Beyond Boone: A Locals-ish Guide
Almost eight months into 2021, and I am BACK BABY. I never intended to break from writing for this long. I also never intended to run this blog like a respectable travel guide either! So here is what you get - sporadic elements of whatever I feel like writing about. In this case, it is still travel related because I am emerging from my travel hibernation and trying to remember the fun feelings of planning vacations again. Will we get to take these vacations - TBD, but I have opened my mind again to dreaming about them.
Here is the real real. We never truly STOPPED “travel” in the literal sense. We have made frequent trips out to Fleetwood, NC throughout the past 18 months to spend time with my parents in their cabin tucked away in the woods. Otherwise known now as “home”. It is a privilege and so incredibly special that we had a safe place to go when our house became suffocating. After so many trips west on Route 40, I forget how magnificent the mountains are sometimes. It is rejuvenating to spend so much time in the woods and my intent in this little post is to share some of our favorite places in Boone, West Jefferson, and the surrounding areas like a local-ish. In the three years we have been visiting, we have driven the Blue Ridge Parkway countless times and in all seasons. I hope you find some of these stops just as special as we do.
So let’s get into it. I will give some extra special attention to Boone and West Jefferson - the places we spend most of our time - but a few special shout-outs are in order for the various other places along the Parkway that are worth the drive.
Boone, NC
Most North Carolinians associate Boone with App State. The university is centered right downtown and in the fall you can find college students roaming along King Street to study and celebrate football games. I feel pretty envious that these students have access to so many outdoor activities right next to campus. Shockingly, Newark, DE did not have much to offer in terms of hiking…
We think a pretty good day spent in Boone is visiting some breweries after a long hike and grabbing a pizza for lunch or dinner at Lost Province. Below are our favorite stops for beer and food:
Lost Province Brewing Co. - stop in for a flight and stay for the wood-fired pizzas. We also love to order their soft pretzels with pimento cheese.
Appalachian Mountain Brewing - it is a running joke in our family that when it rains, we end up at AMB. We have never been here without some form of precip, but find the cozy environment great for cold or rainy days.
Boonshine Brewing Company - their location is tucked away along a park and the outdoor seating is plentiful. We have only visited the Beer Garden and food trucks, but there is a full food menu in their tasting room!
The Pedalin’ Pig - if you want BBQ, head here. We love to stop in for lunch after a day on the trails. They have two locations and both have a really extensive draft list with plenty of local taps.
Benchmark Provisions - while not a place to eat or drink, we always stop here to buy beer, wine, and snacks before hitting the Parkway. They have an extensive offering of local goodies and we can always find local canned beer here that we love.
We have a long list of places to try some day when we are ready to venture indoors again. One being Wild Craft Eatery. If you have any food faves in Boone, let us know!
Other than eating and drinking, we like to stop into the Mast General Store for outdoor gear and candy as we peruse King Street. There are so many cute stores to pop in to!
West Jefferson, NC
West Jefferson is closest to my parents’ house and we appreciate the charm of the downtown area. It is a small town, but we have found some gems while exploring. I would recommend checking out the downtown area on a Saturday as some shops are closed on Sunday!
The #1 stop for us is Ashe County Cheese, duh. We always find a way to sample some cheese and take home far too many blocks. Our faves include Jack & Dill, Garlic Cheddar, Salsa Cheddar, and a bag of cheese curds.
New River Brewing - this is a great stop for beer and burgers. We love their outdoor seating down a back alley off the main drag.
Carolina Country Wines - this is an adorable little wine shop right on Jefferson Ave. They have a nice space for tastings or picking up some wine to go.
Mountain Outfitters - what is a small mountain town without a shop for all the outdoor gear? We love to stopping in here for clothes and outdoor essentials.
Hiking in the High Country
Now, to the best part of Boone and the Parkway - spending time outside! Here are some of our most recent favorites. We have certainly not even scratched the surface of what this area has to offer. We stick to the classics when we are short on time (think Cascades Trail), but are trying to be more conscious of trying new ones when we visit.
Cascades Trail (Jeffress Park) - this is a classic for our family. The easy, one mile loop trail is 15 minutes from the cabin and we have hiked it in every season and condition. We like to bring the dogs here for an early morning walk and find that this is the best time to avoid crowds. In the afternoon and during the busy seasons (summer and fall for leaf peeping) the tables are packed with families hiking and picnicking. If that is your thing - this is a great spot! If you like to avoid others, check out the trail early in the morning.
2. Summit Trail (Elk Knob State Park) - one of the newest state parks, Elk Knob’s summit trail (3.9 miles roundtrip) is a great hike for long range views. The trail is labeled as strenuous for the rock-lined switch-backs and steep inclines, but we were able to do it just fine with our dog and casual footwear. The trail is mostly covered with gravel until you reach the top where you cut through beech and flaming azaleas to reach the viewpoint. Save this hike for a clear day to get the best views!
3. Linville Falls - this hike is a bit of a drive from Boone, but worth the time spent on the Blue Ridge Parkway. We love to hike here in the fall when the weather is crisp and the leaves are changing. There is plenty of parking, but arriving early is always better. You have a choice of trails and can walk to the top viewing area (1.6 miles roundtrip) with a great snapshot of the lower and upper falls. After a morning of hiking, check out Linville Falls Winery for a tasting! This winery is just down the road and they have a gorgeous villa that gives off great ~vibes~.
4. Grandfather Trail (Grandfather Mountain) - the best for last!! We recently hiked the Grandfather Trail on July 4th and were rewarded with clear skies and cool temps. This trail is not for the unskilled or those who fear heights. This has been a bucket-list hike for us for some time and we highly recommend it (although if you asked me while hiking I would tell you I was scared out of my pants). There are cables, ladders, and rock scrambles to get to MacCrae Peak first. The hike to this first peak is only 0.9 miles, but roundtrip took us about 3 hours to complete. You can continue to Calloway Peak but I was unprepared to do so on this trip. My wobbly legs told my brain “absolutely not”. Come prepared with plenty of water and a first aid kit. As a surprise to NO ONE, I tripped on a rock and needed said first aid kit on the decline :) A few notes about hiking here - you do have to pay an entrance fee to the park and currently they require reservations to enter and hike. We had reservations for 8am and were first on the trail. If you want to traverse the swinging bridge without crowds - do this before setting out on your hike!
Other Highlights
A few odds and ends that we also love in the area!
Grandfather Mountain Vineyards - you can certainly tack this onto a day at Grandfather Mountain! The winery is set along a nice stream with plenty of seating and space for blankets. The place is dog friendly and they even have a “house dog” who loves to greet you.
Highland Games - hosted on Grandfather Mountain, the Highland Games are a local tradition with Scottish games, food, and music. We think it is a unique experience and look forward to attending next summer!
Blowing Rock, NC - this little town outside Boone has some great shopping and is another example of a cute mountain main street. We love Bald Guy Brew for lattes and Blowing Rock Brewing Company for beers.
Camping at Julian Price Campground - what a gem! This campground is right on the parkway and has tent sites right on Price Lake. There is no electric here, but we think that is a plus! Book early as this is a pretty popular spot. We had great weather in the summer, and I would love to go back during leaf peeping season!
Mount Jefferson State Park - this state park has a gorgeous drive to the top with great views. You can hike if you’d like, but we did not and just stepped out onto the rocks for a view of town. This is a great place to visit for views without having to tire out your legs.
Wow - this was more than I expected to write today. Can you tell that we love the High Country? I will update this guide as we explore more of the area. We are looking forward to skiing and cutting down our Christmas tree and taking in more of the sights. If you head out this way, let us know! Odds are we may be headed out too :)
