy in case of questions.