Visitation Hours
Monday-Sunday during daylight hours, Carolina Memorial Sanctuary is open to the public and anyone may visit without notice.
Top Guidelines
- Carolina Memorial Sanctuary staff are responsible for all aspects of care and enhancement within the Sanctuary.
- Planting or tending to the grave on your own is strictly prohibited. (No planting seeds, bulbs, saplings, etc. and no weeding/plant removal.)
- No outside benches or chairs are to be brought to The Sanctuary. (A temporary chair, such as a camp chair, is allowed to be used during visits.)
- Creating trails or pathways is prohibited.
- If you’d like to adorn the grave of a loved one, natural objects such as cut flowers are allowed. No rocks (painted or otherwise), vases, picture frames, flags, fake flowers, etc.
Shuttles to Graves
If someone would like to visit a grave and is unable to make the walk, they may call in advance to schedule a shuttle (please call vs emailing: 828-782-7283). We may not be able to accommodate last minute requests, so please call at least 2-3 business days in advance. Saturdays are reserved for burials and no staff is available on Sunday, so shuttles will need to be scheduled during the week. If a weekend visit is preferred, you may call the Thursday prior and if there are no burials scheduled, you may book an appointment for Saturday.
Spring/Summer Grave Visits: Clearing of Vegetation
Once plantlife has returned in spring/summer, the majority of graves will have vegetation growing out of and around the graves. You may call and request to have the grave cleared prior to a visitation (please call vs emailing: 828-782-7283). If the grave is further off the trail, we will also create a narrow footpath to the grave. We may not be able to accommodate last minute requests, so please call at least 2-3 business days in advance. A reminder that no tending to the grave is allowed, so please do not remove plants, etc. Wildlife habitat is important so we clear around graves only – we do not clear reserved sites.
Land Management of The Sanctuary
At Carolina Memorial Sanctuary, we embrace the beauty of the natural landscape through all of the seasons. In winter, the landscape is open with broad views and in summer, we experience the embrace of the wildflowers and trees. During the spring and summer, plants grow around and out of the grave so that the grave blends in with the landscape. This abundant growth of vegetation may be difficult for some folks, having the experience of traditional cemeteries that are manicured. This is not out of neglect but by design, out of a philosophy which embraces the natural seasons and cycles, allowing graves to become part of the natural landscape, which also helps to protect important wildlife habitat. With advance notice, we are happy to clear around a grave.
Before visiting Carolina Memorial Sanctuary, we kindly ask that you review all of our Sanctuary Guidelines.
