Ashe County NC

Gem Valley LLC is a family-owned business just minutes from the Blue Ridge Parkway. Founded in 2006 by Debbi Farmer and Harry Davis, Gem Valley is the only public panning facility in Ashe County, NC. We are located near the historical Ore Knob Mine that was in operation from the mid 1800’s to the mid 1900’s. Our creeks feed into the New River, which is the second-oldest river in the world! Please visit our Directions page for how to find us!

Gem Valley is a Seasonal gem mining, fluming and gold panning business. At Gem Valley you have opportunity to find and take home some truly beautiful and valuable gems of all sorts! The Appalachian Mountains of NC have a huge variety of precious and semi-precious stones in its soil! Our flume workers will be glad to assist you in identifying your stones!

Our Gem Shop and Museum offers a variety of jewelry, stones, souvenirs and information on geology, paleontology, and the lapidary arts. Our experienced gem cutters will be glad to take custom stone-cutting and jewelry setting orders.

The park has a picnic area with tables and grills if you wish to spend lunch. Restrooms are available inside the gift shop.

We invite you to browse our website for more information on our prices, services, and to answer any questions you may have. Please visit our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) page for more detailed information on our business.

Escape to the quaint, serene mountains of Western North Carolina. Make yourself at home and enjoy your picturesque Holiday Inn Express, in a true mountain setting. Our hotel offers the newest and finest facilities in the area. Experience true Southern Hospitality only the High Country can offer.

If you are in the area to play, we are located near many of the main area attractions such as the Blue Ridge Parkway, Mount Jefferson State Park, New River State Park, Downtown West Jefferson, Jefferson, Oak Hill Academy, and Appalachian State University.

If you are in the area for work, we are centrally located to GE Aviation, AEV, United-Chemi-con, and other area businesses.

While you are here, enjoy our many complimentary services such as our high-speed fiber-optic Wi-Fi or wired Internet access, meeting room, Business Center, Fitness Center, and guest laundry center.

Any time of the year, experience our scenic local drives, beautiful mountain views, numerous leisure and outdoor activities and discover serenity!

Lose yourself in the beautiful outdoors that surround our Days Inn by Wyndham West Jefferson hotel. Whether you are our guest for just one night or an extended stay, we offer comfortable accommodations at a great price. Our hotel offers a little bit of everything to keep you happy. Enjoy a free light breakfast item together with your choice of coffee, tea, and juice each morning and unwind in our cedar lined dry sauna. Guest rooms are equipped with free WiFi, a coffee/tea maker, ironing facilities, microwave, mini-refrigerator, and flat screen HDTV.

Nestled on the Blue Ridge Parkway you will find Raccoon Holler Campground. Just outside of Glendale Springs in Ashe County, NC the temperatures are cool, the views are breathtaking, and every moment is a memory in the making.

Whether you have a “Big Rig” or enjoy tent camping in the mountain air, overnight or for the season, we have a site for you.

If the next thing on your list is to slow down and smell the fresh mountain air then the ‘Secluded Hideaway’ is just what you are looking for. You will be able to sit on the large covered front porch (8’X36′), back deck (8’X36′), side deck (11’X44′) and watch for birds, squirrels and deer and also roast marshmallows over the outdoor fire pit. This four bedroom and 2 bath cottage is perfect for large families (max of 8 people) and small alike. Pool and ping pong table combination in basement. The New River State Park Elk Shoals Access is just .3 mi from the front door across wooden bridge where you can swim, kayak, canoe and fish. Within 7 miles there are restaurants and shopping (Super Walmart, Family Dollar Store, Dollar Tree, Cato’s, Lowes), grocery stores (Food Lion, Ingles Grocery Store and Walmar), and numerous antique and craft shops and more. Other places of interest (Parkway Theater (6 mi),, Mt Jefferson State Park (6 mi), New River State Park Wagner Access (12 mi), Cheese Factory (6 mi), Church of the Frescoes (4 mi and 5 mi), Blue Ridge Parkway (4.5 mi), Boone NC (26 mi), Mast General Store (27 mi), Original Mast General Store (Valley Crucis 34 mi), Horn-in-the-West (Outdoor Drama Mid Jun-Mid Aug (26 mi), Tweetsie Railroad Amusement Park (Apr-Oct 30 mi), Blowing Rock (34 mi), Appalachian Ski Mtn (32 mi), Banner Elk and Linville Falls (60 mi), Linville Cravens (62 mi), Grandfather Mountain and Beech Mountain (55 mi) and free Blue Grass Music by local entertainers at the Phipps Old General Store (Lansing NC approx. 12 mi.) and Greenfields Camp Ground (beside Walmart). Our house has free Internet and phone for local calls. “The Mountains Are God’s Answer ToThe Searching Soul”.

ur elegant country Inn was built over 120 years ago and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Glendale Springs is a charming community outside of West Jefferson, NC, and is an easy driving distance to Boone and Blowing Rock.

The Inn offers bed and breakfast accommodations (Continental Style Breakfast) with a choice of five beautiful rooms, a full-service upscale casual restaurant with a full bar, as well as two plus acres of manicured grounds, all of which are available to book for weddings and other special events. We invite you to come to enjoy the tranquility of our historic property, whether it be for a weekend getaway, a cozy dinner, Sunday Brunch or a special occasion. Stay with us during Fall Leaves Season. Come spend the night or weekend between Thanksgiving and Christmas and choose and cut your own beautiful Frasir Fir Christmas Tree from a nearby tree farm. Come for ski season at nearby slopes and stay cozy and warm at night at our Inn. Bring the family to enjoy great food and friendly service at our Restaurant.

Luxury King Suite – Swipe on the first picture to view more interior and exterior pictures of this luxury glamping tent! This king suite includes a king bed in the 16 x 24 tent as well as an extended deck that includes an adjoining 13 ft diameter queen tent. This king suite can sleep up to six: King bed x 2, Queen bed x 2, and room for 2 camping cots. The two glamping tents share a spacious deck and is perfect for families with children or couples who want to stay in close proximity to one another. These two tents share the en-suite bathroom and shower as well as the cooler and grill. This 16 x 24 king glamping tent is furnished with a handcrafted king size bed, luxury linens and blankets, wood stove, and en-suite bathroom/shower. It comes equipped with a solar awning to provide power and lighting within the tent. It has a covered spacious deck overlooking Big Laurel Creek complete with a custom fire pit and Blackstone propane grill (propane provided). A large capacity cooler and coffee bar are also provided. Book your stay today for the upcoming 2023 season – availability is limited!

Meadowsweet is an 1895 farmhouse built by Scottish immigrant Joe Campbell. Joe built the house from American chestnut and oak from the property.  He built the hearth in the parlor from local soapstone that he mined.  Surrounded by lovely gardens with a mountain stream in the backyard flowing into the pond, the serenity and peace will put one at ease. As an Inn and Guest Lodging House you will enjoy a serene mountain landscape in a peaceful beautiful setting. Feel free to sit in the garden house or on its porch and enjoy the fountain or gaze at the butterflies. Stroll through the gardens and rest in the shade by the stream or simply by the pond and meditate.