Toe River Art Studio Tour

The self-guided tour is presented by the Toe River Arts Council. Pick up a free map at the TRAC galleries in downtown Burnsville at 102 West Main Street and in downtown Spruce Pine at 269 Oak Avenue, or any of the tour's studios and six galleries throughout Yancey and Mitchell counties. The tour began in 1993 and is held twice a year, with the December tour taking on a holiday flavor.

It's like a treasure hunt. You take a map and head out. Free printed guidebooks are available at the Toe River Arts Council galleries in Burnsville and Spruce Pine and all the stops. It includes detailed maps to the studios on the tour, as well as bios on artists and their work.

Small signs erected along byways (including the Mount Mitchell Scenic Byway) and country roads keep folks on the right path, while many studios provide refreshments. Many of the artists only open their studios for this tour with unique artwork in all forms from clay to fiber to metals to glass.