Visitor resources at High Country Host

BY EMMA SHEW

Halfway between Boone and Blowing Rock there is a quaint Scandinavian style cabin, located just at the base of Appalachian Ski Mountain. Stationed inside this gingerbread-esque house is the High Country Host, the go-to resource for folks looking for information on what to do in the Watauga, Ashe and Avery County.

High Country Host offers a variety of maps, brochures and information in the visitors center, including detailed hiking maps for the dozens of trails in the area.

“If you come up here, it can be overwhelming to see that we have over a hundred trails in our region,” said Candace Cook, tourism marketing director for High Country Host.

Cook also said High Country Host tries to help visitors find trails that match the views they’re looking for as well as their level of expertise.

The Blue Ridge Parkway will also be undergoing extensive construction in the summer of 2023, which will lead to the closure of several popular trails.

“If people are staying in a hotel and think they’re just going to be able to whiz on the parkway, they really should stop by here first or call us to find out where the closures are going to be that day,” Cook said.

Cook also said that all hotels in the area call and notify them when there are last minute cancellations.

“People can call here if they get to town and find that everything is booked. We have a list of all the hotel cancellations,” Cook said.

High Country Host also organizes a comprehensive community calendar, including events from all sur- rounding counties and update it online in real time. Physical copies of the calendar are also available at the visitors center.

The High Country Host visitors center is open seven days a week, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. They’re located at 6370 US-321, Blowing Rock, NC 28605 and can be reached via phone at (800) 438-7500.

For more information, visit https://highcountryhost.com/home