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A Trip Through The High Country
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BOONE
he Town of Boone serves as the seat of Watauga County and is home to Appalachian State University. The town acquired its name from the famous pioneer and explorer Daniel Boone, who on several occasions camped within the present city limits as he traveled through the area on his way to Kentucky in the late 1700s. Through the years, Boone has become the hub of commerce in the North Carolina High Country area, offering virtually
everything a resident or visitor can desire. Boone has long been a favorite vacation destination, beginning in the 1880s when Southerners came here to escape the summer heat. Today, Boone is recognized by travel journalists as an “ultimate outdoor adventure destination” in the Southeast. The Town of Boone was incorporated in 1872 and its current population is 17,186. At 3,333 feet, Boone has the highest elevation of any town of its size east of the Mississippi River.
BANNER ELK
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Lees-McRae College he Town of Banner and features a lively arts Elk is a beautiful and cultural scene, commountain town away plete with an intimate from the busy crowds pedestrian shopping where one can still have district of upscale bouaccess to the finer convetiques and outstanding niences found in larger restaurants. The town metropolitan areas. LoPhoto by Todd Bush was first settled in 1825 cated in Avery County, and incorporated in it is surrounded by some of the highest mountains east of the Rock- 1911. Today, it has a population of about ies, including Grandfather Mountain and 1,000 full-time residents. Banner Elk sits Beech Mountain. Banner Elk is home to at 3,739 feet above sea level.
BEECH MOUNTAIN
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t an elevation of 5,526 feet above sea level, Beech Mountain is the highest incorporated community east of the Mississippi River. A visit to the Town offers exciting outdoor recreation and mile-high relaxation. In summer, adventure seekers flock to the Emerald Outback at Beech Mountain, a trail park which features more than eight miles of gorgeous trails near the top of the mountain. Hiking, mountain biking and trail running are prevalent in the Emerald Outback, as well as on several other miles of in-town trails maintained by the parks and recreation department.
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VISITOR’S GUIDE AUTUMN 2021
Downhill mountain biking trails, complete with lift service, are available during the warmer months at Beech Mountain Resort. Those trails range from beginner to advanced. There’s also fishing, golfing and the town’s Buckeye Recreation Center -- activities include indoor and outdoor tennis, volleyball and a stateof-the-art playground. And there’s also a modern fitness center and indoor basketball. Families and seniors also covet summer vacations on Beech enjoying 100-mile mountain vistas and mild summer temperatures that average in the low to mid 70s.
