Beautiful grounds including hiking trails up to Glassy Mountain overlook as well as the goat petting area at the barn. Highly recommend signing up for the FREE house tour - well worth it. Only a small group of 6 people per tour keeps it very personal.

The home and tours were not open. However it was open and free to walk the trails and pet the goats which was surprisingly fun. There were a couple NPS guides at the goat barn and they were good about answering questions. This was a very pleasant way to spend an hour or two.

Lots of hiking trails, goat herd to visit. The house is very historical and worth seeing since it is filled with all original items just as the family left them. Important note: house tours book up well ahead of time. Go online to get tickets well ahead of the date you plan to visit. The tickets are currently free, but there is a $5 charge for processing.

Dude! One of the best places! I hike here for free and pet goats! Local treasure.

Loved the goats, bit of a hike depending on time of day and age of parties involved. Very friendly goats and staff to assist. Adult and baby goats separated. Awesome free activity for the kids. 3 chickens nearby and pretty waterfall. Lots of walking trails. Limited parking, suggest arriving early. If parking at playhouse, need to move your car by noon

I didn't prepare as well as I should have, but in my defense I was on the western end of the state for a teacher conference and didn't know for sure I was going until I was headed home and made a detour. The grounds were beautiful and the people were helpful and friendly. I have to back because I was not able to tour the house. The tickets have to be purchased in advance. Again, better preparation needed. I am excited for a return trip.

The grounds are nice. Several small buildings to view. One played a very interesting video about how the Sandburg's ended up in North Carolina. We did not tour the home, instead we hiked the 2 miles up the mountain to a rock look out. Absolutely gorgeous. We greatly enjoyed the area of Flat Rock

Beautiful place to hike, spend time with goats, and learn about the Sandburgs. Three baby goats were born today, one while we were there. I have brought my kids for years, and it's always fun.

Great visit to the Carl Sandburg home site with some nice hiking trail loops. Nothing too strenuous but may tax you if you're elderly or don't get out much. Nice to see the goats, barn cats and birds. Lots of mushrooms in the forest if you pay attention. Really nice 👍

Loved the trails, they’re in great shape, the views, everything is signaled appropriately, loved the goat farm!! friendly and knowledgeable staff. We couldn’t get in the home itself though, I guess you need an appointment

🎨 Pleased my Inner Writer/Artist to no End 🎨 While driving to a mountain trail, I passed Sandburg's home during my visit to North Carolina--and had to stop for a walkabout. While I wasn't able to tour the entire location, I did walk up to the house (a decent, uphill hike) and breathed in the sights. As a writer myself, I can't imagine how inspiring it would be to wake up to this view every morning and watch the sunset silhouette the topmost branches of the trees at night. The home is located away from the bustle of the road, and the atmosphere carries a reverent hush, where the only sounds are birdsong and leaves rustling in the wind (and the occasional bleating of goats; yes, there *are* goats here!). I have tried to so this historic site justice with my photography. I hope it convinces you to visit if you're in the Flat Rock area.

We went on a Tuesday (the house is closed Mon-Wed) and enjoyed walking the grounds and hiking trails. The area is well shaded. The grounds have many buildings on it along with the goat barns (and goats to pet when rangers are there). We will return on a day the house is open.

Great historical place to visit. Tip: Pack a lunch and bring water with you. Also, RSVP ahead of time if you plan to take a guided tour inside Carl Sandburg’s home. Lovely gift shop. Plus, goats to visit and pet during your visit.

This is an excellent place to visit!!! Love to walk up the path to the goat barn and visit the diary barn, chickens, and goats!!! Scenery is truly stunning!!! I have been coming since I was a tiny tot, and I still love to come back here and walk around!!! Parking is really the only tricky piece because there never seems to be enough of it!!!

Gorgeous place for a walk. We arrived just before the home closed for the day. And mainly wanted a walk. We definitely will try to visit the home if back in the area. The trails were beautiful, and our Plott Hound mix was able to hike with us. The Glass Mountain trail(?) Was moderately strenuous, but certainly hikeable for anyone with a reasonable level of fitness.

We visited the Sandburg home 14 years ago before ever dreaming that we would someday live in Hendersonville. On that day we met and spoke with a volunteer who said that many people hike Big Glassy often and living here is like being on vacation every day. I never forgot those words, yes living in Hendersonville I feel like I’m on vacation every day and hiking Big Glassy every week is a big part of that feeling. Many people you meet are visiting and many bring share the experience with their canine Best Friends. A 4 mile out and back to an open, ample, “glassy” rock face provides a stimulating hike with a beautiful view of the area from the top.

A nice stop to get a glimpse of history and some hiking. You can visit for free and walk the grounds during their open hours. If you would like to see the house you can pay a small fee for a tour. There is plenty to do and see without going in the house however. They have several out building and barns as well as a goat farm where you can pet the goats. There are also several miles of trails to explore and enjoy.

I love history. This place makes you feel like you step back in time. Absolutely beautiful. Took my family here last week. We enjoyed it

Not a bad place to visit and hike. The actual house and visitor center were both closed so it was hard to experience everything this place has to offer. The hike up to the cliff lookout behind the house from the parking lot was pretty nice. Lots of scenic views to see up on the mountain. Parking can be very limited so I would suggest not coming here during peak hours.

We visited Carl Sandburg home on Friday after Thanksgiving. Parking is free but very limited. If you cannot find a parking space you will have to park at the Flat Rock Playhouse and walk to the the home. All the hiking trails are open and nicely marked. The restrooms are also open. There are also Porta-Johns located closer to the house. As of right now the main house is closed for tours. Since the house is still closed the gift shop is very very very limited. You are able to still pet the goats and hike, but that is it. The house is located on God's beautiful country land. There is not any place for picnics, so you will have to eat at your car.

One of my favorite places. Our whole family loved the experience. The boys loved the goats and I loved the old buildings and trees. Such a beautiful property! The front parking lot has a trail through the woods to the house and farm. There is another parking lot over by the farm. The house and farm are a short walk on a gravel road. There are several old buildings to check out along the way. The whole farm is self guided. You can let yourself into and out of the fences with the goats 🐐 we did not tour the house this time because we had two small children with us.

Came to go hiking, but enjoyed the grounds as much as the hike. Hike to the top is a good workout. Pretty view up top. Hope to come back and tour house when it opens.

Beautiful home at the top of the hill which there are two options to get up! The first option is to hike up the hill (which the pedestrian bridge was down when I visited so there was detour) or you can take the shuttle from the hikers parking lot! I highly recommend seeing the store on the first floor of the house and then taking a tour if possible! He was an amazing American poet as you learn more about his life!

Great easy hiking trails

Not wanting to spend a fortune to see the Biltmore, I was looking for a place that offered walking trails and great American history. The Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site was exactly what I was looking for - and with my National Parks pass I was able to get a free tour. The grounds are really beautiful for walking, hiking and exploring - both near the Sandburg residence and in the surrounding area. There was ample parking and there were clean and accessible restrooms when you entered the park area. You do have to do a bit of walking to get to the home, but it’s an easy to moderate walk. The tour (8-10 people) was extraordinary and our guide was excellent. And the home was left almost exactly as it was when the Sandburgs turned it over to the National Park Service, packed some bags, and left. It’s almost like the family went out to run errands and I got to look around their home while they were gone. A really extraordinary experience for literature, history and cultural buffs.

I loved seeing the goats and hiking some of their trails! I’ve been a total of 4 times and the experience never gets old.

Nice morning. Easy walking around. Did see a snake a little ways up the trail we were walking.

The house tours just recently opened to the public but we were unaware until we arrived and did not have reservations. Beautiful walk thru the woods from the parking area. There are several trails. We took the gravel trail around the lake and up the wooded hill arriving behind the home.

Great hike at Table Rock, SC

This National Park Site shows how a down to earth American poet lived. Beautiful setting and I loved the walking trails and all the information

Beautiful..must see the goats while visiting

Wonderful experience, I've enjoyed it again and again for the past 35 years. Whether it's a leisurely stroll around the lake looking at nature, or hiking up to glassy, or the views are magnificent! There's also little bits of extra fun with the goat farm and the house. The parking used to be a pain, but they've added extra parking for the hiking trails down the road a bit.

Parking was very limited. The only available spot was for handicapped. Thankfully we qualify. We tried to book a tour, but all slots were taken -- not just today or tomorrow, but for weeks ahead. The only area we could visit was the gift shop. What a pity. We were not permitted into the house. That was only available for guided tours, which were limited to small groups of about six. There was a 25 minute film available for viewing in the garage. It was OK but didn't do justice to this brilliant writer. Petting goats may be fun for young children - I could care about it. Truly, I was very disappointed.

The tour is very short but quite lovely. I knew nothing about Carl Sandburg going in, and left much more informed and better for the experience.

A nice historic sight, well maintained. Bonus for the walking trails. They do offer a shuttle for those who need it. Herd of goats at the barn, which is fun for kids to see. There are plenty of options for parking and clean restrooms.

Great historic site. The house is a snapshot back to as it was in sixties when they turned it over to the National Park Service. The current trail from main parking lot is a bit more than a moderate hike, but there is shuttle available. The items in this house are not reproductions or restorations, but the actual items that they were using up until the park service took over. It feels like you are there to visit for a spell.

Grandson and I loved visiting and learning. This place is proof that reading and education are fun. Don't cheat yourself by taking the shuttle. Walk up the trail to the house, fields, barns, and goats.

I wish I had planned ahead to schedule a tour but the hikes around the grounds were lovely and the goats were the friendliest I've ever met. We learned a lot about the poet and his wife!

Brought my 70-something parents here today, they let us bring car up to goat area (handicap parking) Perfect fall day, helpful staff, reminiscing about a simpler more introspective life. Didn't hike this time, but enjoy the trails.

Beautiful place to hike. Very easy, low commitment, type of hike. They even have goats there that are fenced in.

Excellent hiking trails, historic house tours, and goats. =)

Great place i try to go there alot the hounds love the walk and the smells and seeing the goats

Although we did not visit the house this trip, we enjoyed the hiking trail to Glassy Mountain. The views were nice at the top and the elevation change was not too extreme on the ascent.

Local place to do hiking. Always good

Could be a five but too many restrictions due to Covid. Wonderful place to walk!

A convenient side trip while we were traveling, this beautiful estate is interesting and inspiring. There are hiking paths and a self-guided tour to learn about the different buildings on the farm and their purposes over the years. Carl Sandburg and his family created space for solitude, connection with nature, and creativity. I loved learning more about him, his work, and his beliefs and values that pushed him forward to seek social justice and change. I highly recommend taking a couple of hours to meander this property and enjoy the million acres of sky the Sandburgs enjoyed.

Nice place to walk and observe the landscape

Very nice trails, farm and house. Beautiful and interesting! Park staff was very helpful.

Beautiful day

Lovely short walk on a well maintained gravel road from the hiker's parking lot. Enjoyed seeing the goats and imagining what life was like when Carl and his family lived here. Unfortunately I could not get my hubby to do more walking, I would have appreciated taking a longer walk around the property.

A great place to take a hike and to see cute goats.

It's always a treat to visit homes of great Americans and this is no exception. Nice trails to the house - either up the hill to the right or around the pond to the left. Farm and goats are an added treat especially for kids - great place to appreciate the beauty of Flat Rock. Parking can be a challenge at popular times.

Beautiful trails and a cool history! The view from the top of the glassy mountain trail is worth the small climb. If you're there at the right time the goat barn packed full of some really charming goats.

Beautiful wooded trails with nice views at the top of glass mountain. I haven't visited the home or goat farm. But the property is a lovely quiet place to enjoy North Carolina's beauty! There also are some picnic tables near the parking lot.

Little Glassy Mountain trail was very nice. Benches along the way if you need them. Beautiful hidden pool and small waterfall ( look for the bench facing away from the trail). The joy was in the trail, not the destination! While the restroom at the parking lot was closed, the one close to the house was open.

Great place to visit, particularly during Covid. Walking/hiking trails for most fitness levels, whether you want an easy walk around the lower lake, a more strenuous hike up to the Glassy Mountain lookout, or something in between. The goat barn is usually a hit with kids. Even though it has been closed to visitors during Covid, views of the goats are still easy to come by and a welcome site for children visiting the historic site.

Beautiful day to explore and enjoy the grounds and hiking trails with my newly certified B.A.R.K. Ranger! Wonderful staff to help you make the most of your visit!

This is a peaceful hidden gem if you like a bit of history..several walking trails all pet friendly and the feeling of being in the shire from lord of the rings.

Awesome trails! Been going and bringing the kids here for 10 years.

The home and experience was pretty nice. I am sure it would have been better had there not been any restrictions due to Covid. We did enjoy it.

I worked here and loved the trails, the home, the staff, and the goats.

Beautiful day for a hike to the barn. The boys enjoyed the goats.

Wonderful grounds

Great for families. Wonderful views and history all around the property.

Great

Great trails to hike, but the home and restrooms are closed due to the pandemic. The goats do come up to the fence to greet visitors, but the barn is closed as well.

Interesting place to take a hike.

A family favorite. We walked the pond on a gorgeous day.

Great spot to visit. Nice, easy hike. Fairly overgrown at the top, best view after leaves drop.

Lovely trails. Well maintained.

Really do enjoy this park especially the hike up Big Glassy mountain. Beautiful views from the top.

Love hiking at Carl Sandburgs

Great walking trail

House closed due to covid-19...grounds open to wander about.

Most parts of the estate are closed