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Boone Hiking Expert: Mast General Store
630 King Street, Boone, NC
(828) 262-0000 || www.maststore.com
Beacon Heights on the Blue Ridge Parkway (Linville): This
nearly 1-mile, easy to moderate hike puts you in the middle of the big picture – with
awesome views of Grandfather Mountain, and the dizzying drop to the Carolina
Piedmont below. Cross the road behind the overlook, enter the woods and go right
where the Tanawha Trail goes left. Head left at the next junction to emerge at another
split at the top. A left here reaches craggy views of Grandfather Mountain. A right
reaches a dome of rock with views to Grandmother Mountain and Mount Mitchell.
Directions from Boone: Take Hwy 105 S for 16.9 miles to left on US 221. Head 3
miles to turn onto the Parkway. Head south 0.1 mile to left into the Beacon Heights Overlook
at milepost 305.2.
The Profile Trail, Grandfather Mountain (Banner Elk): The
Grandaddy of all High Country hikes is this 7-mile round-trip trek to Calloway Peak,
5,646 ft. The views from the summit or nearby Watauga View are astounding and reach
from the mountains to the Piedmont. Campsites are available for backpackers.The first
mile along the Watauga River is easy, then you’ll climb steeply at times to views of
Grandfather’s profile “face” and on to the evergreen-clad peak. Hikers must register at
the trailhead. Directions from Boone: Take Hwy 105 S for 12.2 miles to left into
the trailhead parking area just before reaching Tynecastle.
Elk Knob State Park (Todd): This hike takes visitors through high-elevation
hardwood forests on their way to the wooded summit of the 5,520 foot peak.The hike to the
summit, with an overall elevation gain of 1000 feet, follows a newly constructed trail before
taking a final push up a steep and rocky road. On the way, be on the look out for rare plant
species such as Gray’s Lily, Rattlesnake Root, Flame Azalea, and Purple Fringed Orchid. Elk
Knob is also home to black bear, bobcat, wild turkey, white tailed deer, and a number of smaller
mammals that thrive in this rugged mountainous area. Directions from Boone: Take
Hwy 194 N for 4.3 miles to left at Meat Camp Rd. Follow for 5.4 miles to Elk Knob State Park on
the right.
Moses Cone/Flat Top Mountain Tower (Blowing Rock): This
scenic, 2.8 mile hike ends with one of the most spectacular views in the High Country
atop Flat Top Mountain. A roughly 40-foot metal tower provides incredible vistas from
the summit. In decades past, this tower was used to keep an eye out for fires in the
surrounding valleys. Nowadays, the tower provides a terrific view of Grandfather and
Sugar Mountains, Blowing Rock, and Boone in a 360° panoramic view. Directions
from Boone: Take Hwy 321 S for 6.4 miles to right onto the Blue Ridge Parkway. Head
south to the Moses Cone Manor on your left. To reach the firetower, cross beneath the
parkway and continue along the doubletrack gravel path to a scenic vista in an open grassy
field and continue up the trail to the tower on Flat Top Mountain.
Boone Biking Expert: Magic Cycles
140 Depot St, Boone, NC
(828) 265-2211 || www.magiccycles.com
Rocky Knob Bike Park (Boone): The 185-acre Rocky Knob Bike Park
features a skills course, miles of technical mountain biking trails and an awesome pump
track with one of the best views around. If you’re looking to sample the awesome
singletrack, we recommend heading up the the Rocky Branch Trail to Middle Earth Trail
where riders can take the optional descent down the P.B.J. Skills Trail that descends all
the way back to the lower reaches of the Rocky Branch Trail with access back to the
parking area. It’s a rousing ride, named for its pumps, berms, and jumps. Many riders use
this thrill ride to end their day and head back to the parking area, connecting to the
Rocky Branch Trail’s final big turn called Bring it Home Berm. Directions from
Boone: Take Hwy 421 East towardWilkesboro and look for the park on the right just east
of the city limit. Magic Cycles offers bike rentals and gear.
Emerald Outback / Beech Mountain Trails: If you’re looking to
experinece one of the coolest (literally) summertime riding spots in the region, look
no further than Beech Mountain. The ski mountain transforms into a mountain biking
destination each summer and is quickly making a name for itself for being home to some
of the best gravity riding in North Carolina. Mountain bikers can ride a lift to the top of
Beech Mountain and bomb it down some of the steepest downhill trails in the Eastern
U.S. For those not quite ready to let it rip on the steeps, the nearby Emerald Outback
Trails offer a great alternative for mountain bikers and hikers looking to explore over
8 miles of trails located at over 5,400 feet in elevation. This is a definitely a destination
that should be on every mountain biker’s hitlist. Directions from Boone: Take
Hwy 105 S to Banner Elk and make your way to Beech Mountain. We recommend heading
to Magic Cycles’ Beech Mountain outpost where you can rent bikes, get local trail info and
grab gear for the ride.
Greentown Trail (Wilson Creek): This is a great out and back trail for
riders who are looking to get a taste of what Wilson Creek is all about. This ripping
trail starts off through a small apple orchard before dropping into some fast and fun
berms as it descends down to a rocky, technical ܙYZ