Cajah’s Mountain provides laid-back living for commuters in the Hickory area
Randy Feierabend is the town of Cajah’s Mountain’s only employee, but he’s not overworked looking after the day-to-day operations of the community northwest of Hickory, North Carolina. “I don’t get many complaints. People seem to work with their neighbors,” he says. “Having done [municipal work] for 40 or 50 years, I never would’ve thought I could work in a town of nearly 3,000 people, be the only person working and be here part-time.” A commuter town, Cajah’s Mountain’s biggest draws are its lack of property taxes and central location in the Hickory metro area.
Residential-heavy town with new construction
A few new houses are popping up in Cajah’s Mountain, supplementing the stock of ranches and split-level homes. “We have a new development going in that’s close to 50 homes,” Feierabend says. “We had one come recently that was about 40 homes.” Houses are usually clustered together in small subdivisions, built on winding roads without sidewalks. Houses typically sell from $165,000 to $370,000. Feierabend says about half the community is hooked up to sewer, and that Cajah’s Mountain started on a $4 million expansion of the sewer system in 2025.
Recreation ranges from town park to Rhodhiss Lake
At Cajah’s Mountain Town Park, a playground and walking path are tucked between trees and a side street. The community lights up a Christmas tree during an annual ceremony at the park. Less than 5 miles from the community, boaters can put into Rhodhiss Lake at the Castle Bridge Access Area or rent boat slips from the Castle Bridge Marina across the street. Farther down the shoreline to the east, Veterans Park in the town of Sawmills borders the lake. People can play disc golf or walk onto a wooden pier to fish. Tri-County Motor Speedway, just south of Cajah’s Mountain, hosts races throughout the year. Dancers, rock bands and country acts perform at the J.E. Broyhill Civic Center. less than 5 miles away.
Caldwell County Schools oversees public education
The district assigns kids in Cajah’s Mountain to one of four elementary schools, depending on their address. One option is Baton Elementary, and students can progress to Hudson Middle and South Caldwell High. Niche gives all three B grades. South Caldwell High teaches nearly 20 Career & Technical Education courses, including topics such as animal science, agriculture and marketing.
Stores, restaurants and churches along Connelly Springs Road
A drive along Connelly Springs Road takes someone past most of the community’s businesses. They include Chubby’s, a locally owned pizza joint. Cajah’s Mountain Discount Drug is next door, while Dollar General is north along the road. It’s about 5 miles to the city of Lenoir, home to grocery stores like Food Lion and big-box stores such as Walmart.
Several churches also line Connelly Springs Road, including Baptist congregations and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Living Hope Church has expanded multiple times since it started in 1950, and today the church can accommodate more than 1,000 people on a Sunday. Living Hope occasionally hosts community events, such as Easter egg hunts and a tournament at the nearby Orchard Hills Golf Course.
Driving to Lenoir, Morganton and I-40
Connelly Springs Road is the main road through the car-dependent town, and the road connects with Interstate 40 to the south. It’s about a 5-mile drive to Lenoir and 15 miles to Hickory.
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Written By
Alex Soderstrom
