Balsam Mountain Preserve

Balsam Mountain Preserve is a rare and uniqueparcel of land found in the Great Balsam Mountains of North Carolina.  Balsam Mountain Preserve is one of NALT’s largest Conservation Areas encompassing over 3,000 acres of protected land.  Located in the beautiful western Smoky Mountains of North Carolina, the Conservation Area includes old growth forests, historic structures, rare and endangered wildlife and vegetation, and over 38 miles of streams and tributaries comprising two-thirds of the Tuckaseegee watershed. The heart of the property is characterized by the native woody and herbaceous vegetation surrounding Sugarloaf Creek and South Fork Sugarloaf Creek. Elevations at the Preserve range from 2,600 to 5,500 feet providing spectacular panoramic vistas from atop its many peaks, and from the nearby Blue Ridge Parkway, a designated National Park.  The primary goal was to design a low impact, sustainable development plan that reduces fragmentation, infrastructure and protects the most significant natural resources and conservation attributes found on the property.  Five conservation easements were donated to North American Land Trust resulting in 80% of the entire property being permanently protected, insuring the perpetual protection of the most ecologically sensitive areas of the Preserve.