PARKWAY

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 36 paths, a gift store, a restaurant and the renowned Mile High Bridge. From there, the Charlotte skyline can occasionally be seen on the horizon on very clear days, despite being almost 90 miles away.

From milepost 305, the towns of Banner Elk and Sugar Mountain — as well as Beech Mountain ski area — are all accessible. Additionally, you may find the Grandfather Mountain and Banner Elk Wineries, both of which provide live music on summer weekends. Beech Mountain

Blowing Rock My Hometown

Ski Resort offers its 5506’ Skybar throughout the summer, providing summit vistas, beers and live music on Saturdays.

Around there, you can explore the wilderness routes, if you’re an enthusiastic hiker looking for more untouched settings. A few examples are the Big Lost Cove Cliff Trail, Little Lost Cove Cliff Trail, Darkside Cliff Trail, North Harper Creek Falls Trail and the Flat Rock Trail.

Up next, the Linville Falls Visitors Center, campsite and picnic area are located at milepost 316. Continue on the Parkway to milepost 317 and take the Hwy. 221 exit for a breathtaking vista of Linville Falls and Linville Gorge. In less than a mile, turn left onto Highway 221 and then left once again onto Route 183. On Rte. 183, after about 7/10 of a mile, there is a gravel path on the right that leads to Linville Falls. Turn into the first parking lot on the left to find a pair of trails that give glorious vantage points of Linville Falls and the vast, 12-mile-long Linville Gorge.

You can reach the stunning Wiseman’s View Gorge Overlook by continuing four kilometers along the dirt road. Make note — if you’re traveling in a two-wheeldrive car, proceed with caution and make sure the road is entirely dry before starting off on this journey. If the road is wet, you should only drive if your car has all-wheel drive or fourwheel drive, and even then keep an eye out for patches of mud.

The same Hwy 221 exit at milepost 317 leads to the Linville Falls Winery, which has live music every Saturday afternoon. To get there, keep right at the exit and the winery will be on your right-hand side in less than a mile.

The Linville Gorge Wilderness Area has a variety of easy-to-challenging paths for more experienced hikers to explore. Knowing your limitations, being prepared and packing appropriately are essential when hiking in Linville Gorge, because it is a genuine wilderness environment. Sought-after trails include the Table Rock Mountain Summit Trail, Rock Jock Rim Trail, Chimneys Rim Trail and Hawksbill Mountain Summit Trail.

Continuing south on the Blue Ridge Parkway, you’ll find more lovely spots like Crabtree Falls, the village of Little Switzerland, the Museum of North Carolina Minerals, the Orchard at Altapass — a captivating live music venue — and more. Eventually, if you keep trekking south, you’ll arrive at Asheville, and further west are the Great Smoky Mountains.

A final famous attraction on this leg is Mount Mitchell, with a turnoff found at milepost 355. The tallest peak east of the Rocky Mountains, Mount Mitchell rises to a height of 6,683 feet. Fortunately, you can drive almost all the way to the top, making access to the breathtaking views a simple walk from the car.

There are many more sites along the Blue Ridge Parkway — yet even the section from Blowing Rock to Asheville is so chock-full of things to do, that one could spend a lifetime exploring and still find plenty more.