Cradle of Forestry

The 6,500 acre Cradle of Forestry Historic Site near Brevard, North Carolina commemorates the beginning of forest conservation in the United States. On this site in 1898, Dr. Carl Schenck, chief forester for George Vanderbilt's Biltmore Estate, founded the Biltmore Forest School, the first forestry school in America.

The Cradle of Forestry's Forest Discovery Center features interactive exhibits and a new movie -- There's Magic at the Cradle -- in which a young girl learns to care for and help preserve a forest. Visitors can "ride" a fire fighting helicopter simulator over a forest fire, then crawl underground and see the animals that live beneath the forest floor. The Giving Tree Gift Shop and the Forest Bounty Café are also located in the center.

Outdoor activities include several guided trails which lead to historical buildings, a 1915 Climax logging locomotive, and an old sawmill.

The Cradle of Forestry offers many summer programs, including the popular Songcatchers' Music Series which showcases traditional Appalachian music in an outdoor amphitheater (Sundays afternoons in July).

Hours of Operation

Mid-April through early November, open daily, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm.

Admission Fees

$5 for adults (16 years old and older).
Free for youth (15 years old and under).
Free for Federal Interagency and Golden Age Passport holders.
Free for everyone on Tuesdays.

Hours of operation and fees are subject to change. Contact directly for most current information.

Location

The Cradle of Forestry is located on US Hwy. 276 in the Pisgah National Forest, just 14 miles northeast of Brevard, NC. The Cradle of Forestry is between 30-45 miles away from the towns of Asheville, Hendersonville, and Waynesville and only four miles south of the Blue Ridge Parkway (look for signs to the Cradle of Forestry near milepost #411).

Cradle of Forestry
Hwy. 276
Brevard, NC
(828) 877-3130