Beech Mountain, North Carolina

Beech Mountain, North Carolina
Official seal of Beech Mountain, North Carolina
Nickname: 
Beech
Location of Beech Mountain, North Carolina
Location of Beech Mountain, North Carolina
Coordinates: 36°12′23″N 81°52′59″W / 36.20639°N 81.88306°W / 36.20639; -81.88306
CountryUnited States
StateNorth Carolina
CountiesWatauga, Avery
Incorporated1981
Named forBeech Mountain
Area
 • Total6.49 sq mi (16.82 km2)
 • Land6.48 sq mi (16.78 km2)
 • Water0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2)
Elevation4,354 ft (1,327 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total675
 • Density104.15/sq mi (40.21/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP code
28604 [3]
Area code828
FIPS code37-04510 [4]
GNIS feature ID2405226[2]
Websitewww.townofbeechmountain.com

Beech Mountain is a town in both Avery and Watauga counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina.[2] As of the 2010 census, the town population was 320. The town is located atop Beech Mountain and is the highest town east of the Rocky Mountains at 5,506 ft (1,678 m) in elevation. The nearest municipality at a higher elevation is Des Moines, New Mexico, some 1,220 miles (1,960 kilometers) away.

The town relies heavily on tourism, with the population swelling as high as 5,000 in the summer, and to 10,000 during the peak of ski season. The abundance of outdoor activities, mild summer temperatures (compared to the rest of the southeast), and ski resort make it a popular location for people in the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida to own both summer and winter vacation homes.[5]

  1. ^ "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Beech Mountain, North Carolina
  3. ^ United States Postal Service (2012). "USPS - Look Up a ZIP Code". Retrieved February 15, 2012.
  4. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  5. ^ "Welcome". Town of Beech Mountain.