Fun Summer Kids Camps at Balsam Mountain Preserve

The best part of summer – being a kid – gets even better at Balsam Mountain Preserve, the award-winning, gated mountain community in Western North Carolina designed with outdoor living at its core. This summer, Balsam Mountain Preserve kids can explore the great outdoors with a varied schedule of two-, three- or four-day summer camp offerings sure to please all age levels and interests. Young residents can explore, create, learn, and have a great time enjoying the superior golf, Balsam Mountain Preserve Equestrian Center, nature, and camping amenities at one of the best places to live in Asheville, North Carolina.

Check out Balsam Mountain Club’s Summer Camp Schedule by activity category:

• EQUESTRIAN CAMP

Three-day, hands-on horse camps for youngsters ages 7-12 provide a safe and fun introduction to riding and caring for a horse. Equine grooming, care, and safety as well as riding lessons keep campers engaged as they learn how to handle a horse with plenty of games and in-the-saddle time. Lunch and a snack are provided at the daily sessions scheduled for June 25-27, July 16-18, and August 7-9.

Older campers, ages 13 and up, can enjoy the Overnight Horse Expedition at beautiful Dark Ridge Camp on July 11-12. A day’s ride from Balsam Mountain Preserve’s Equestrian Center over groomed horse trails, the private camping ground offers bunkhouses, horse paddock, pavilion, trails, and a full weekend of fun for young adventurers to practice their riding and camping skills.

• COMBO CAMP

For the kid who wants to do it all, or can’t decide what she likes to do best, Combo Camp mixes it up with something for everyone, ages 7-12. Kids learn to pan for gems, build a working volcano, or tie-dye a shirt. They’ll hike the fascinating Great Smoky Mountains, and picnic along The Parkway, then hit the links or the courts to polish golf or tennis skills. Budding biologists can discuss aquatic ecology with fellow campers as they collect macro-invertebrate specimens. And everyone will enjoy the excitement of a river rafting trip. The fun happens July 7-10.

• WATER CAMP

If it’s wet, campers ages 6-12 will be doing it July 14-17. Whether seeking out crawdads and salamanders in some of the 38 miles of pristine mountain streams that wind through Balsam Mountain Preserve or winning a water balloon relay race, it’s all about water and summer time pleasures. Youngsters can splash in a kid-friendly swimming hole by the waterfalls after a nature trail hike, whiz down the natural rock water slide, and boat on the lake, staying cool and having fun with friends.

• ADVENTURE CAMPS

For thrill-seekers ages 6-11, Balsam Mountain Preserve amenities serve as the backdrop for adventures left and right during this four-day camp on July 21-24. All-day sessions will include action-packed activities such as hiking to the nearby falls, whitewater rafting, a photography safari, scouting natural rock water slides, and more. Of course, no adventure camp would be complete without a zip line obstacle course!

For campers ages 12 and up, the excitement ratchets up a notch July 28-31 as they maneuver their individual boats through rapids, zip line through trees, hike more challenging trails, and take an overnight camping trip in the Great Smokies National Park. Imagine your kids having all of these great experiences and opportunities for growth and independence right in their own back yard!

Spending carefree summer days on trails riding bikes or horses, playing with friends, and exploring in a relatively secure environment where neighbors know neighbors and there is always something to do may seem like a scene from the last century, but it’s part of today’s lifestyle in this gated mountain community of Western North Carolina. Balsam Mountain Preserve blends the best features of golf, equestrian, and mountain resort-style living, while paying particular attention to preservation and sustainable development – so your children, and maybe theirs, too, can enjoy the wonders of nature this summer and for many summers to come.

The Balsam Mountain Preserve amenities list is extensive, catering to active families of all ages. The 18-hole, Arnold Palmer designed golf course, heated outdoor pool, fitness center and Har-Tru tennis courts only begin to round out the distinctive country club lifestyle that luxury home buyers seek. However, this gated mountain community doesn’t stop there – as resident outdoors enthusiasts will tell. Take your kids hiking to the top of Doubletop Mountain, fishing, boating, or camping at Dark Ridge Camp. Explore the wonders of the Great Smoky Mountains in this 4,400 acre planned luxury community. Let them learn about their surroundings in the Nature Center, and the 3,000 acres of dedicated conservation easement.

There is something about horses and kids that forever go together. Equestrians of all ages can enjoy the Balsam Mountain Equestrian Center and 30 miles of private riding trails within this gated mountain community in Western North Carolina. Boarding facilities and club horses are available at the stable, with paddocks and training arena.

Only 400 Balsam Mountain Preserve homes will stand here when the neighborhood is completed, but the good news is there are still equestrian-size lots available, as well as gorgeous mountain-view sites. Almost 100 homes have already been built to date. Good schools, such as Scotts Creek School, Smoky Mountain Elementary, Smoky Mountain High School and Western Carolina University, serve Balsam Mountain Preserve and a Blue Ridge Parkway entrance is less than five miles from Balsam's 24-hour manned, gated entrance.

Summers come and go quickly. Maybe it’s time to take the kids for a weekend tour, and experience the lifestyle and Balsam Mountain Preserve amenities in one of the best places to live in the Asheville area. Ask for Discovery Package information to experience Balsam.