Real Estate & Lifestyle Guide
Sapphire sits along US 64 just east of Cashiers, at about 3,100 feet, in a high valley along the Horsepasture River. The community was named for the gemstones once found in the area and the deep blue of its sky and water. It has been a mountain getaway since the 1890s, when the Toxaway Company built Fairfield Inn and the Sapphire Inn as part of the region's grand resort era.
Today Sapphire is a four-season community. In summer, people come for golf, lake days on Fairfield Lake, and trout fishing on the Horsepasture. In winter, Sapphire Valley has its own ski slope and snow tubing. Homes range from resort condos and townhomes in Sapphire Valley to golf homes at Burlingame and the Country Club of Sapphire Valley, plus private homes on wooded acreage. Many of them are just minutes from the shops and restaurants of Cashiers.
Questions about living in Sapphire? Call our office at 828-239-8814 →
Sapphire has been a mountain retreat for more than a century. In the 1890s, the Toxaway Company built Fairfield Inn on Fairfield Lake and the Sapphire Inn on what is now Whisper Lake, drawing guests to the cool summers of the high valley. In 1956, the Sapphire Valley golf course opened, and in 1966 the first ski slopes turned Sapphire into a year-round destination. Camp Merrie-Woode still sits near the site of the original Fairfield Inn.
Much of today's Sapphire Valley took shape in the 1970s and 1980s, when neighborhoods like Holly Forest, Riverchase, Emerald Cove, Whisper Lake, and Eagles Ridge were built around the lakes and golf courses. In 1993 the community's amenities were deeded to the Sapphire Valley Master Association, so owners now control the ski slope, recreation center, pools, tennis courts, lakes, and roads. That owner control gives Sapphire Valley a strong sense of community, with neighbors who know each other from the beach, the courts, and the slopes.
Sapphire draws both seasonal and full-time residents. Summer brings lake days, golf, and trout fishing on the Horsepasture River. Fall brings color across the valley, and winter brings skiing and snow tubing right in the neighborhood. Everyday errands and dinners out are just minutes away in Cashiers, and Lake Toxaway and Brevard are an easy drive in the other direction.
Sapphire has a small but varied dining scene, with most spots along US 64 or inside Sapphire Valley. The Library Kitchen & Bar serves creative, chef-driven dishes made with seasonal ingredients. Osteria del Monte brings traditional Italian cooking to the mountains during the season. For something more casual, Mica's is a year-round favorite for comfort food and a full bar, and Slopeside Tavern sits right off the ski slope at Sapphire Valley. The Fix serves upgraded bar food, Casa Amigos Bar & Grill serves Mexican and Tex-Mex, and Charlie's Hot Buns is the seasonal stop for cinnamon buns. Just up the road, Canyon Kitchen at Lonesome Valley offers seasonal farm-to-table dining beneath the cliffs.
See our 20 favorite restaurants and full dining guide, including every restaurant in Sapphire →
Sapphire covers the everyday basics, with McNeely's Ace Hardware and Sapphire Station along US 64. For boutiques, galleries, antiques, and home décor, the shops of Cashiers are just minutes west.
Club Wyndham Resort at Fairfield Sapphire Valley sits in the heart of Sapphire Valley, close to the ski slope, the lake, and the golf course. Sapphire Valley also has a large selection of vacation rental condos and cabins, which make an easy way to try out the area before you buy.
Sapphire sits at the top of one of the most dramatic stretches of waterfalls in the Southeast. Just south of US 64, the Horsepasture River plunges 150 feet at Rainbow Falls, reached by a trail of about 1.5 miles each way from the Grassy Ridge access area of Gorges State Park on NC 281. A few minutes farther, Turtleback Falls slides over a smooth, curved ledge. Continue down NC 281 to reach Whitewater Falls, which drops 411 feet.
Explore our Plateau waterfall guide →
Gorges State Park sits on the Blue Ridge Escarpment, where the mountains drop toward the Piedmont, and its trails connect into Pisgah National Forest. The Rainbow Falls hike gains about 800 feet and is the most popular trail in the area. Closer to home, the Sapphire Valley River Walk offers an easy stroll, and the Whiteside Mountain trail and Panthertown Valley are a short drive west toward Cashiers.
Explore our Plateau hiking guide →
Sapphire has golf for every kind of player. The Country Club of Sapphire Valley, dating to 1956, and Burlingame Country Club, with its 18-hole championship course along the Horsepasture River, are both private and member-owned. Sapphire National Golf Club is open to the public, and Red Bird Golf Course in Sapphire Valley offers 18 holes, putt-putt, and FootGolf. Wade Hampton Golf Club and High Hampton are a short drive away in Cashiers.
Summer evenings bring Concerts on the Slopes, a family-friendly music series at the base of the ski slope behind the Sapphire Valley Community Center, featuring Motown, beach music, and classic hits. Bring a chair or a blanket and a picnic. In February, the Great Outhouse Races send custom-built outhouses racing down the ski slope at Sapphire Valley Resort, with proceeds benefiting the Rotary Club of Cashiers Valley. For galleries, the Cashiers Historical Society, and events on the Village Green, Cashiers is just minutes away.
Sapphire Valley Resort celebrates the Fourth of July with Yankee Doodle Dandy Day, an all-day family event with live music, food, gem mining, pony rides, FootGolf, and the zipline. In winter, the ski slope opens for the holidays, and the season kicks off nearby with Christmas on the Green in Cashiers, traditionally held the day after Thanksgiving, with the Mistletoe Market, visits with Santa, and the lighting of a 65-foot spruce at the village crossroads.
Fairfield Lake is the heart of summer in Sapphire Valley. The lake and beach are open daily in season, with paddle boats and views of Bald Rock Mountain. For bigger water, Lake Toxaway and Lake Glenville are each a short drive away.
Explore our fishing and boating guide →
Want to find a home close to it all? Our local team can help. Call 828-239-8814 →
Sapphire offers more variety than almost anywhere on the Plateau. There are member-owned golf clubs like Burlingame and the Country Club of Sapphire Valley, and lake communities on Whisper Lake and Hogback Lake. There are resort neighborhoods inside Sapphire Valley with access to the ski slope, the beach, and the recreation center. And there are large gated estates near Panthertown Valley and along the Eastern Continental Divide. Whether you want a lock-and-leave condo near the slopes, a golf home on the fairway, or acreage with long-range views, there is a Sapphire community that fits. Explore each one below.
Sapphire's market covers everything from resort condos and townhomes in Sapphire Valley to golf homes, lake homes, and estate acreage, and each segment moves at its own pace. Our market reports track sales, prices, and inventory across Sapphire and the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau so you can see where the market is heading. Our blog covers local news, events, and what is happening around the mountains.
Mountain Life Properties is a local team based in Highlands at 134 Maple Street, serving buyers and sellers across the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau. Whether you're buying, selling, or just starting to explore, fill out your information below and one of our team members will get back to you.
