Along the Blue Ridge Parkway

This guide is designed to lead people with a limited amount of energy to places of beauty. These walks will revive you and create positive feelings rather than wear you out. These are pleasure walks and not hikes. Walking in April takes you beside roaring streams and along trails adorned with wild flowers. May brings the lavender rhododendron and the pink mountain laurel. In June the pink and white rhododendron and a variety of mushrooms arrive for a visual feast from many weeks.

Walk Near Blowing Rock

Glen Burney Falls 1 Hour Non-Strenuous

On Main Street in Blowing Rock you will see a divided road midway along the street. You will see a sign guiding you to the Cannon Memorial Gardens. Drive to the gardens and park. Leading from the south end of the gardens you will see the trail entrance. You will walk beside the stream and view beautiful rapids and two sets of falls. Go as far as you like. The steeper climbs are near the second falls.

Bass Lake 30 Minutes Non-Strenuous

At the stop light on Main Street in Blowing Rock turn on 221 south toward Linville. After a mile you will see a rock wall with an iron gate. The next road to the right leads down to the Lake. Follow the trail and roadway around the Lake, beautiful trees, with wild flowers.

Walks Along the Parkway

Sims Creek Overlook 30 Minutes Moderately Strenuous

Enter the Parkway from 221 south going from Blowing Rock towards Linville (about 2 miles from the iron gate). Stop at the first overlook on the right. Walk down the trail and turn right over the bridge. Climb slowly beside Sims Creek on a well-graded trail until you enter a pasture. Follow the trail up to the flat spot where you get a panoramic view of the mountains. Retrace your steps.

Sims Pond 30 Minutes Non-Strenuous

The next parking area to your left is Sims Pond. The second phase of the walk described above can be taken here. Go down the steps across the bridge. Follow the trail around the pond along Sims Creek until you come to the Parkway Bridge. The trail is filled with wild flowers, rhododendron and mushrooms. The gurgling mountain stream is beside you the whole way. Retrace your steps.

Boone Fork 1 Hour Non-Strenuous

Follow the Parkway south from Sims Pond until you see a picnic area on your right. Drive in and Park near the restroom area. Walk around the rest rooms over a bridge. Turn right on Boone Fork trail. This area is filled with wild flowers all year, but the varieties are more numerous in the fall. Follow on through the lake basin and then along Boone Fork. You will begin to see rock formations on each side of the stream. Follow this until you come to a scenic rapids (about 30 minutes) with a side trail leading down to the stream. There is a bench-like rock near the side trail entrance. Retrace your steps to complete a 1 hour, non-strenuous walk.

You can continue on Boone Fork trail for more beautiful scenery until the tail turns down the mountain to bring you beside a series of rapids on Boone Fork. If you return from here you will complete a 2-hour non-strenuous walk.

Price Lake North 40 Minutes Non-Strenuous

Continue south on the Parkway from the picnic area. After you cross the bridge at the spillway of Price Lake you will see a parking area beside the lake. Park your car and walk back across the bridge. You will see the trail entrance to your right. Follow the trail along the lake until you see the small bridge crossing the entrance stream. The scenery is beautiful across the water and many wild flowers adorn the trail. Retrace your steps.

Price Lake South 40 Minutes Non-Strenuous

Drive across the bridge over the Price Lake spillway. After traveling 100 yards, you will see a sign reading Amphitheater. Turn left and follow the one-way road to the parking area. Go down around the boat house and you will see the trail. Follow the trail around the lake for many views back toward the bridge. When the trail turns into deep woods, retrace your steps.

Beacon Heights

Beacon Heights features a view-platform of bare quartzite. The trailhead at this parking area crosses a small road and then heads up the knob to Beacon Heights. The trail quickly forks to the left as the Tanawha Trail and represents the start point of this 13 mile trail to Price Park. Continuing to the right, however, will lead you on the ascent to the top of Beacon Heights with is 1400 ft from the base parking area. Table Rock, Hawksbill, Grandmother and Grandfather Mountain all can be viewed from the site at the top of Beacon Heights. Mile Marker 305.2