Carl Sandburg was a famous writer, folk singer, social activist and Pulitzer Prize winning poet and biographer. Photo by Hope Quinn
Not going home over Thanksgiving break and yearning for a small road trip adventure? The Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site is just over the hill in Flat Rock, North Carolina.
With 264 acres on the property, visitors are welcome year round to explore the grounds and hike the easy to moderate trails around the area.
A hike during the fall will be cool and crisp. The hike to Big Glassy is full of fall foliage and attracts families, trail runners and out-of-town visitors alike. Carl Sandburg’s wife had a soft spot for goats and the red goat barn is still maintained with goats and various livestock. Visitors are welcome to pet and feed the animals from designated dispensers. If you plan a trip in the spring, there might even be a few “kids” running around to play with.
The Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site is open from 9 am to 5 pm every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years days. The grounds and hiking trails are free to the public. Guided tours of the home are offered until 4:30 pm. Admittance to the home is five dollars for adults, three dollars for seniors and any child 15 and under are free.
Pets are welcome on the grounds.
Fun Fact from the Carl Sandburg Home website: Carl Sandburg won two Pulitzer Prizes, entertained heads of state, presidents and Hollywood movie stars, but he only officially graduated from the eighth grade. He also attended college classes for four years, but never received a degree.
