To assist our visitors, the Boone Convention & Visitors Bureau offers these three fun-filled itineraries.
Blue Ridge Rails, Rapids & Rubies
8 to 9 Hours
* Travel south on US 321 to the Blue Ridge Parkway, south.
* First stop, Linville Falls. (Allow 40 minutes drive time). The visitor Center describes the trails to the falls, hikes are moderate to strenuous. (Allow 1 to 2 hours).
* Continue on to Mitchell County and the Orchard at Altapass. (Allow 15 minutes drive time). Established on the route of the old Clinch Mountain Railroad, this one-hundred-year-old apple orchard is open Memorial Day weekend through October's end, with live mountain music and dancing every Saturday and Sunday. (Allow 1 to 2 hours).
* Continue on to Spruce Pine's mineral district. (Allow 20 minutes drive time). Stop at the Museum of North Carolina Minerals at Spruce Pine and get an overview of the state's mineral wealth (Allow 30 minutes). Have lunch at any of the delightful restaurants in the Spruce Pine and/or Little Switzerland area.
* Try your luck at gem mining at any one of the area sites. From the Little Switzerland exit off the Parkway, turn right onto Chestnut Grove Church Rd. Both mines are located on McKinney Mine Road, on the left about a mile from the parkway. Emeralds, rubies, sapphires, moonstones and other precious and semi-precious stones are waiting to be found. Blue Ridge Gemstone Mine once unearthed a sapphire of 590 carats. A 320 carat gem was cut from the stone as well as seven smaller stones. The gem has been donated to the Colburn Museum in Asheville. Emerald Village, just down the road from Blue Ridge Gemstone Mine has a tour of an abandoned mine as well as mining. (Allow about 2 hours).
* Not far from Spruce Pine, visit the Penland School of Crafts, the oldest and largest school for high quality mixed media and crafts in North America. To reach Penland School from Spruce Pine, take NC 226 north to Penland Road. Turn left at the sign for Penland Road.
* Return to Boone via the Blue Ridge Parkway and enjoy some of the many overlooks or take the alternate route NC 226 to US 19E to NC 194 to NC 184 to NC 105.
Options: White water rafting is popular in the region, but you will need to allow a full day to raft. Canoeing the rivers and lakes is yet another way to explore this diverse region.
FACT: More than 480 minerals have been found in the Spruce Pine Mineral District according to the US Government geological survey. Gemstones are the top grade of any mineral category.
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Frescoes, Waterfalls & Outdoor Drama
6 to 8 Hours
* Visit St. Mary's Episcopal Church in West Jefferson to admire the frescoes painted by Ben Long. Take US 421 South from Boone to US 221 North. Take US 221 N to traffic light at Hwy 163, turn left, then left at the first road to the left. Go about 1 mile, St. Mary's is on the right. (Allow 45 minutes drive time from Boone and 15 minutes for the visit).
* Next stop, Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Glendale Springs, which houses the largest of the Ben Long frescoes, "The Lord's Supper". From St. Mary's return to Highway 163. Turn right, go through the stoplight and follow 163 to Hwy 16. Turn left and go about 5 miles to Glendale Springs. Church on left about 100 yards past Blue Ridge Parkway. (Allow 20 min. drive time and 30 minutes for visit).
* A short drive from Holy Trinity Church at the Glendale Springs entrance to the Blue Ridge Parkway is the Northwest Trading Post, open April 15 - October 31. There are other craft stores in the area as well. (Three minutes drive time. Other craft stores a walk across parking lot. Allow 30 minutes each location).
* Travel south along the Blue Ridge Parkway (30 minute drive time) to the Cascades Waterfall overlook. (One hour hike round trip, 2.4 miles, moderate hike). Bring a picnic lunch! Tables available.
* Return to Boone via the Parkway, exiting at Deep Gap (30 minutes drive time) or, continue on to the picturesque mountain town of Blowing Rock on US 321 (about 45 minutes drive time).
* For evening entertainment, try the outdoor drama "Horn in the West", open from mid-June to mid-August, every night at 7:30, except Monday. Play is in Boone just off NC 105, US 321 and US 421. Well-marked. Play lasts about 2 1/2 hours.
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Museums & Mountain Masts
7 to 9 Hours
* Visit the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts on King Street in downtown Boone. Unveiled in May 2003 by Appalachian State University, the center is the largest visual arts center in northwestern North Carolina, eastern Tennessee, and southwestern Virginia. (Allow 1 hour).
* Take US 321 S to the Blue Ridge Parkway, go south to the Moses Cone Estate, open May through October (Allow 20 minutes drive time). Tour the mansion and browse through the Parkway Craft Center which is part of the Southern Highlands Craft Guild. There you will see some of the finest work by Southern artisans who are sometimes on hand to demonstrate their talents.
* Continue south on the Blue Ridge Parkway to Grandfather Mountain. (Allow 30 minutes drive time). Visit the Nature Museum, animal habitats with deer, bears, cougars, otters, gold and bald eagles and the Mile-High Bridge. Lunch can be purchased on site or bring a picnic to enjoy the variety of picnic sites around the mountain. Hiking trails available too. (Allow 2 to 3 hours).
* From Grandfather Mountain, take US 221 S to NC 105 N to Broadstone Road. Follow Broadstone Road to Valle Crucis and Mast General Store. (Allow 30 minutes drive time). The Mast General Store is typical of the general stores that were the focal point of communities during the latter part of the past century. (Allow 1 hour).
* Return to Boone for dinner.
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For more information, call the Boone Convention & Visitors Bureau at 1-800-852-9506.
