Choose wisely. Connect locally.Add your business 
Boone and Blowing Rock are neighboring mountain towns in North Carolina's High Country, a region of rolling peaks, Christmas tree farms and rhododendron thickets along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Boone is a college town, home to Appalachian State University, with an energetic downtown and a strong music and outdoor culture. Blowing Rock, a few miles south, is smaller and more polished, a resort village that has drawn summer visitors escaping the lowland heat for well over a century.
Grandfather Mountain is the area's signature outing, known for its swinging bridge, rugged trails and wildlife habitats. The Blue Ridge Parkway curves around its flank on the Linn Cove Viaduct, and the Rough Ridge trail nearby climbs to big views over the viaduct. Moses H. Cone Memorial Park offers carriage roads around a historic manor, while Julian Price Memorial Park has a lake and campground. In Boone, King Street holds coffee shops, galleries and restaurants, and the drive to Valle Crucis leads to the original Mast General Store.
Hikers, leaf-peepers and families looking for cooler summers are the core crowd. Blowing Rock's Main Street and Memorial Park are pleasant for an evening stroll, and the Glen Burney Trail descends to waterfalls below town. Elk Knob State Park suits quieter hikes. Winter brings nearby skiing.
WiserMap travel guideBoone and Blowing Rock North Carolina Blue Ridge Fall ColorExplore Boone and Blowing Rock, from Grandfather Mountain and the Blue Ridge Parkway to King Street, Valle Crucis, mountain food and the best fall timing.Read the guide
Privately protected peak near Linville with the famous Mile High Swinging Bridge, wildlife habitats for black bears, cougars and otters, and a nature museum. Rugged trails cross the summit ridges. Buy timed tickets online on busy weekends and bring a jacket, as the top is windy and cool.
The Linn Cove Viaduct is the curving concrete bridge that carries the Blue Ridge Parkway around Grandfather Mountain. Nearby, the short Rough Ridge climb on the Tanawha Trail leads to boardwalks and rock outcrops with wide views. Park early, as the small Rough Ridge lot fills fast in fall.
Former estate of textile magnate Moses Cone on the Blue Ridge Parkway, centered on Flat Top Manor, a white mansion with a craft shop of the Southern Highland Craft Guild. Carriage roads loop past Bass Lake and through orchards and forest. They are ideal for easy walks and horseback rides.
Large Blue Ridge Parkway recreation area just past the Cone estate, with Price Lake for canoeing and fishing, a lakeside loop trail and a popular campground. The Boone Fork Trail follows creeks and small cascades. Canoe rentals run in the warm months, and the lake overlook is lovely at sunrise.
Lively college-town main street next to Appalachian State University, lined with outdoor outfitters, cafes, bookstores and local restaurants. Look for the Doc Watson statue and the historic Jones House. Street parking is metered, so use the public decks and walk the few blocks of shops.
Walkable village center of Blowing Rock with galleries, boutiques, fudge and candy shops and cozy restaurants. Memorial Park sits in the middle with a playground and lawn for summer concerts and Art in the Park shows. Arrive before late morning on fall weekends to find parking.
Rural valley village west of Boone, home to the original 1883 Mast General Store with creaky floors, a working post office, old-time candy barrels and outdoor gear. The Valle Crucis Community Park sits along the Watauga River nearby. Combine it with a scenic drive along NC 194.
Quiet state park north of Boone protecting one of the high peaks of the northern Blue Ridge. The Summit Trail climbs about two miles through hardwood forest to views toward Mount Rogers and Grandfather Mountain. In winter it also has cross-country skiing when snow falls. Check road conditions first.
Steep forest trail that drops from Annie Cannon Gardens in Blowing Rock village down along New Years Creek to Cascades Falls, Glen Burney Falls and Glen Marie Falls. The way down is easy, but the climb back is a solid workout. Wear shoes with good grip, as rocks are wet near the falls.
Cliff attraction that gave the town its name, a rock outcrop 4,000 feet above the Johns River Gorge where strong updrafts can blow light objects back up. Paths and an observation tower look toward Grandfather Mountain and Hawksbill. Visit on a clear day, as fog often hides the gorge.
Wild West theme park between Boone and Blowing Rock built around a three-mile ride on a real coal-fired steam train, complete with a staged train robbery. There are also kiddie rides, a petting zoo, gem mining and live shows. It is open in summer and fall, with Ghost Train nights in October.
No reviews yet. Been to Boone and Blowing Rock? Be the first to share your experience.
Share what you loved, what to skip and tips for other travelers.
Log in to write a reviewBeen to Boone and Blowing Rock? Add your best shots to the gallery.
Log in to add photos
North Carolina, United States
North Carolina, United States
North Carolina, United States
North Carolina, United States
North Carolina, United States
North Carolina, United States
North Carolina, United States
North Carolina, United States
Photo: Jaggerhornik, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Thomson200, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: MBugbey, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Doug Coldwell, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: miketnorton, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: P. Hughes, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Leslie Anne Perry, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: ET&WNC12, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author or not provided, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Zainubrazvi~commonswiki assumed (based on c, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Ken Thomas, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Bigmacthealmanac, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Leslie Anne Perry, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: Leslie Anne Perry, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: Ken Thomas, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Gareth Rasberry, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Leslie Anne Perry, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: Fjmustak, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Leslie Anne Perry, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: Fjmustak, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Maria Kozmina, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Original uploader was KyleAndMelissa22 at en.wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Thomson200, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: Ken Thomas, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Gareth Rasberry, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Joe Flood, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Joe Flood, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: National Park Service, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Doug Coldwell, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Ken Thomas, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Michael Barera, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Ken Thomas, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Leslie Anne Perry, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: Leslie Anne Perry, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: bobistraveling, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: bobistraveling, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: bobistraveling, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: bobistraveling, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: USFWS/Southeast, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Leslie Anne Perry, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: Leslie Anne Perry, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: Leslie Anne Perry, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: Memorialman, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Artaxerxes, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Washuotaku, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Fjmustak, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Fjmustak, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Leslie Anne Perry, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: Leslie Anne Perry, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: Leslie Anne Perry, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: Leslie Anne Perry, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: James Lashmit, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
