Traveling to Grandfather Mountain
Exploring NC’s Appalachian Mountains
For many international travelers visiting the United States, North Carolina is usually not on the top of their places to go in the country. With all the bright lights in New York City and unique natural beauty in Wyoming, there is little in this southern state to inspire travelers to pack up their luggage and travel halfway across the world. An American would often act with surprise when hearing that a foreign national is planning their holiday to North Carolina and ask the question: “why?” The answer is the Appalachian Mountains.
Travelers from around the world visit North Carolina’s Appalachian Mountains to view one of the oldest mountain ranges on the entire earth. What these peaks lack in size, they make up for with a rich history and scenic beauty. It is not the summer months when you would find most of your international tourists heading up to the mountains of North Carolina either. When the leaves start changing to hues of orange and red, it is then when all eyes are on the Appalachian Mountains.
Want to explore more of the Appalachian Mountains? Be sure to visit Cherokee!
The Blue Ridge Parkway
Just because you’re in the Appalachian Mountains doesn’t mean you have to strap on your hiking boots and get ready to scale a bare cliff wall. The Blue Ridge Parkway is one of the most popular ways to view the scenery of North Carolina’s Mountains, without having to strain yourself on the trail. Of the 2,00 miles that make up the Appalachian Mountains, there are 469 miles of paves roads taking tourists through North Carolina and Virginia.
The Blue Ridge Parkway is not your average highway. Throughout your journey, the road will wind up the side of towering mountains and showcase the vast countryside laying at its base. You won’t have to be stuck in your car during your trip either, there are countless overlooks and hiking trails with are located right off of the Parkway. If you’re not looking to ride the entire 469 miles, look at basing yourself out of Cherokee, Asheville, or Boone before putting the pedal to the metal.
If you’re looking for more small towns to visit, be sure to check out Mayberry!
Price Lake
No matter if you’re just looking for a day trip from Boone, or a longer vacation in North Carolina’s Appalachian Mountains, Grandfather Mountain is a great place to spend a day or two. As you’re leaving Boone, going through Blowing Rock, and turning onto the Blue Ridge Parkway you’ll pass several hiking spots and overlooks that you won’t want to miss. One of the best overlooks on the Blueridge Parkway is Price Lake.
Julian Price Park, where Price Lake is located, is home to miles of hiking trails, waterfalls, and of course the lake. Although many travelers on the Blueridge Parkway will stop at the banks of the lake for a few minutes to stretch their legs and take a few pictures, one could easily spend a whole day exploring everything to do in the area. With kayak rental available within the park, it is easy to get distracted with all the things to do around Julian Price Park!
Are you looking to learn more about the Native Americans? You won’t want to miss the annual Indigenous Peoples Celebration!
Grandfather Mountain
Continuing away from Boone and past Price Lake, you’ll come across one of the tallest peaks in the Appalachian Range, Grandfather Mountain. If you’re looking for one spot that has everything from scenic overlooks, campgrounds, hiking trails, and museums, this is it. Of course, with so many amenities, you better be prepared to pay the price. The current price to get into Grandfather Mountain is 22 USD a person. If you find this ticket to bet a little too expensive, there are still tons of free scenic spots off of the Blueridge Parkway.
Even though you have to pay to enter Grandfather Mountain, the price is completely worth it. With 11 trails spanning the park, overlooks on every bend of the road, and even a museum perfect for visiting after you have worn yourself out on the hike, Grandfather Mountain is so much more than just a stopover on the Blueridge Parkway, it is the kind of place where you could spend your entire holiday exploring.
For off the beaten path travel, be sure to head to Henry River Mill Village!
The Swinging Bridge
Not everyone travels to Grandfather Mountian to lose themselves on the trails in the great outdoors. But it is safe to say that if you’re going to be visiting Grandfather Mountain, you have to make your way to the famous Swinging Bridge. The name alone strikes fear into your average tourist, but the fact is that this bridge has not been swinging for years. After being rebuilt in 1999, the Mile High Swinging Bridge is still left to sway as many suspension bridges do but hardly swings as much as the original.
Despite Grandfather Mountain’s Swinging Bridge being perfectly safe to cross, many visitors will get cold feet just before they grab hold of the railing. Others will get halfway across the bridge before panicking and running back to the other end. If you do manage to push through and make your way across the Swinging Bridge, you’ll be left breathless with the stunning scenery of western North Carolina.
You’ll find both food and culture at North Carolina’s Lexington Barbeque Festival!
Culture of the Appalachians
Most people visit the mountains and escape on the trails in order to avoid people. While this is true in many cases, there is still a culture to be explored in the Appalachian Mountains. Not everyone will be able to taste moonshine, catch a bluegrass festival, or hit the dancefloor at a place like the Stompin Ground in Maggie Valley. But even out on the Blueridge Parkway, you can see some of ht local culture shine through.
When stopping off at one of the overlooks or even out on Grandfather Mountain, you’ll see a parade of all different kinds of tourists come through. We aren’t just talking about city folk looking for a weekend escape or international tourists exploring the United States. In one of these parking lots, you’ll find everyone from classic bikers riding in on their Harley Davidsons and good ole country boys hopping out of their trucks.
At the end of the day, it is not just the scenery that will make your trip to the Appalachian Mountains into a memory that will last a lifetime, it is also the people.
