Western North Carolina’s luxury-home market keeps expanding, and with it the roster of master-planned villages that promise golf-course living, conservation acreage, walkable town squares or miles of private trails. For buyers, the choice can feel dizzying. This guide simplifies everything.
Finding the right master-planned community in North Carolina
North Carolina continues to attract discerning buyers from across the country seeking the perfect balance of natural beauty, luxury amenities, and strong long-term value. From the Blue Ridge Mountains to the western piedmont, the state offers a diverse mix of gated and master-planned communities—each with its own pace, personality, and perks. Some centers focus on golf and wellness, while others emphasize conservation, family-friendly design, or vibrant town centers. But with so many choices, the search can quickly become overwhelming.
This guide simplifies the process. Curated by the local experts at Walnut Cove Realty, it highlights the top-performing and most frequently requested communities in our network. Every profile includes the features that matter most: homes and homesite price ranges, club and community amenities, lifestyle insights, and candid broker notes.
Use the table of contents to explore a specific community or scroll through to compare them side by side. And when you’re ready to take the next step—whether that’s a discovery visit, a custom home search, or just a call to talk through options—we’re here to help you move forward with clarity and confidence.
Let’s find the master-planned community that feels like home.
Table of Contents
1. The Cliffs at Walnut Cove — Arden
3. The Ramble Biltmore Forest — South Asheville
6. Biltmore Park — South Asheville
7. Champion Hills — Hendersonville
9. Balsam Mountain Preserve — Sylva
1. The Cliffs at Walnut Cove — Arden
Straddling the southern edge of the Blue Ridge Parkway and Pisgah National Forest, The Cliffs at Walnut Cove serves up a rare mix of resort polish and raw mountain beauty only 11 miles from downtown Asheville. The centerpiece is a Jack Nicklaus Signature par-71 course—elevations run 2,100–2,250 feet—praised by Golfweek and Golf Digest as one of the nation’s premier residential layouts.
A Tudor-style clubhouse anchors “Golf Village,” complete with men’s and women’s locker suites, wine lockers, a farm-to-table tavern, a pro shop, and the Turnhouse Pavilion for quick bites between nines. Just uphill, an 18,000-square-foot Wellness Center adds indoor/outdoor pools, tennis court, cardio and strength zones, yoga–Pilates studios, massage rooms and a packed calendar of group classes.
Miles of private hiking trails snake past waterfalls, trout ponds and wild-flower meadows before tying into the adjoining 715-acre Turtleback Falls Preserve. Creekside Farm, the on-site 60-acre CSA, supplies produce, eggs and honey to both Walnut Cove chefs and member pantry subscriptions. Housing spans townhomes, cottages, custom estates, and view lots; the Walnut Cove Realty Luxury Spec Home Program lets buyers shortcut the ground-up build timeline while still adding personal touches.
Prices generally range from $1 million to well over $5 million for finished homes and from roughly $150k to $2 million-plus for homesites. Social life is equally robust—member-run groups cover everything from bowling and bridge to fly-fishing and mah-jong—yet the gated entrances, lush landscaping and strict architectural guidelines maintain an unmistakable sense of privacy and prestige.
Signature vibe
Five-star golf resort meets national-park scenery only eleven miles from downtown Asheville.
Need-to-know
- Jack Nicklaus Signature Course, clubhouse, Wellness Center, farm-to-table dining
- Reciprocal privileges at six other Cliffs clubs
- Guarded gates, extensive hiking trails, CSA farm
Driving distances
- AVL Airport 5 mi
- Downtown Asheville 11.5 mi
- Blue Ridge Parkway 3 mi
Price guidance
- Homes $1 M–$5 M+
- Homesites $150 K–$2 M+
Explore current homes for sale in The Cliffs at Walnut Cove »
2. Southcliff — Fairview
Set on the south face of Cedar Cliff Mountain, Southcliff blends authentic wilderness with easy city reach: the main gatehouse is just 8.5 miles from Asheville’s galleries, breweries and live-music venues, yet inside the gates you’re immersed in 400 acres of hardwood forest.
Elevations from 2,500 to 3,900 feet produce cool summer breezes and big-sky vistas. Conservation sits at the core of the master plan—165 acres are permanently reserved as community open space, and every building envelope is oriented to protect native flora. Six miles of private, rustic trails connect six neighborhood parks, a grand pavilion with an outdoor fireplace, multiple smaller fire-pit overlooks, picnic lawns and children’s playgrounds.
Residents often gather at dusk for s’mores while the sun drops behind layered mountain ridges. The Blue Ridge Parkway lies 3.5 miles away for even broader hiking and cycling options, and Lake Lure, DuPont State Forest and a dozen trout streams sit within a 45-minute radius. Homes emphasize natural materials—stone, cedar and glass—and lots vary from low-maintenance cottage parcels to multi-acre view estates.
For buyers who want a true mountain setting without sacrificing airport access (13.5 miles) or hospital proximity (8 miles to Mission), Southcliff checks every box.
Signature vibe
Conservation-minded mountain living with six miles of private trails and long-range views, eight minutes from Asheville’s coffee shops.
Need-to-know
- 400-acre gated community, 165 acres in open space
- Staffed gatehouse, parks, fire-pit pavilions, staffed sales lodge
- Elevations 2,500–3,900 ft for cooler summers
Driving distances
- Airport 13.5 mi
- Downtown 8.5 mi
- Parkway 3.5 mi
Price guidance
- Homes $750 K–$3 M+
- Homesites $75 K–$750 K+
Explore current homes for sale in Southcliff »
3. The Ramble Biltmore Forest — South Asheville
Carved from George Vanderbilt’s former woodlands, The Ramble channels Frederick Law Olmsted’s park-planning ethos into a 1,000-acre gated enclave where every road bends with the land and every home backs onto green space or trail.
More than 23 miles of sidewalks and natural-surface paths lace through pocket parks, meadows and towering oaks, yet downtown Asheville and Mission Hospital are only six miles away. Residents converge at the 16,000-square-foot Living Well Center: a heated saline pool, well-equipped gym, group-cycle room, demonstration kitchen and fireside great room—even lighted tennis and pickleball courts just outside.
Concerts, food-truck Fridays and art fairs fill Longmeadow Park, while a private south gate opens to Biltmore Park Town Square’s boutiques, Whole Foods, YMCA and stadium-seat cinema. Strict architectural guidelines preserve a cohesive streetscape—think timeless stone, shingle, and board-and-batten in earthy palettes—yet homes range widely in size, from right-sized cottages to multi-wing estates topping $5 million. Homesites begin around $250k and run north of $2 million for rare ridge parcels.
For those who crave mature forest plus true neighborhood energy (and some of Asheville’s best tennis at neighboring Asheville Racquet Club), The Ramble delivers a best-of-both-worlds experience.
Signature vibe
Olmsted-inspired parks and miles of sidewalks moments from Biltmore Park Town Square.
Need-to-know
- Living Well Center with saline pool, fitness, lighted tennis
- Private south gate to shops and dining
- Strict architectural guidelines for cohesive streetscapes
Driving distances
- Airport 6.5 mi
- Downtown 6 mi
- Parkway 0.5 mi
Price guidance
- Homes $750 K–$5 M+
- Homesites $250 K–$2 M+
Explore current homes for sale in The Ramble »
4. Springdale — Canton
Tucked at the base of Cold Mountain on 400+ acres of former farmland, Springdale Resort pairs an 18-hole championship golf course (par 72, 6,969 yards) with rustic mountain hospitality. The property features the Rocky Face Tavern (2023 Golden Fork Award recipient) serving upscale-casual Southern-inspired fare, the Village Grill for on-course dining, a heated pool, hot tub, and fitness center. Its year-round subdivision, Springdale Country Club and Estates, features luxury homes and homesites surrounded by the Appalachian Highlands.
The resort is located near the Pigeon River and Blue Ridge Parkway, 20 minutes from Waynesville, and around 40 minutes from Asheville.Springdale Resort, a luxurious retreat nestled on over 400 acres of former farmland at the base of Cold Mountain, offers an exceptional blend of rustic mountain charm and upscale amenities. The resort boasts an 18-hole championship golf course (par 72, 6,969 yards) and a variety of dining options, including the Rocky Face Tavern, a 2023 Golden Fork Award recipient serving upscale-casual Southern-inspired cuisine, and the Village Grill for convenient on-course dining. Guests can also enjoy a heated pool, hot tub, and fitness center.
Springdale Country Club and Estates, the resort's year-round subdivision, features luxury homes and homesites surrounded by the breathtaking Appalachian Highlands. The resort's prime location offers easy access to the Pigeon River and Blue Ridge Parkway, and is just 20 minutes from Waynesville and approximately 40 minutes from Asheville.
Signature vibe
Inter-generational private resort community centered around a stunning mountain golf course serving Southern hospitality.
Need-to-know
- Par 72, 18 hole course designed by Joseph Holmes and Ron Garl
- Features a Golf Inc. Golden Fork award-winning restaurant
- Residents have access to resort amenities
Driving distances
- Airport 34.5 mi
- Downtown Asheville 30 mi
Price guidance
- Homes $109 K–$997 K
- Homesites $49 K–$345 K+
Explore current homes for sale in Springdale »
5. Avalon — Waynesville
Avalon, a community spanning over 400 acres, offers breathtaking long-range views of Cold Mountain, Mt. Pisgah, Balsam Mountain Range, and Soco Range from its elevations of 2100–2600ft. above Lake Junaluska. Located in Western North Carolina, it provides a nature-focused lifestyle with amenities such as hiking trails, waterfalls, streams, a trout fishing pond, scenic overlooks, fire-pit gathering spots, and a covered community pavilion. Residents enjoy modern conveniences like underground utilities, high-speed fiber optic, city water, and paved roadways, without the added cost of golf or clubhouse fees. Avalon is conveniently situated ten minutes from downtown Waynesville's galleries, farm-to-table dining, and craft breweries, and approximately 25 minutes from Asheville.
Signature vibe
Private mountaintop community offering scenic views, where homes are nestled amidst the area's natural splendor.
Need-to-know
- Between Mt. Pisgah and Cold Mountain and the Great Smoky Mountain National Park
- Minutes from downtown Waynesville
- Trout pond
Driving distances
- Airport 33.5 mi
- Downtown 29 mi
- Parkway 186 mi
Price guidance
- Homes $750 K+
- Homesites $150 K–$295 K
Explore current homes for sale in Avalon »
6. Biltmore Park — South Asheville
If walkability tops your wish list, Biltmore Park may be Western North Carolina’s stand-out. Conceived as a “new urban” village, the community centers on Biltmore Park Town Square—a pedestrian-friendly main street brimming with chef-driven restaurants, coffee bars, wine shops, REI, brewery taprooms, a 15-screen Regal cinema, and a flagship YMCA.
Steps away, residential options fan out in concentric rings: sleek condos above retail, brownstone-style townhomes, Craftsman cottages on tree-lined lanes, and executive estates on quiet cul-de-sacs. Community greenways link playgrounds, pocket parks and a tennis-fitness complex while also feeding into the Blue Ridge Parkway three miles east.
The historic Biltmore Estate is close enough for weekly morning walks, and AVL Airport is a straight 4.5-mile shot down I-26. Sustainability principles—such as reduced traffic, mixed-use zoning, and energy-conscious construction—guide ongoing development, making Biltmore Park a magnet for buyers who want city conveniences without the downtown congestion.
Signature vibe
Walkable town-square living with shops, restaurants, YMCA and cinema, surrounded by condos, townhomes, cottages and estate homes plus greenway trails.
Need-to-know
- Community trail system for walking, biking and jogging
- Fitness/Wellness Center, tennis courts and open green space
- Quick access to the Blue Ridge Parkway and the historic Biltmore Estate
Driving distances
- AVL Airport 4.5 mi
- Downtown Asheville 9 mi
- Blue Ridge Parkway 3 mi
Price guidance
- Homes $500K – $5M+
- Homesites $150K – $500K+
Explore current homes for sale in Biltmore Park »
7. Champion Hills — Hendersonville
Straddling a series of rolling ridges seven miles southwest of charming downtown Hendersonville, Champion Hills frames Tom Fazio’s home-course masterpiece—an 18-hole layout he calls one of his proudest works.
Sweeping elevation changes, mountain streams and ridge-top panoramas punctuate every hole, and golf groups, clinics and member events run year-round thanks to the region’s mild four-season climate. Off the fairways, a recently refreshed clubhouse offers fine and casual dining with farm-to-table menus, wine-pairing dinners and holiday galas.
A fitness-wellness center hosts weight training, cardio, yoga and massage, while Har-Tru tennis courts and 17-plus miles of private hiking trails cater to racquet and trail enthusiasts. Social engines include book clubs, volunteer groups, bridge and seasonal festivals, fostering genuine camaraderie among both full-time and part-time residents. Protective covenants safeguard Champion Hills’ mature forests—clear-cutting is forbidden and pruning requires approval, so the neighborhood retains an authentic mountain canopy.
Signature vibe
Tom Fazio–designed championship golf course at the center of a wooded, club-driven community with extensive trails and year-round social events.
Need-to-know
- Fitness & wellness center, tennis courts and 17+ miles of hiking trails
- Clubhouse dining from elegant to casual plus seasonal wine and culinary events
- Sports, volunteer and hobby clubs foster a tight-knit atmosphere
Driving distances
- AVL Airport 16 mi
- Downtown Asheville 29 mi
- Blue Ridge Parkway 21 mi
Price guidance
- Homes $535K – $1.7M+
Explore current homes for sale in Champion Hills »
8. Kenmure — Flat Rock
Anchored by the storied summer-resort village of Flat Rock (dubbed “Little Charleston of the Mountains”), Kenmure spreads across 1,400 gated acres in gentle foothills south of Hendersonville. History infuses the setting: 19th-century Lowcountry families once built English-style summer homes here to escape coastal heat, and Flat Rock’s Main Street still hosts art galleries, cafés and the State Theatre of North Carolina, Flat Rock Playhouse.
Within Kenmure, members enjoy a George Cobb-influenced 18-hole championship course, heated indoor saline pool, outdoor lap pool, pickleball and tennis courts, bocce lawns, a modern fitness center and dining spaces that range from white-tablecloth evenings to grill-room burgers after a round. A robust community association fuels social clubs and volunteer projects, while the HOA’s architectural committee insists on landscape-sensitive improvements that minimize land disturbance.
From Kenmure’s gates, Asheville is 34 miles, Greenville 40 miles, and AVL Airport 16.5 miles—making it an easy hub for regional exploration.
Signature vibe
Historic “Little Charleston of the Mountains” charm with a full country-club slate.
Need-to-know
- 18-hole championship golf, indoor and outdoor pools, fitness and dining
- Social clubs ranging from bocce to hiking
- Near Flat Rock Playhouse and Carl Sandburg Home
Driving distances
- Airport 16.5 mi
- Downtown Asheville 34 mi
Price guidance
- Average home $1.2 M
- Average homesite $159 K
Explore current homes for sale in Kenmure »
9. Balsam Mountain Preserve — Sylva
Marketed as a “human settlement within a park,” Balsam Mountain Preserve protects 3,200 acres (equal to five square miles) of old-growth hardwood forest, waterfall-laced valleys and trout streams forty minutes west of Asheville.
Only 354 homesites will ever be platted, ensuring permanent low density. An Arnold Palmer Signature Course threads ridge-to-ridge, offering 360-degree Smoky Mountain vistas on nearly every tee box, while the six-hole Palmer Practice Park entices juniors and twilight players. The Boarding House clubhouse pairs fine dining and an award-winning wine list with rocking-chair porches that watch sunset fade across layered peaks.
Other amenities include an equestrian center with club horses, full boarding and 42 miles of riding trails; a wellness campus with spa and fitness; tennis courts; resort-style pool; and the Ruby Valley Sports Camp for kids. Resident naturalists run the Nature Center, guiding hikes, owl-prowls and citizen-science projects that reinforce the community’s conservation mission under the Balsam Mountain Trust.
Signature vibe
3,200-acre conservation preserve where an Arnold Palmer course meets resident naturalists and 42 miles of trails.
Need-to-know
- Equestrian center with boarding and club horses
- Nature center, camping sites, spa, fine dining
- 40 minutes west of Asheville for added seclusion
Driving distances
- Airport 45.5 mi
- Downtown Asheville 40.5 mi
Price guidance
- Average home $1.59 M
- Average homesite $550 K
Explore current homes for sale in Balsam Mountain Preserve »
10. Connestee Falls — Brevard
A haven for waterfall chasers and lake lovers, Connestee Falls sprawls across heavily forested ridges near artsy Brevard, 42 miles southwest of Asheville. The hub is a 26,000-square-foot clubhouse featuring indoor and al-fresco dining, a dance floor, banquet and meeting suites, plus a fitness-wellness wing.
George Cobb’s semi-private 18-hole course climbs to 3,200 feet and threads sparkling ponds and mountain creeks. Off the fairways, residents play on a six-court pickleball complex, four year-round ClayTech tennis courts and two bocce lanes. Twenty miles of private hiking trails crisscross creeks, waterfalls and four stocked lakes teeming with bass, trout and bluegill—paddleboards and fishing kayaks are common sights on summer mornings.
Parks deliver playgrounds, lakeside picnic shelters with grills and a fenced dog park, while organic gardens supply raised beds for resident green thumbs. Nearly half of Connestee’s acreage is permanently conserved, reinforcing a laid-back, nature-first vibe.
Signature vibe
Active-lifestyle haven of lakes, waterfalls and George Cobb golf an hour south-west of Asheville.
Need-to-know
- 26,000 sq ft clubhouse, 20 miles of hiking trails, four stocked lakes
- Full pickleball, tennis and bocce facilities; organic gardens and dog park
- Semi-private championship course with dramatic elevation swings
Driving distances
- Airport 28 mi
- Downtown Asheville 42 mi
Price guidance
- Average home $712 K
- Average homesite $54 K
Explore current homes for sale in Connestee Falls »
Buy Confidently with the Best Luxury Real Estate Experts in the Area
For over 15 years, the luxury real estate experts at Walnut Cove Realty have leveraged their in-depth understanding of the most sought-after communities in Western North Carolina to assist countless buyers in discovering their ideal luxury mountain home.
As a prominent leader in the luxury real estate market in Western North Carolina, our team comprises record-breaking agents, an award-winning marketing team, a Luxury Marketing Specialist, and exceptional administrative professionals, all dedicated to delivering outstanding results for our clients throughout the entire process.
- Deep on-site expertise: We’ve sold more Walnut Cove real estate than any other team.
- Real-time market data: Pricing guidance shaped by live MLS and off-market intelligence.
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Through Private Mountain Communities' affiliation with Walnut Cove Realty / Howard Hanna, our marketing reach extends globally through Luxury Portfolio International® and Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®. Our tailored, data-driven approach to pricing, marketing, and negotiation combined with exemplary service have been our hallmark for decades.
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We invite you to explore everything WNC has to offer in person. Contact us to connect with a local real estate agent and take the first step toward making this extraordinary locale your new home.
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