Real Estate & Lifestyle Guide
Cashiers sits at about 3,500 feet on the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina, at the crossroads of US 64 and NC 107 in southern Jackson County. It is an unincorporated village of around 650 year-round residents, about 10 miles east of Highlands, and its population grows each summer and fall as seasonal homeowners return. Average July temperatures sit in the upper 70s, making it one of the coolest summer escapes in the Southeast.
The valley has drawn summer residents since before the Civil War. In 1855, Wade Hampton II bought land here for a summer retreat and hunting preserve, and his son, Confederate general and later South Carolina governor Wade Hampton III, spent childhood summers at the family's estate, High Hampton. The McKee family bought the estate in 1922 and ran it as a mountain inn for nearly a century. Today, the restored inn, its Tom Fazio golf course, and the surrounding club are part of the 1,400-acre High Hampton community, and the inn is on the National Register of Historic Places.
How Cashiers got its name is a local favorite debate. Stories point to a racehorse, a steer, or a hermit named Cash, but historians credit the Zachary family, early settlers who kept accounts for local gold miners. The post office opened as "Cashiers Valley" in 1839 and was shortened to Cashiers in 1881.
Today, Cashiers is surrounded by the Nantahala National Forest, Panthertown Valley, Gorges State Park, and some of the most dramatic waterfalls in the Southern Appalachians. Homes range from cottages near the village crossroads to lakefront retreats and estates in private golf communities like Wade Hampton, Chattooga Club, and High Hampton.
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Life in Cashiers follows the seasons. Summer is the busiest time of year, when seasonal homeowners return, the clubs are in full swing, and The Village Green fills with concerts and events. Fall brings crisp air and color across the valley, and many homeowners stay through October for the leaves. Winter and early spring are quiet, with fewer visitors and the occasional dusting of snow on the mountains.
Community life centers on The Village Green, a 13.2-acre nonprofit park right at the crossroads, with walking paths past lawns, wetlands, and a forest glade, and more than 270 events a year. History is close at hand, too. The Cashiers Historical Society runs the Zachary-Tolbert House, a Greek Revival home built around 1850 by Mordecai Zachary, a carpenter whose family helped settle the valley, and it is on the National Register of Historic Places.
The everyday essentials are close by. The Albert Carlton Cashiers Community Library is in the village, groceries and services are at the crossroads, and Highlands-Cashiers Hospital is about 10 miles away in Highlands.
For a small village, Cashiers has an impressive lineup of restaurants. Local favorites include The Orchard Restaurant & Events Barn, Cornucopia, Cashiers Celtic Table, Zookeeper Bistro, and Slab Town Pizza. Canyon Kitchen at Lonesome Valley offers seasonal dinners in a dramatic valley setting.
See our 20 favorite restaurants and full dining guide, including every restaurant in Cashiers →
Shopping in Cashiers is all about local, independent stores clustered around the crossroads. For clothing, browse Robin's Nest, TJ Bailey for Men + Women, Vivace, and Sashay Around. For the home, spend an afternoon at Toby West Home and Vivianne Metzger Antiques, and The Corner Toy Store is a go-to for toys, games, and gifts. Outdoor gear is covered at Highland Hiker and Brookings Anglers, the go-to fly-fishing outfitter, and dog lovers will find treats and gear at The Village Hound.
For visiting family and friends, High Hampton offers its historic inn and cottages on 1,400 acres just south of the crossroads, and Hotel Cashiers is an 18-room boutique mountain inn in the center of the village.
Cashiers sits in the middle of some of the best waterfall country in the Southern Appalachians. Silver Run Falls is a short, easy walk off NC 107 south of the village, and Whitewater Falls, at 411 feet, is a short drive south. In Panthertown Valley, Schoolhouse Falls spills about 25 feet into a tea-colored pool at the end of a hike of about 1.4 miles.
Explore our Plateau waterfall guide →
Panthertown Valley, often called the "Yosemite of the East," protects about 6,300 acres of the Nantahala National Forest, with nearly 30 miles of trails, granite domes like Big Green Mountain, and wide views across the valley. The Whiteside Mountain trail, between Cashiers and Highlands, follows the top of sheer granite cliffs, and Gorges State Park adds miles of rugged trails just to the south.
Explore our Plateau hiking guide →
The Chattooga River begins below Whiteside Mountain near Cashiers, and its North Carolina section is wild trout water, with the best access off NC 107 south of the village. Panthertown Creek offers backcountry trout fishing for anglers willing to hike. In town, Brookings Anglers runs a full fly shop on Cashiers Lake with guided trips and beginner classes, and Highland Hiker on NC 107 carries fly shop goods.
Explore our fishing and boating guide →
Cashiers and the surrounding area are home to some of the most respected golf clubs in the Southeast, including Wade Hampton Golf Club, Mountaintop Golf & Lake Club, and High Hampton, where Tom Fazio redesigned the historic course. Learn more about each club in the Cashiers Neighborhoods & Communities section below.
From late spring through early fall, The Village Green hosts concerts, festivals, and community events, including the summer concert series Groovin' on the Green. The Cashiers Historical Society opens the Zachary-Tolbert House, a Greek Revival home from around 1850, for tours from mid-May through mid-October, and local galleries around the crossroads showcase regional artists.
The holiday season in Cashiers begins with Christmas on the Green, traditionally held the day after Thanksgiving at The Village Green. The day includes the Mistletoe Market of local artisans, visits with Santa, and the Cashiers Christmas Tree Lighting, when a 65-foot spruce and thousands of lights brighten the village crossroads.
Want to find a home close to it all? Our local team can help. Call 828-239-8814 →
Cashiers is home to some of the most sought-after private golf and mountain communities in the Southeast, from historic estates on the old Hampton family land to gated neighborhoods with long-range views. Each community has its own setting, amenities, and membership options. Explore each community below.
Thinking about buying or selling in Cashiers? Our monthly market report breaks down prices, inventory, and recent sales across Cashiers and the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau, including community-by-community numbers for neighborhoods like Big Sheepcliff. Our blog covers local events, new openings, and what life on the Plateau is really like.
