Opening date for the 2026 season has not been announced. The Museum of North Carolina Minerals highlights the rich mineral resources & the mining heritage of this portion of the Blue Ridge. The museum has interactive & experiential exhibits for children & adults. This area, called Gillespie Gap, was also significant in the American Revolution, where frontiersmen from the mountains known as the "Overmountain Men" crossed the Blue Ridge on their way to the Battle of Kings Mountain.