Love Valley, North Carolina: The Cowboy Town Where People Only Ride Horses, Not Cars

Most of the streets in Love Valley, North Carolina are called ‘trails,’ and for a good reason. That’s because this southern quaint old town doesn’t allow cars.

Sitting in the foothills of the Brushy Mountains in NC, this place is popular for horse lovers. All guests need to leave their cars in the designated parking sports. Upon entering, they can only ride carriages and horses downtown. 

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It’s made for cowboys and cowgirls who wish to ride until sundown. Andy Barker founded this place in the 1960s. 

At the age of 29, he left his lucrative business in Charlotte and moved his whole family to his new land. That land would later be a well-known tourist spot today. His vision made this place teeming with western culture.

With no cars allowed, Love Valley is famous to tourists who want to get in touch with the place’s historical roots. It’s ideal for a family day trip since it’s only hours away from the nearest town. 

Visitors can enjoy riding across the 2,000 acres of privately-owned land. Aside from horseback riding, people can also enjoy live music, shopping, local food, and various local events. 

For those who want to enjoy guided trail rides, renting horses is possible since many establishments offer such service, especially during peak season.

When tourists need a break from riding horses, they can tether the horses on the hitching posts throughout this town. There’s also a massive riding arena here that hosts horse shows and rodeos. It’s totally a man’s dream come true.

The no-car rule is unsurprisingly beloved by many day-trippers. Couples, groups of friends, and families love coming here to take photos and be in touch with the old Western culture. 

However, if walking around during the day isn’t enough, spending the night camping here is possible. The campgrounds welcome campers, and during weekends, it can be tight in here.

In the morning, people can catch a delicious breakfast in the nearest general store in town. Since all the buildings here are identical to what they were in the 60s, every visitor can ride hard into the western memory lane.

Some visitors say that this old North Carolina town can offer a better experience if you’ve been reading about Western history before coming here. But regardless, it can also be enjoyable to just imagine this town in its glory days. 

As of writing, guests can come here for a walk-thru anytime. However, restaurants are mostly open only on weekends. 

If you’re planning to enjoy wagon parades and rodeos, feel free to find out more about this town through its official website at lovevalley.com.

Are you ready for a break from the concrete jungle? Then come to Love Valley for a memorable Old West adventure.