High Country NC Tourism Openings & Closures COVID-19
Updated 9-23-20

**NC MANDATE**
Starting Friday 6/26, the entire state will require face coverings (public indoors + outdoors) where 6ft distancing is not possible, unless you are under the age of 5 or have a medical condition that prevents your ability to do so.
For all details: https://www.nc.gov/covid19

The High Country Regional Visitor Center is open M-Sat, 9-5 and Sun, 9-3.  You can stop by (or call 828-264-1299) by the visitor center and pick up State, regional and Blue Ridge Parkway maps, hiking trail and lodging information.  We will also update the list of openings/closures of top visitor activities listed below, as needed:

BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY

• Campgrounds, visitor centers, ranger programs:
  • Price Park & Linville Falls Campground: Open
  • Doughton Park Campground & Bluffs Restaurant: Closed
• ALL Hiking Trails: Open
• Restrooms, picnic areas: Open 
• Parkway Craft Center @ Moses Cone Manor: Open Wed-Sun: 10-6. No upstairs tours in 2020.

NORTH CAROLINA STATE PARKS: Trails/restrooms: Open

AVERY COUNTY- BANNER ELK
*Restaurants takeout & 50% dine in

• Town parks: open 
• Apple Hill Farm: tours by reservation 
• Banner Elk Winery: open
• Beech Mountain Resort: open
• Crossnore Weavers: open
• Elk Creek Outfitters: open
• Emerald Village: Gem mining, gold panning, gift shop, some museums andpicnic area open. No mine tours
• Ensemble Stage: limited outdoor children/family shows only. Check website
• Gem Mountain: open M-Sat 10-5
• Grandfather Mountain: opening with limited online reservations only, no ticket sales at gate- see website 
• Grandfather Trout Farm: open
• Grandfather Winery: open
• Linville Caverns: open, first come, first serve, limited admissions, masks required
• Orchard at Altapass: building, refreshments, storytelling open Wed-Sun, 10-5 only.  Orchard trails open for hiking. No live music or hayrides
• Sugar Mountain Resort: open 
• Wildcat Lake: closed for 2020 season

EVENTS

• Avery Farmers Market: open
• Fine Arts & Master Craft Festival: Sept 11-13
• Land of Oz Fall Tours: cancelled
• Valle Country Fair (Oct): cancelled
• Woolly Worm Festival: cancelled

WATAUGA COUNTY-BOONE, BLOWING ROCK
*Restaurants takeout & 50% dine in

• Town Parks: open
• Appalachian Theatre: closed (online events only)
• Blowing Rock Art & History Museum: opening Sept 22
• Chetola Resort:
  • Spa: open
  • Restaurant: open 
• Daniel Boone Native Gardens: open
• Doc’s Rocks: open
• Foggy Mountain Gem Mine: open
• Harvest Farm Corn Maze: closed 2020
• Hawksnest Zipline: open- reservations only
• Hickory Ridge Homestead tours: open
• High Gravity Zipline & Aerial Adventure Park: open 
• High Mountain Expeditions: open
• Mast General Store- Downtown Boone: open
• Mountainbound Fly Guides: open 
• Mountains to Coast Fly Fishing & Hunting: open
• Mystery Hill: open
• Original Mast General Store, Valle Crucis: open
• River & Earth Adventures: open
• Rock Dimensions: climbing wall open
• Sky Valley Zip Tours: open
• Tanger Outlet Mall: all stores open
• The Blowing Rock: open
• The Children’s Playhouse: closed
• The Jones House: closed
• Turchin Center: closed
• Tweetsie Railroad: closed through fall
• Valle Crucis Park: open
• Wahoo's Adventures: open
• Watauga Lake Winery: open Fri-Sun, dining available
• Willow Creek Golf: open
• Westglow Spa: open

EVENTS

• Art in the Park: scheduled for July-Oct
• Mountain Home Music: cancelled
• Watauga Farmers Market: open

ASHE COUNTY- WEST JEFFERSON AREA
*Restaurants takeout & 50% dine in

• Town Parks: open
• Ashe County Cheese: open M-Sat, 8:30-5
• Ashe County Arts Council: open Wed-Sat, 10-3
• Ashe County Corn Maze: closed 2020
• Mountainaire Golf: open 
• Ben Long Fresco Churches: open
• Florence Thomas Art School: open 
• Museum of Ashe County History: open
• Zaloo's Canoes: open

EVENTS

• Ashe Farmers Market: open
• Blue Ridge Brutal: cancelled
• Old Fashioned Antiques Fair: cancelled
• Stomp n Brew: cancelled
• Ashe Arts Council Art on the Mountain: cancelled

WILKESBORO
*Restaurants takeout & 50% dine in

• Town Parks: open
• Call Family Distillery: tours & tastings closed, store open
• Leatherwood Mountains:
  • lodging and campground- open
  • trail rides- open
• Perry Lowe Orchard: open
• Wilkes Heritage Museum: open 
• Stone Mountain State Park: open

EVENTS

• Concerts in the Commons: cancelled
• Brushy Mountain Apple Festival: cancelled
• Carolina in the Fall: cancelled
• Merlefest 2021: Sept 16-20

ALLEGHANY COUNTY- SPARTA AREA
*Restaurants takeout & 50% dine in

EVENTS

• Concerts on Main: cancelled 
• Alleghany Fiddlers Convention: cancelled
• Mountain Heritage Festival: cancelled

RESTAURANTS 
The local chambers of commerce are doing a great job of compiling lists of restaurants offering take out & delivery.  Please view the lists at the links below:

• Beech Mountain & Banner Elk Area List
• Boone Area List
• Blowing Rock List
• West Jefferson List (find Facebook post)
• Wilkesboro List

WAYS TO CONNECT TO YOUR FAVORITE ATTRACTIONS
The local NC High Country Community is a very supportive one and many of our favorite places to visit are offering ways to stay connected online! View HERE