National Trails Day is June 7th!

One of our favorite holidays is coming up: National Trails Day, on June 7th! There's no better way to celebrate than by exploring one of the High Country's stunning hiking trails. Here are our top picks!

Visit the Moses Cone Manor House on the Blue Ridge Parkway just outside downtown Blowing Rock. The Manor House is a perfect starting point to experience the Carriage Trails, a network of trails built by Moses Cone over 100 years ago for his bride Bertha to ride in her horse drawn carriage.

Today the Trails are maintained by the NPS and offer a wonderful way to get outside for as little or as long of a walk as you would like! There are over 20 miles of well maintained gravel trails meandering through the 3,500+ acre estate, all located just 10 minutes outside Blowing Rock off the Blue Ridge Parkway and Highway 221S.

A black and white image of the Moses Cone Manor House

One of our favorite trails is the Fire Tower Trail which leads beneath the Parkway before heading over 2 miles up the mountain to one of the Southeast's last remaining fire tower lookout points. From the top of the trail, you have an amazing 360-degree view of the mountains below!

The Boone Greenway
Running throughout the Town of Boone is the Greenway trail system: a network of paved trails running from the Moose Lodge on Bamboo Road all the way over to the Mackorell Soccer Complex on Brookshire Road, over 6 miles total! The Greenway is paved and offers multiple access points, including a large parking area at the Watauga Co. Rec Center, and is excellent for walking, running, skating, biking, and more!

Bass Lake Loop
While technically part of the Carriage Trails we mentioned above, Bass Lake is the most well known part of that trail system. It's a beautiful, mostly flat gravel path 0.8 mile long looping around manmade Bass Lake, has its own bathrooms, and it's within walking distance of downtown Blowing Rock! Enjoy seeing wildlife of all kinds here - including a busy beaver building a dam if you visit close to dusk!

Beacon Heights
Beacon Heights Trail is a popular trailhead located right next to the intersection of the Blue Ridge Parkway and Highway 221 close to Grandfather Mountain. It's a short (0.7 mile) moderately steep hike through the hardwood forest with a massive payoff: two points where you can see up to 50 miles from a granite boulder outcropping. You might even see the Charlotte city skyline if it's very clear!

**The Mountains to Sea Trail**
North Carolina's own state-wide trail, the **Mountains to Sea Trail**, gets its start here in the Blue Ridge Mountains. There are multiple points along the Blue Ridge Parkway where you can park at an overlook and walk as much of the MST as you would like. One of our favorites is the **Wilson's Creek Overlook**, where a stone staircase leads down to the trail that switches back under the Parkway before leading up the hill and across a wooden footbridge over this beautiful waterfall on Wilson's Creek. The bridge is only about a quarter mile hike from the car! There's no other waterfall this close to the road in the area, so we definitely recommend stopping to check it out!

**Trout Lake Loop**
**Trout Lake** is another part of the Carriage Trails, but it's a bit of a hidden gem that stands on its own! Located at the corner of Shulls Mill Road, Flannery Fork Road, and Highway 221, the trail loops about 1.3 miles around the lake and offers connections to more trails, including the excellent Rich Mountain Trail, if you want to make it a longer hike. Unlike other parts of the Carriage Trail system, the Trout Lake Loop features some parts that are on pavement and some that resemble a traditional path through the forest as well as a portion that has been widened and graveled. Because of that, it's not the best for strollers but is a great place to stretch your legs with a great view.

Hiking Tips

The High Country has miles of hiking trails for all abilities! To make the most of a trail experience, keep these tips in mind.

Wear proper closed-toed footwear with good ankle support. Trails can be muddy with loose or slick rocks and are not suitable for sandals and flip flops.
Get out early in the morning or late afternoon if you want to see wildlife. These are the best time of the day for stunning nature photos, and the trails are less crowded.
Be prepared for sudden change in weather, especially in the summer. Pack or dress accordingly. Layers are your friend!
Bring water and high protein snacks with you. Hiking is great exercise! Remember to pack out your trash with you.
Others around you do not want to hear your music or phone call. If you don't want to hear the sounds of nature, use headphones or earbuds.
A guiding principle for any outside time is "Leave No Trace". Don't litter, leave flowers and rocks for others to enjoy, and don't deface rocks or buildings.
It's best to stay off a trail after dark. It's easy to get lost for even those who are familiar with the trails, and it gets very chilly at night in the mountains even during summer.
Fill up your gas tank before getting on the Blue Ridge Parkway. There are no gas stations along it, and you may have to travel a few miles off the Parkway to even find one.
While trails are often well groomed, you're still in the wild. Keep your eyes open for harmful plants such as poison ivy, and animals such as snakes or bees. Wasps will sometimes build their nest in the ground along a trail. There are venomous snakes in the area, but they usually keep far away from people and trails. It's always wisest to stay on the marked trail to protect yourself and the delicate natural ecosystem.
Don't drink creek or river water without purifying it. Just because it's clear doesn't mean it's safe.
Keep dogs on leash at all times on trails for the safety of the dog and other hikers, and observe trail markers to indicate if a trail is dog friendly or not.
If you're hiking alone or in a small group, tell someone where you're going and when you expect to be back. Leave a note on the dash of your car for authorities.
Do not approach or feed wildlife on land controlled by the National Park Service. Approaching or feeding any animals within a national park is illegal, even the cute ones like ducks and squirrels. If an animal approaches you, you must back away for your safety and that of the animals.
Bring hiking sticks or collapsible hiking poles. Most trails are well groomed, but a loose rock can cause you to lose footing, and sticks help your body so you can hike more without pain.
When resting, please move off the trail so others can freely pass.
Remember that cell signal is very spotty in the woods! It's wise to download offline maps on the Google Maps app before you leave the house.

Remember...

Many parts of the High Country are still recovering from the aftereffects of Hurricane Helene's destruction in fall 2024; followed by the devastating ice storm we had in January 2025. Hundreds of trees fell and thousands of tons of land slid down the sides of our mountains. There are a lot of trails that will have maintenance for a long time to come to repair washouts, remove fallen trees, and rebuild trailbeds.

If you're outside and come across a closed trail, DO NOT ignore it! You are putting yourself in danger, as well as potentially causing damage to an already damaged area. Be a good neighbor and respect signs that are in place for your own safety.

For access to trails along the Blue Ridge Parkway, the National Park Service has an excellent closures list.

There's no better place to relax after a hike than in one of Blue Ridge Mountain Rentals's beautiful vacation homes! With over 700 properties, we have something for every outdoor enthusiast's needs. Check out our Homes with a Hot Tub, Homes with a Sauna, or even our Homes Near Water if you don't want to get too far into the woods!