Good Length, Almost all in the woods, trails are pretty cleared out. Variety of holes, Hilly which I liked because great exercise along with a fun round. If you are not in shape to walk hills this course isn't for you.

If it's your first time there you might have a hard time finding the next tee on some of the holes. There are marker signs on most of them but they could stand to be updated as some are faded out or missing. After 1st round we didn't have a problem.

Better, or at least newer and maybe a little bigger flag markers on top of the baskets would be nice, making them easier to locate. Better markers showing directions to the next tee would be good.

Over all, we really liked the course and definitely will play again.

18 holes set on the beautiful Blind Squirrel Campground in the Grandfather area of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Nice people working at the facility which also includes other activities including zip lines. Walking up to Hole 1 is a picturesque stunner with the water falls next to the practice basket approaching the tee, and the pond and mountain view backdrop looking toward the protected basket. I had a duck escort me from the parking lot to the tee which was a little surreal, but I'm guessing Daffy just wanted some food from me and was heading back to the pond disappointed after not getting any.

Some really fun and cool technical holes playing through the wooded mountain forest incorporating some large rock outcroppings as obstacles playing up, down and across the mountain providing some good variety. I enjoyed playing from the tee of hole 17 to the peninsula green of hole 18.

Modified Instep basket caught well. Mix of brick paver, fly pad, and natural tee pads. Navigation was fairly easy with directional signs to next tee. Some benches throughout the course that were much appreciated.

1 mile down the street is the Blind Squirrel Valley course and amenity laden brewery with bar, sit down table, restrooms, TVs, disc golf gear, good food and beer!

Single tee and basket position. Tees were a bit short and some were a little slick. Only one loop of 18 holes back to parking lot. Mountain terrain can be difficult to play on and traverse for some folks especially if you veer off the fairway. Underbrush wasn't terrible as it appears they do trim, but there is still some poison ivy and stinging nettle to watch out for in some of the fairways and rough - I highly recommend wearing long pants and hiking shoes.

Tee signs were a bit washed out. Really wanted a couple longer holes playing downhill on the last 7 holes after all that hiking with some chances to air out some. Hole 12 was just a putt off the tee to the hanging basket over the cliff.

When you combine the Valley and Mountain courses along with the brewery you get 4+ disc rated experience! I feel like there's still some more potential disc golf wise to be had here with some course modifications or additions.

Blind Squirrel was worth the effort it took to get here and play the course. I got lost since a bridge was taken out in the neighborhood, and there is no cell phone reception. I eventually found my way around the detour to the other bridge with another detour sign that you do have to enter through. Driving around through the neighborhood is beautiful.

I had a crazy day that started in Roanoke, VA, driving to Sugaree and playing 25 holes, then I got a nail in my tire and doubted I was going to make it to Blind Squirrel, but made it just in the nick time to finish both courses. The burger and IPA definitely helped quench my hunger and thirst after playing two mountain courses and was ready to take on the Valley Course! Good people, good food, good beer, good courses!

The Blind Squirrel Mountain DGC, or Elk Mountain, as it was once called, is an absolute monster of a course in the mountain village of Plumtree, NC. This course is not for everybody. I repeat, this course is not for everybody! In thinking about this review, I had to think about the most physically demanding courses I've played. Blind Squirrel Mountain tops this list of calf-crushing, mountain monsters:

1. Blind Squirrel Mountain
2. Highland Hills
3. R.L. Smith

Nothing else that I've played really comes close to these three...and in truth, Blind Squirrel Mountain is in a league of its own. Pro's...

+ If you like extremely strenuous hiking, I can't think of a better course for you than Blind Squirrel Mountain. The first 10 holes play up a mountain, and a steep one at that. The holes themselves are difficult and well-designed, but the physical component is the bigger challenge.

+ The setting is fantastic. This is a home-grown course at the Blind Squirrel Farm Retreat. I stayed here with my family and we all had a blast. The cabins are rustic, but nice. There's also camping. There is a stocked trout pond (hole 1 plays over it), as well as volleyball, board games in the cabins, tubing (for $10 a person), and zip-lining (for $70 per person). It is very remote. I didn't have cell coverage at all. But if you're looking for a true escape, and a disc golf retreat, I highly recommend it. Also, the staff here is absolutely top notch. Very helpful, nice, attentive, and go above and beyond.

+ The course is very challenging, but I thought it was fair also. The fairways are wide enough for the length of the hole. I never felt like I was playing "poke and hope" golf at all. Now, the rough is REAL rough and the drop-offs are REAL drop-offs, but if you play good golf, take calculated risks and execute, you'll be fine.

+ My favorite hole on the course was #13, one of two valley holes. But 13 is the most extreme valley hole I've ever played. It's only 220 feet, but the valley in between the tee and the basket must be 50 feet deep. As with 16 or 17 of the other 18 holes, it's heavily wooded. I was fortunate and threw my best drive of the round, parked under the basket. If you aren't as fortunate, what could be a nice 2 could turn into a double-digit number!

+ There are lots of great death putts on this course, as well as other risk/reward elements. I feel like the course is designed to force you to make good decisions. If you do, you'll score well. If you take high-risk shots, you're going to get punished severely. The con side of this, for me, was that I took a lot of safe 3's. I threw a lot of drives in the fairway that still required an upshot and then an easy putt.

+ Of course, elevation is insane on this course -- unlike most courses you're ever going to play. I was a little disappointed there wasn't a massive downhill hole coming down the mountain, but still, there are lots of very tough uphill holes, some good downhill holes (just nothing too crazy), and two valley holes.

+ The opening and finishing holes here are terrific. To open, you throw over the trout pond, up a hill. It looks so serene and peaceful. Then the rest of the course punches you in the teeth. And the 18th hole is a good signature hole, going downhill, anhyzer to a basket on a peninsula in a mountain stream. The rough on this hole is a big con -- nettle bushes everywhere -- but in terms of design, challenge, and scenery, it's awesome.

The con's, in my opinion, are fixable, it's just a question of whether or not the owners of Blind Squirrel are able to invest the time and money. I think with these few changes, this would be a 4.5 course for me. But, I will say that will the flaws are few, they would require a good bit of money or man power to fix...

- The rough is the biggest thing for me. I mentioned #18. I threw an OK tee shot, not a great one, that went past the basket about 20-30 feet. I was completely engulfed in nettle bushes. That reminds me, wear long pants! Other than this hole, I mostly stayed on the fairways. But I noticed bad rough elsewhere. This change is definitely the hardest to do, and will take a commitment to constant upkeep, but this alone would definitely be enough to move this to a 4.0 course for me, if not a 4.5.

- The tees could use some work. Many of the tees are made of brick. Most of the tees are pretty short, although I was mostly throwing 50-75% drives, safe shots, instead of big drives with x-steps. But if the owners decided to install top-notch tees, again, I think that takes the course up a half point.

- The only other issue for me was the signage and navigation. I got turned around a little, but nothing too bad. But installing nice signs with distance, hole layout, and arrows to the next hole would add a lot to the course. This is probably the easiest fix they could make, it just requires some money.

- Finally, the baskets are of the home-grown variety. Some consider this a pro, others a con. It didn't bother me either way, but I list it here for full disclosure. Despite the baskets being all old single-chainers, I didn't have any spit-outs.

This is a great course that borders on phenomenal. I recommend it to anyone who is intermediate and above and in good physical shape (no knee problems, heart problems, etc.). If that describes you, make plans to play Blind Squirrel Mountain!

Elk Mountain is the ultimate mountain disc golfing experience. Be prepared to battle the mental and physical grind while playing.
- Elevation, elevation and more elevation. No extreme drop-offs like High Country (Jefferson, NC), but plenty of dramatic up or downhill shots, or major drop-offs just off the fairway. #3, 5, 6, 9 & 11 all have major uphill shots, highlighted by #9. It's a relatively short hole (187 feet), but the elevation is so extreme that even throwing a drive (I'm in the 300 - 325 range), left me 30 feet short. A buddy had a putt hit the basket, then roll 200 feet downhill, right past the tee, so yeah, elevation plays a factor.
- Woods, woods and more woods. #1 & 2 are open, and then you're in the woods the rest of the round. Fairways range from extremely tight (some fairways are actually roads up the mountain) to wider open, despite being surrounded by trees.
- Great variety of layouts. From tight to wide(r) open, up & down holes, and up-and-down holes. Plenty of shorter, birdie chances to longer par 4s and 5s that force you to throw multiple good shots. #5, 10 & 11 will challenge anyone with their mix of length & elevation.
- Great scenery throughout the course. This is mountain beauty at its finest. Some holes were still a work in progress, but once they're completed and cleaned up, you'll get even more of the nature feel.
- Clubhouse has a great selection of new and used discs. Some of the used discs looked brand new. The Vance Toe River Lodge, which is where the clubhouse and sign-in point is located, overall is a solid place. They brew their own beer, and make their own wine. Wish I was able to sample a couple of their crafts.

This course is not for the faint of heart, both literally and DG-wise.
- On the DG hand, the course is tough. At some points, I felt it was bordering on unrealistically tough. I think Will is turning into a younger version of Stan McDaniel with some of his evil hole layouts.
- On the physical side, I've never been as worn out playing a course as here. This is much more of a grind than Sugaree, High Country & Richmond Hill. My bag felt like an anchor by the end of my round. Anyone not in good physical shape is really going to be struggling, or playing a 5 hour round with all the breaks involved. Along those lines, you better bring plenty of water and energy drinks. You'll need them.
- A couple holes were poorly designed. The two that stood out to me as needing the most tweaking were #14 & 16. Neither had a good fairway (#14 was a narrow road, #16 several narrow routes through trees) and both severely sloped off to the side. If you didn't keep your shots low, they could easily sail a couple hundred feet away, somewhere deep into the woods. On both holes, you were better throwing 100-150 foot straight tee shots, 50-100 foot second shots to the basket and tap in for your par. I just feel any time you can throw two junk shots and still get an easy 3, something needs to change.
- A lot of blind tee shots. Part of it could be aided by having maps at the tees. On most holes, not a major problem, but it does reign in some aggressiveness, especially for first timers.

As stated, be prepared for a grind while playing here. It took more than hours for 3 of us to play a round. Our course guide said his last group played a five hour round.
- Some people may have mixed feelings about a course guide. With all the work/improvements taking place, the map is incorrect, and a guided is definitely needed. Down the road, with tee signs, updated map, etc., you probably won't need one.
- I'm a fan of the changes they're making to the course. Based on the pics, the new holes are longer, tougher and better. Now, if they could replace the several weak holes, it'd be even better.
- My favorite hole is #10. It's one of the new holes, so don't go by the info on the site. The hole is in the 500 - 550 foot range (they haven't measured yet), with a slight uphill tee shot, second shot playing around several big rocks to a basket that is a 20 - 30 drop-off. If you go for it in two, you could easily sail past the basket. If you lay-up, you should have a short third shot from the edge of the drop-off to the basket, and an easy tap-in for 4.
- I'm probably underrating the course by giving it a 3.5. When all is said and done, I have no doubt it'll be in the 4 - 4.5 range. It's in the road construction phase right now. Once the road is widened and the construction cones are gone, you see how good things are.
- I'm looking forward to playing here again in another year or so, to enjoy all the fruits of labor going into the course. Everyone should check it out as the course stands now, so soon, this will be a must-play for everyone.

What a great course! not much more I can add to what others have said.

-tee signs need a little work
-thick underbrush, consider wearing long socks or pants
- If you play in summer bring mosquito repellent

This is a rigorous mountain course, be sure to wear good shoes and carry lots of water. I love this place and look forward to going back next year.