Say ‘hello’ to the High Country

BY LUKE BARBER

When planning your adventure in the High Country, you cannot go wrong when choosing between the many attractions in Avery, Ashe and Watauga counties that beckon visitors from all over the world. So before making a decision, take a deep breath of the cool mountain air and rest assure that a memorable experience awaits regardless of what attraction you choose to visit.

The following list provides an overview of the most popular attractions in the area. More expansive information of specific attractions can be found elsewhere in Summer Times 2021.

AVERY COUNTY

• Grandfather Mountain

Grandfather Mountain is one of the premier destinations in the High Country, and there are plenty reasons why the attraction is so popular. From the Mile High Swinging Bridge, the animal exhibits, the on-site museum and the numerous trails both within the non-profit attraction and around the surrounding state park, it is easy to see why visitors flock to the mountain every year to take in its incredible views.

• Mountain Bike Parks

When the snow melts off of the slopes at Sugar Mountain Resort and Beech Mountain Resort, summer fun begins soon after. During the summer months, the resorts turn into mountain bike parks, where visitors can careen their machines down the resorts’ rolling slopes. In addition, chairlift rides, food and beverage specials and summer events are common staples at the two resorts during the warmer months.

• Wilderness Run Alpine Coaster

One of the newer attractions in Avery County, the Wilderness Run Alpine

FILE PHOTO Each run on the alpine coaster includes three circular loops, a series of waves and lots of twists. Riders use hand brakes to control speeds, which can reach 27 miles per hour.

PHOTO BY VICTORIA DARLINGTON | GRANDFA-

THER MOUNTAIN STEWARDSHIP FOUNDATION Grandfather Mountain provides daily animal enrichments for guests to learn and further appreciate the animals that call the mountain home.

Coaster has been thrilling guests since the mountain coaster opened during the summer of 2020. Built by the top coaster construction company in Germany, the ride takes visitors up a 770 slope before they twist and turn down 3,160 feet of track. Riders reach top speeds of 27 miles an hour during their heart-racing plunge.

• Summer Theater

The Ensemble Stage within the Historic Banner Elk School offers visitors a chance to beat the heat by viewing a performance put on by the nonprofit’s professional theater. The theater is set to begin its summer programming on July 3. Additional theater performances are also available at the nearby college through Lees McRae Summer Theater.

• Hawksnest

Another adventure park that transitions during the summer months is Hawksnest. The attraction offers visitors the change to experience the High Country from above through one of the east coast’s longest and most scenic Zipline tours. With two tours to choose from, guests can reach speeds between 35 and 50 miles an hour zip across up to approximately three miles of cable.

ASHE COUNTY

• Ashe County Cheese

Families looking for a free activity for a day will find Ashe County Cheese to be a delightful experience. As North Carolina’s largest cheese manufacturer, visitors to ACC can see first hand just how the savory product is made. ACC products, among imported cheese, can also be found at the retail shop across the road. Assorted candy, fresh fudge, ice cream and assorted wines are available for purchase as well.

• Mount Jefferson

Just a stone’s throw away from downtown West Jefferson is Mount Jefferson State Natural Area. The state park rises more than 1,600 feet above the surrounding landscape and offers breathtaking views. Five hiking trails allow for the exploration of the park’s unique geology and plant diversity, while picnic grounds and shelters also offer families the ability to make a day of their trek.

• Downtown West Jefferson

Downtown West Jefferson offers something for everyone. The area’s vibrant arts district is accompanied by a variety of brewers, restaurants and retail options. Meanwhile, some of the more unique attractions can be found here. Great Southern Gothic officers guests an escape room, ghost tours and handmade Appalachian crafts, while the Parkway Theater brings the summer’s biggest blockbusters to theatregoers at great rates.

• Frescoes

The prolific work of American painter Benjamin Long can be seen at two locations within the county. The first is St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, which features the work entitled Mystery of Faith and the second is Holy Trinity Church, which features the work The Last Supper. Both works are painted in a classical style know as frescoes. Long trained under Pietro Annigoni in Flor-

SEE ATTRACTIONS ON PAGE 42

PHOTO SUBMITTED Sugar Mountain Resort and Beech Mountain Resort both turn into ideal destinations for downhill mountain biking during the summer time.

ATTRACTIONS

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ence, Italy to learn this immaculate way of painting.

• Museum of Ashe County History

Housed in the site of the former Ashe County Courthouse, which was built in 1904, the museum takes visitors back in time to experience the way of life of those who lived in and settled this corner of the Appalachian mountains. Exhibits include music and moonshine, native Americans history, the local sports hall of fame and the ore knob mine, among other attractions.

WATAUGA COUNTY

• The Blowing Rock

The attraction from which the town of Blowing Rock receives its name has been fascinating guests since 1933. The site is North Carolina’s oldest travel attraction, however, its history goes back much further. As legend has it, The Blowing Rock is the site of a native American love story, in which a strong gust of wind reunited a maiden with a Chicksaw chieftain who had leapt from the rock after being stricken with grief.

• High Gravity Adventure Park

Fun for the whole family awaits at High Gravity Adventures Zipline and Aerial Park, where visitors would be hard pressed to run out of things to do. Attractions include a Zipline tour that takes guests soaring through the treetops, a simulated free-fall zone, the Ninja Ground Course, a giant threeperson swing, as well as climbing and repelling stations.

• Tweetsie Railroad

Truly an unforgettable family experience, Tweetsie Railraod is a wild-west themed amusement park that offers something for everyone. The park features a 3-mile long train ride aboard a historic steam engine, live entertainment, amusement rides, gold panning and a deer zoo. Upcoming summer events include a day out with Thomas The Train, a fireworks extravaganza on July 4 and the K9s in Flight Frisbee Dogs later in the season.

• Horn in the West

The nation’s longest running outdoor Revolutionary War drama, Horn in the West has been delighting audiences for the past 69 years. The play brings to life the story of the hardy pioneers who, with the help of famed frontiersman Daniel Boone and Cherokee allies, settled in the Blue Ridge wilderness as they sought freedom from British tyranny.

ATTRACTION CONTACT INFO

Grandfather Mountain

(828) 733-4337 grandfather.com 2050 Blowing Rock Highway, Linville, NC 28646

Sugar Mountain Resort

(828) 898-4521 skisugar.com 1009 Sugar Mountain Dr, Sugar Mountain, NC 28604

Beech Mountain Resort

(800) 438-2093 beechmountainresort.com 1007 Beech Mountain Pkwy, Beech Mountain, NC 28604

Wilderness Run Alpine Coaster

(828) 898-7866 wildernessrunalpinecoaster.com 3265 Tynecastle Hwy, Banner Elk, NC 28604

Ensemble Stage

(828) 414-1844 ensemblestage.com 166-185 Azalea Cir SE, Banner Elk, NC 28604

Lees-McRae College

(828) 898-5241 lmc.edu 191 Main St W, Banner Elk, NC 28604

Hawksnest Snow Tubing and Zipline

(828) 963-6561 hawksnestzipline.com 2058 Skyland Dr, Seven Devils, NC 28604

Ashe County Cheese

(336) 246-2501

• Downtown Boone

After a day of adventure, downtown ashecountycheese.com 106 E Main St, West Jefferson, NC 28694

Mountain Jefferson State Natural Area

(336) 246-9653 ncparks.gov State, Park Road, 8448, 1481 Mt Jefferson Rd, West Jefferson, NC 28694

Church of the Frescoes

(336) 982-3076 ashefrescoes.org 400 Beaver Creek School Rd West Jefferson, NC 28694

Museum of Ashe County History

(336) 846-1904 ashehistory.org 301 E Main St, Jefferson, NC 28640

The Blowing Rock

(828) 295-7111 theblowingrock.com 432 The Rock Road, Blowing Rock, NC 28605

High Gravity Adventures Zip Line and Aerial Park

(828) 266-0176 highgravityadventures.com 215 Tweetsie Railroad Ln, Blowing Rock, NC 28605

Tweetsie Railroad

(800) 526-5740 tweetsie.com 300 Tweetsie Railroad Ln, Blowing Rock, NC 28605

Horn In The West

(828) 264-2120 horninthewest.com Horn in the W Dr Boone, NC 28607

Boone offers a mix of experiences for visitors to choose from. Restaurants, brewers, bars, shops and live music venues bring downtown Boone to life. Situated next to Appalachian State University, the area is frequented by college students, along with locals and those visiting the region. Views from atop nearby Howards Knob also provide a unique perspective on the bustling mountain town.