Beech Mountain resort lets you experience Dorothy’s Oz

Once upon a time, a long time ago, Beech Mountain, N.C., was more than a ski resort. It was home to the Land of Oz theme park where Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man, the Lion and the Wicked Witch would mingle with guests as they cruised along a real yellow brick road through enchanted gardens and past landmarks from the movie. After 10 years of operation, it closed in 1980.

Now, thanks to Cindy Keller, there’s new life in Oz. The park’s gardens have been restored and guests can now rent Dorothy’s house for nightly stays. The three-bedroom structure, modeled to look like the farmhouse in the 1939 film, is a cozy abode decorated with Oz memorabilia and wonderful attention to detail.

In the den, a basket of artificial poppies sits next to antique furniture. A framed print of bluebirds hangs on the wall. In Dorothy’s room, a portrait of Judy Garland as Dorothy welcomes guests. And a shelf full of Oz-related knickknacks — character dolls, photos, snow globes and more — set a whimsical tone.

Visitors can tour the cellar by appointment. With a flick of a switch, Keller turns on cyclone-style sound effects and green Christmas lights while visitors peruse the black light paintings on the wall, including one of the Wicked Witch soaring across the sky writing “Surrender Dorothy” in clouds of smoke.

Next door is a topsy-turvy house made to look like Dorothy’s home after the cyclone hit. Out the back door is the yellow brick road, a beautiful trail made of more than 40,000 yellow bricks that takes visitors through the gardens.

Along the way, check out the lion’s den, the witch’s castle and the gates of the Emerald City, all of which make fantastic photo ops.

Guests may also schedule a tour of a small Oz museum that features memorabilia from the park and the 1939 film, including Wicked Witch Margaret Hamilton’s striped stockings.

The house and gardens are now part of Emerald Mountain, a residential development at the top of Beech Mountain.

IF YOU GO

Dorothy’s House at Emerald Mountain. $130-$240 weeknight; $315-$600 weekend; $735-$1,380 week, depending on the season. 2669 S. Beech Mountain Parkway, Beech Mountain. 828-387-2000, www.emeraldmtn.com. Drive time Beech Mountain, N.C., is 5 1/2 hours northeast from Atlanta.

Not too late to hit the slopes

Ski season soon may be on the wane, but plenty of action can still be had at this not-so-distant haven for snow sports. Skiers and boarders continue hitting both the man-made and natural powder found at Ski Beech through mid-March. A series of three ski lifts haul skiers to the tops of several runs, including a beginner’s slope, three intermediate slopes and one advanced slope dubbed White Lightning. A shorter tubing run allows people to cruise downhill on tubes. Newbies can learn the finer points of downhill skiing in the Play Yard, and snow bunnies 12 years old and younger will want to check out the free sledding hill near Beech Mountain’s Town Hall. Participants will need to bring their own plastic sleds, which can be bought at several in-town stores.