S unalei Preserve brings the traditions of the "Great Camps" of the Adirondacks to the northernmost and highest region of Watauga County in western North Carolina. The idea of a vast mountain park combined with a careful balance of nature, homes, and recreation will become the lifestyle synonymous with Sunalei Preserve.

S unalei Preserve will grow as a mountain community within a preserve - not a preserve within a community. Approximately 330 of its nearly 1000 acres have been conveyed to the Blue Ridge Conservancy and Elk Knob State Park.  These 330 acres have become a part of a permanently managed park and nature preserve in order to protect and conserve the valuable natural and environmentally sensitive habitats. The summit of Sunalei (Snake Mountain) at an elevation of over 5500 feet and the ridgeline that extends for nearly three-quarters of a mile have been included in the protected lands. The nature preserve will insure that the unique beauty of the highest mountain in Watauga County remains unharmed, pristine, and "forever wild."

T he number of home sites within Sunalei will be strictly limited. The careful placement of the homes and outbuildings on the site will minimize the conflict between the needs of the residential community and the environment. Sunalei Preserve embraces the concept of grand parcels of land and encourages the planning and construction of a main home, separate guest quarters, and individual outbuildings for livestock, storage, and other mountain activities. The size of the home sites, known as Homesteads or Camp Lots, will be determined by the suitability and lay of the land. While large in size, ranging from 2-20 acres, the sites are designed to remain intact, accommodate entire families, and be passed down to future generations.

S unalei (pronounced soo-NAH-lee) is Cherokee for "morning." The name was inspired by the early morning light reflected in the high peaks of the Appalachians.

T he "Great Camps" of old were largely self-contained and self-sufficient. While modern day society no longer requires our home sites be self-sufficient, the concept of large land parcels capable of supporting a self-sufficient life style will prevail.

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