High Country Summer Hiking Update
UPDATED 8/19/25

HIGH COUNTRY WATERFALL TRAILS
Here are the top 3 waterfall trails to explore this summer:

• Crab Orchard Falls, 1.5 Miles
  Valle Crucis Conference Center, Valle Crucis
• Glen Burney Falls, 2.4-3.2 Miles
  Annie Cannon Gardens, Downtown Blowing Rock
• Amadahy Waterfalls, 4.25 Miles
  Rendezvous Mountain State Park, Purlear

WATERFALL TRAILS CURRENTLY CLOSED

• Linville Falls, Blue Ridge Parkway/Pisgah Forest District
• The Cascades, Blue Ridge Parkway
• Otter Falls, Seven Devils *Partially Open-- Red Trail Section Closed

NORTH CAROLINA STATE PARK TRAILS CLOSED
Almost High Country NC State Park trails have reopened, except for:

• Profile Trail, Profile Connector Trail and Profile Parking Area- Grandfather Mountain State Park
• Kings Creek Access, Alleghany Access, all tent camping sites- New River State Park
  
  

BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY TRAILS
Two sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway are open in the High Country Region:
(1- SOUTH) Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk area; mileposts 285.5-305.1.  The main access point is the Blue Ridge Parkway entrance off Hwy 321S between Boone and Blowing Rock.  (2- NORTH) Sparta area; mileposts 244.7-Virginia Line.  The main access point is the Blue Ridge Parkway entrance off US Hwy 21. Here is a list of trails currently open on the Blue Ridge Parkway:

            NORTH

• ·        MP 444.7: Flat Rock Ridge Trail, 5.0 Miles
• ·        MP 243.7 Basin Creek Trail, 3.30 Miles
• ·        MP 243.7: Grassy Gap Fire Road, 6.5 Miles
• ·        MP 241.0: Bluff Ridge Trail, 2.89 Miles
• ·        MP 241.0: Fodder Stack Trail, 1.0 Miles
• ·        MP 238.5: Bluff Mountain Trail, 7.50 Miles
• ·        MP 238.5: Cedar Ridge Trail, 4.20 Miles
• ·        MP 217.5: Cumberland Knob Trail, 0.5 Miles

SOUTH

• MP 294.0: Rich Mountain Trail, 3.0 Miles
• MP 294.0: Flat Top Mountain Trail, 3.0 Miles
• MP 294.0: Bass Lake Trail, 1.7 Miles
• MP 294.0: Maze Trail, 2.3 Miles
• MP 294.1: Figure 8 Trail, .7 Miles
• MP 294.6: Trout Lake, 1 Mile
• MP 295.9: Green Knob Trail, 2.3 Miles
• MP 296.9: Boone Fork Trail, 5.3 Miles
• MP 297.0: Price Lake Loop, 2.3 Miles
• MP 302.9: Rough Ridge Trail, 1.45 Miles
• MP 304.4: Linn Cove Viaduct Access Trail, .16 Miles
• MP 305: Exit to Grandfather Mountain, All Trails & Exhibits Open *Admission charged
  

BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY HIGH COUNTRY TRAILS CLOSED

• All trails from 285.5-260.3, including Cascades Falls
• All trails south of MP 305, including Linville Falls
• Gully Creek Trail, MP 217.5, Cumberland Knob Park
  

HIGH COUNTRY TOWN TRAILS CLOSED

• Upper & Lower Pond Creek Trails, Beech Mountain
• Howards Knob, Boone