▁lod ging , ▁bed ▁and ▁breakfast s , ▁camp ground s ▁and ▁real ▁estate ▁in ▁general ▁all ▁are ▁crit ically ▁important ▁sources ▁of ▁jobs , ▁income ▁and ▁tax ▁re venue . ▁The ▁brilliant ▁fall ▁colors ▁or ▁the ▁fol i age ▁of ▁the ▁surrounding ▁mountains , ▁winter ▁sports , ▁mountain ▁b icy cling , ▁h ik ing , ▁horse back ▁r iding , ▁warm ▁weather ▁camp ing , ▁h ik ing , ▁wild life ▁view ing , ▁hunting ▁and ▁searching ▁for ▁ge ological ▁finds ▁all ▁make ▁for ▁a ▁year - round ▁tour ism - generated ▁and ▁regular ▁real ▁estate ▁market . ▁ ▁Major ▁Emp loy ers : ▁The ▁State ▁of ▁North ▁Carolina ▁is ▁the ▁largest ▁employ er ▁in ▁the ▁county . ▁It ▁oper ates ▁a ▁forest ry ▁center , ▁D OT ▁office , ▁State ▁Highway ▁Pat rol ▁office , ▁state ▁agricult ure ▁extension ▁office , ▁prob ation / par ole ▁office , ▁alco hol ▁law ▁enfor cement ▁office , ▁a ▁state ▁park ▁service ▁office ▁and ▁two ▁pr isons ▁in ▁lower ▁A very ▁County ▁on ▁the ▁Mitchell ▁County ▁border . ▁Those ▁side - by - side ▁facilities ▁are ▁Mountain ▁View ▁and ▁A very - M itch ell . ▁A ▁third ▁prison ▁facility , ▁the ▁BR ID GE ▁Unit , ▁was ▁a ▁novel ▁project ▁to ▁use ▁non - vi ol ent , ▁first - time ▁youth ful ▁fel ony ▁off enders ▁to ▁work ▁on ▁state ▁lands ▁and ▁fight ▁forest ▁fires ▁as ▁" sm oke ▁jump ers ." ▁It ▁was ▁closed ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9