How to Get Here

• Asheville Airport (“Hendersonville-Asheville” Airport) is an hour away—newcomers often take longer due to mountain roads.
• Greenville-Spartanburg (South Carolina) Airport is about 1½ hours away.
• Charlotte Airport (North Carolina) is about 2 hours, 45 minutes away.
• (We don’t recommend the Raleigh/Durham Airport: it’s about 4 hours away.)

You can rent a car or call one of the following (in advance):

(1) Black Mountain Cab, $72 one way. Their driver knows where Earthaven is. 828-230-1121.

(2) Areawide Cab. 828-713-4710.

There are two ways to get here: (1) The easier, less scenic way that takes major freeways, and (2) the more scenic way on winding country roads. They both take about 50 minutes. If you’ll be traveling after dark, we recommend the first way.

1. The easier way. Go east on the road outside the Asheville Airport to the WEST I-26 on-ramp. Go west on I-26 towards Asheville. Just before Asheville, turn onto the I-40 EAST exit and go east on I-40 to exit 73 at the town of Old Fort. Then follow the directions for “From Interstate 40,” below.
2. The more scenic way. Go east on the road outside the Asheville Airport to the EAST I-26 on-ramp. Travel on east I-26 and get off at the second exit, Highway 64/Hendersonville. Turn left over the freeway onto Hwy 64/Bat Cave. Go about 25-30 minutes (winding road in some places) until the T-intersection with Hwy 9. Turn left onto Hwy 9, then take the next immediate right, which is also Hwy 9. (Hwy 9 jogs here.) Then follow the directions for “From the south,” below.

Take Hwy 85 East to I-26. Take I-26 West towards Asheville. Just before Asheville turn onto the I-40 EAST exit and go east on I-40 to exit 73 at the town of Old Fort. Then follow the directions for “From Interstate 40,” below.

Take I-77 north to I-40 WEST in the town of Statesville. Go west on I-40 to exit #73 in the town of Old Fort. Then follow the directions for “From Interstate 40,” below.

Follow the directions for “From Interstate 40” below. Plan one full hour driving time from Asheville or Hendersonville; plan 30 minutes from the I-40 exits at Old Fort or Black Mountain. (We are 30 minutes outside of downtown Black Mountain!)

Take exit 73 at Old Fort, heading south on Bat Cave Road for 8.5 miles, and take a left on Camp Elliott Road. You will see a sign for Asheville Academy.

Alternate route from the west: take Hwy. 9 south from Black Mountain for 9.5 miles then left onto Old Fort Road; you will cross a steel bridge. [To find the turn, follow signs for Gateway Mountain, because the Old Fort Road sign is sometimes down.] After turning, go 3 to 4 miles, and turn right on Camp Elliott Road.

Take Hwy. 9 north from Lake Lure/Bat Cave for about 7 miles, take a right on Old Fort Road (look for the road sign on the left), go 3 to 4 miles, turn right on Camp Elliott Road.

Go about a mile down Camp Elliott Road, past Asheville Academy School. After the school, please reduce your speed to 15 mph. You will come to the end of the pavement, where the road forks, with Full Circle Trail on the right, and Another Way straight ahead through an open metal gate. Proceed through this gate, and you are at Earthaven. <The Earthaven speed limit is 7 mph. Cross one bridge and look for parking on the left before you reach the next stream. Tours start at the Visitor Kiosk on the right.