Just off the Blue Ridge Parkway in Little Switzerland, North Carolina, a new roadside legend is taking shape.

Ole' Slewfoot's Den is the creation of American folk artist and master welder Chris Hausbeck, whose large-scale sculptures and mechanical folk art have delighted curious travelers for decades. Here in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Chris has begun his most personal project yet—a place dedicated to celebrating Appalachian folklore, craftsmanship, oversized imagination, and the joy of discovering something unexpected around the next bend.
 

At the center of it all stands the World's Largest Bear Trap.
 

Built in a bold—and perhaps hopeless—attempt to capture Ole' Slewfoot, the legendary King of the Blue Ridge, this monumental sculpture is inspired by generations of mountain stories. They say Ole' Slewfoot stood twelve feet tall, weighed two tons, could leap clean over a loaded hay wagon, and outsmarted every hunter who dared pursue him. Whether fact or folklore is for you to decide.
 

Beginning July 4, 2026, we invite you to stop by, stretch your legs, take a few photographs, and experience the World's Largest Bear Trap as it continues to come to life. This isn't a polished grand opening or a finished attraction. It's an invitation to visit during the first chapter—to meet the artist, watch the work in progress, and become one of the first people to witness the beginning of what we hope will become a uniquely American folk art destination.
 

The bear trap is only the beginning. In the years ahead, Ole' Slewfoot's Den will continue to grow with monumental sculptures, hands-on experiences, gem mining, a family-friendly BB gun range, and other surprises inspired by the legends and spirit of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Like the stories that inspired it, the Den will never stop growing.
 

So, if you're exploring the Blue Ridge Parkway, pull off for a while. Wander the grounds. Swap a story or two. Snap a photograph beside the World's Largest Bear Trap.

And if you happen to spot a giant bear disappearing into the rhododendrons...

Well...

Please let us know.

Now Welcoming Curious Travelers

Beginning July 4, 2026

Just off the Blue Ridge Parkway
Little Switzerland, North Carolina

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Every great roadside legend has to start somewhere.