North Carolina High Country

Blowing Rock, Boone, Linville, and other areas along the Blue Ridge Parkway

Facts & Figures

Counties: Allegheny, Ashe, Avery, Mitchell, Watauga, Wilkes, Yancey

Cities: Banner Elk, Beech Mountain, Blowing Rock, Boone, Burnsville, Jefferson, Linville, Sparta, Spruce Pine, Sugar Mountain, West Jefferson, Wilkesboro

Attractions:

Photos

Overview

North Carolina’s scenic High Country encompasses some of the highest elevations in the state and includes areas like Blowing Rock, Boone, Linville, and others. There are many attractions in High Country including The Blowing Rock, Grandfather Mountain, and Linville Falls, to name a few. This area offers spectacular hiking and sightseeing. With many tourist attractions, there is enough to see and do to spend an extended weekend or an entire week.

Our Experience

Our first family trip to the mountains after moving to North Carolina was during the fall of our first year here. We rented a log home in Seven Devils, just outside of Boone. Our trip was in November, so the temperatures were relatively cold, with morning temperatures in the 30’s. During that trip, we hiked Linville Falls on our first day, parking and leaving from the Visitor’s Center operated by the National Park Service. We hiked the Erwins View Trail, which offers a few different views of the tiered waterfalls. After that, we made our way to Blowing Rock and explored the downtown. We then traveled to Boone and walked around downtown, stopping for dinner at Mellow Mushroom Pizza. During our second day, we made a trip to Mast General Store for some candy and souvenirs, then relaxed and enjoyed the scenery at the log home we were staying in.

Our most recent family trip to the mountains was also in November of this past year. We rented a condo in the gated community of Echota through VRBO, located in Foscoe. Our condo had a view of Grandfather Mountain from the living room and deck, plus the resort had an indoor pool for swimming in the evenings. Our trip was packed with adventures! On our first day, we explored Linville Caverns, which was a huge hit with our children. We then headed over to Linville Falls for hiking and sightseeing, again leaving from the Visitor Center. After a picnic lunch in our minivan, we drove the Blue Ridge Parkway to Blowing Rock and visited The Blowing Rock, soaking up the views from the observation areas. After that, we headed back to the condo for some swimming and relaxation. On day two, we explored Mystery Hill, purchasing the full package that included several attractions including gem mining, another hit with our children. After that, we drove the Blue Ridge Parkway again to Julian Price Memorial Park, where we hiked a 2-mile loop around the lake. We then stopped at Mast General Store for some candy on our way back to the condo. This trip was my favorite trip of our six years in North Carolina.

Published by Dave Herpy

I am a father of four, a camp and outdoor recreation professional, and a freelance writer. I have over twenty years of experience in the outdoor industry and over a decade of experience as a freelance writer. I enjoy camping, cycling, golfing, hiking, kayaking, running, swimming, and triathlons, as well as traveling, volunteering, and writing. I live in Clayton, North Carolina. View more posts

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