64 Acres Added to SAHC's Snowball Mountain Preserve

The Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy has added 64 more acres to the Snowball Mountain Preserve, continuing a long effort to protect the beautiful Craggy Mountains area just off the Blue Ridge Parkway northeast of Asheville and Woodfin.

This newly protected land creates an important connection between the Woodfin Watershed (protected in 2005) and SAHC’s original Snowball Mountain Preserve (protected in 2011). With this addition, a once-unprotected gap in the landscape is now part of a continuous conservation corridor.

Michelle Puglese, SAHC’s Land Protection Director, shared how meaningful this purchase is for the region. She explained that these acres help protect the headwaters of Reems Creek, preserve views enjoyed by hikers on the Snowball Mountain Trail and the Mountains to Sea Trail, and safeguard valuable high elevation habitat. Michelle noted how grateful SAHC is for the donors and grant funders who made the project possible.

Funding for the purchase came from generous conservation supporters, along with an Appalachia Rising grant through Re:Wild.

Snowball Mountain is a place many people love for its quiet trails, rich forests, and wide mountain views. Each new piece of protected land helps keep this area healthy for wildlife and peaceful for everyone who visits. It’s always encouraging to see more of our region preserved, piece by piece, for the long term.