Fortunes Cove Hike & Mountain Cove Winery

5/3: More Rain Today: Expect more rain today across Nelson County. The highs will be in the mid-70’s in the valley and close to 70 in the mountains. The sun will be back on Thursday. For the full, local weather report, visit www.NelsonCountyLife.com

Order a Nelson County Vacation Kit & Visitor’s Guide: send me an email to kim@ExperienceNelsonCounty.com Plan a visit to beautiful Nelson County this Summer.

Questions, Answers, Updates & Requests

Send your questions, updates and requests to kim@ExperienceNelsonCounty.com I love receiving your emails and posting information to the daily blog!

Real Estate Today: Condos under $200K and Houses under $350K in Wintergreen Resort on www.ExperienceWintergreen.com. We have lenders and several value-priced properties. Schedule an appointment to see some of these great properties.

Update: The Trillium flowers are blooming in Trillium Field in Wintergreen. Bring your camera to take some photos of a sea of pink blooms.

Live Music Watch: Jan Smith will be at Blue Mountain Brewery today from 2:30-5PM. Stop by for a beer with a view and some great brew.

Farmers’ Market Update: There is a new Farmer’s Market opening in Lovingston this week on Wednesday. This new market will be open near the library every Wednesday afternoon 3PM-7PM. (open until October)

A Hike in Fortunes Cove and the Mountain Cove Winery

The Fortunes Cove and Mountain Cover area is another one of my favorite areas in Nelson County. My family has roamed this area since the 1700s. Family members were still farming apples in this area until the 1980s. When heading over to Fortunes Cove and Mountain Cove Winery, be sure to take your time on Mountain Cove Road and enjoy the scenery of Nelson County apple trees. I will be blogging about Nelson County orchards later this year.

The Fortunes Cove Preserve has hiking and biking trails across 755 acres that stretches along the crest of Woods Mountain. The preserve is the home to a wide variety of flora and wildlife. This preserve is open daily from dawn until dusk.

There are 5.5 miles of hiking trails that take hikers through a loop around the preserve. There is a stream along the base of the trail that is filled with blooming wildflowers during the summer months.

The 5.5-mile loop trail climbs steeply from the parking area, gaining some 1,500 feet in elevation before reaching its highest point. Hikers should be in good physical condition and should allow six hours to complete the entire loop. A gravel parking area and kiosk with trail map are at the preserve entrance; there are no restrooms

The Fortunes Cove Preserve is also home to many birds. You will probably see pileated woodpeckers, northern cardinals, Carolina wrens, warblers, tanagers, American restarts and scarlet tangers.

Other wildlife that lives in the preserve includes Black bear, bobcat, white-tailed deer, red fox, raccoon, and box turtle.

After hiking in The Fortunes Cove Preserve, head next door to the Mountain Cove Winery. The Mountain Cove Winery is one of the oldest continuously operated wineries in Virginia. Most of the vineyard was re-planted in 1997 and the winery is in full modern production. There is a sales and tasting room that includes a selection of wine gift items. The vineyard now includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Norton, Chambourcin, Villard Blanc and Traminette.
Be sure to bring a picnic to the Mountain Cove Winery. There is plenty of outdoor seating available in their wine garden and beautiful views. Visiting this winery is like visiting a traditional Nelson County farm.

I hope to see you in beautiful Nelson County soon…

Kim Chappell is a graduate from the Realtor Institute and is an agent with Wintergreen Resort Premier Properties, the official real estate office of Wintergreen Resort. Kim also lists and sells property in beautiful Nelson County. Contact Kim Chappell at kim@ExperienceNelsonCounty.com or 434-238-2430. The Free Daily Blog is posted on both www.ExperienceNelsonCounty.com and www.ExperienceWintergreen.com