The village of Sugar Mountain is located in Avery County, the Fraser Fir Capital of the World – growing millions of the perfect Christmas trees. While most of the farms ship trees across the nation and around the world, there are many that open from mid November through mid December for a truly memorable holiday family experience. Stroll through the farm to find the perfect Fraser Fir Christmas Tree for your home. Farm workers will cut the tree for you, net it and tie it atop your car for the trip home.
Fraser Fir is the very best choice because of its perfect shape, rich dark green color, clean pine scent, and ability to hold its needles for a long time after being cut. Choose and cut sizes range from table top 3ft ft. to 16 ft. tall.
Also buy the freshest wreaths, garlands and decorations. Many farms have hayrides, Santa visits, games and more.
Fraser Fir Trees from Avery County are often found inside Biltmore House, the Governor’s mansion and even the White House. The Fraser fir grows naturally only in the southern Appalachians, above 3,000 feet in elevation. The cool temperatures and plentiful rain and snow in Avery County cause the Fraser fir to keep its needles throughout the Christmas season.
The North Carolina Fraser fir has been judged the nation’s best through a contest sponsored by the National Christmas Tree Association and chosen for the official White House Christmas tree many times. Fraser fir has soft, pleasant-to-touch needles, incomparable needle retention, long lasting aroma, and more pliable yet stronger branches for even the heaviest ornaments.
Choose & Cut Christmas Tree Farms
Here are some of the top farms to visit near Sugar Mountain.
TOP PICK: Elk River Evergreens, 60 Buck Mountain Road, Elk Park. 11 miles from Sugar (pic above). Find your perfect Christmas tree up to 20 feet tall! Find wreaths, greenery, shirts and festive décor in the gift shop. Enjoy hayrides on many weekends, along with complementary hot cocoa, hot apple cider and popcorn. Their choose & cut is open November 11 – December 10, 2023, including Thanksgiving. Second nearby location (121 Brook Shell Rd, Elk Park) has the taller trees. For info, go to their website or call 828-387-7695.
Red Barn Tree Farm, 9557 Linville Falls Hwy, Linville Falls. 16 miles from Sugar (pic above). This unique setting is at a winery. So you can taste wines at Linville Falls Winery after you pick out your tree. Stop by the barn when you arrive to get instructions on how to choose your tree on their many acres. Hay rides on weekends. Open November 17, 2023, through early December, every day 10 AM-5 PM including Thanksgiving Day 10-2. For info, go to their website.
Snowy Mountain Christmas Shop, 4699 Linville Falls Hwy, Newland. 11 miles from Sugar. Browse the big Christmas store packed with home decorations and tree ornaments. Then pick your tree and load up on fresh greenery. Open November & December, including Thanksgiving Day. Shop is also open in spring, summer and fall also. For info, go to their website or call 828-737-9313.
Christmas Corner Choose & Cut, 2870 Linville Falls Highway, Newland. 9 miles from Sugar. Pick from Fraser Fir, Norway Spruce or White Pine. Open 7 days a week November 18, 2023, until they sell-out (usually by Dec 5th or so). For info, go to their Facebook page or call 828-733-4850.
Twin Pines Nursery, 87 Twin Pines Lane, Newland (Pineola), has been growing trees for 30+ years. Choose and cut your Fraser Fir, Canaan Fir and Turkish fir – up to 14 feet tall. Biltmore House recently adorned one of their 35 foot tree. Very popular is their selection of Charlie Brown Trees for $5-15. Roast marshmallows and warm by firepits. Open November 18, 2023 until Christmas Eve on weekends 9-5:30. For weekday appointments, call Steve at 828-387-0857.
Cartner Christmas Tree Farm, 901 Balsam Drive, Newland. 12 miles from Sugar. Open two weekends in 2023: November 23-26 and Dec 2-3, 9-5. For info, go to their website or call 828-733-1641.
Christmas Tree Tips
- After you get home, it’s a good idea to cut about 1/2 inch off the trunk before placing in a water holding stand.
- A tree can use up to a quart of tap water per day for each inch of stem diameter. Use a tree stand that holds plenty of water.
- Check all electric lights and connections before decorating. Don’t use any lights with worn cords.
- Don’t overload the electrical outlets.
- Place your tree away from fireplaces, radiators and other heat sources since they dry out your tree.
- Look for options to recycle your Christmas tree after the holidays. Often they are collected by towns to chip for mulch. Other areas use them to create fish habitats in lakes or help create sand dunes along the coast.
See more Winter & Holiday Things to Do during your vacation including our Ski Resort Insider’s Guide.