Table Of Content

The idea of forest bathing is that it’s meant to be done in solitude as a sort of nature therapy. It’s a half mile trail, so if you walked the whole thing and came back you’d add a mile to your trek. Read more about the Forest Bathing trail in Winston-Salem Journal. Creating these trails takes a tremendous amount of commitment and cooperation. An episode of Away Message , the podcast from Our State Magazine, explores how Elkin became a trail town. People have to come to agreement about where the trails should go.
James Knight Obituary - Elkin, North Carolina - Legacy.com
James Knight Obituary - Elkin, North Carolina.
Posted: Wed, 13 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Elkin, North Carolina
The trail is short (about 3/4-mile roundtrip), but it’s well worth the effort. Both trails are the same distance back to the parking lot and because you still should see the lower falls, we suggest you continue on the Powerhouse Trail. With less than an inch of annual snowfall, the city isn't exactly a winter wonderland, but it is within close driving distance to the mountains and winter sporting activities. You'll find plenty of unique shops to visit downtown — including one of my favorite independent book stores, Firestorm Books & Coffee.

Ways to Reach Carter Falls In Elkin (a Beautiful Yadkin Valley Waterfall)
Whether it’s your first time or a return trip to the area, we hope you’re able to get out there and explore this wonderful area as soon as possible. Summertime is a fantastic time for a road trip, with the windows down for some fresh air and your favorite Spotify playlist turned up. Today, I'm walking through four underrated spots within a four-hour drive from Charlotte. Pilot Mountain State Park has a beautiful visitor center, 20+ miles of hiking trails, the Yadkin River for paddling, horseback riding trails, rock climbing walls, and extensive campgrounds. North Carolina Highway 67 You can also enter Elkin by exiting off NC 67 (exit 82 at Jonesville), then heading west on NC 67 until crossing over the Yadkin River (this becomes old Business Hwy 21).
Hiking at Stone Mountain State Park
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 4,122 people, 1,618 households, and 1,087 families residing in the town. Many people also know Wilkesboro as the Moonshine Capital of the World, which means there’s also plenty of NASCAR history here. Hometown will take you out on the Yadkin River in a kayak or tube and is a great, locally-owned outfitter. Today, it houses the work of local artists and studios of those who work here on site. Classes are open to the public, so you can come and learn how to paint, draw, weave, build violins, and more. If you don’t meet a winemaker at the Wisdom Table, you’ll possibly meet one at Fruition.

thoughts on “25+ of the Best Things to Do in Elkin, NC, and Nearby (Wineries, Outdoor Fun, and more!)”
There is phenomenal fishing to be found in the numerous rivers and streams that run north, south, east, and west of Elkin. Highway 21 runs from the Great Lakes all the way to Florida and was once used as the main roadway between them. The Yadkin River originates near the Thunder Hill Overlook along the Blue Ridge Parkway (Milepost 290.4), and it’s a great place for kayaking or river tubing. In 2021, the FAC purchased the historic Gilvin Roth YMCA for development into a 45,000-square-foot school of craft and center for the visual and performing arts called the Foothills Arts Center. Skull Camp, a taproom and smokehouse, is on the town’s outskirts.
Bobby Cockerham Obituary (1931 - 2020) - Charlotte, NC - The Tribune - Legacy.com
Bobby Cockerham Obituary (1931 - - Charlotte, NC - The Tribune.
Posted: Thu, 07 Oct 2021 19:54:29 GMT [source]
Longer Pilot Mountain hikes include the Mountain Trail (4.3 miles, Red Blaze), which connects to Grindstone Trail (3 miles, Blue Blaze). Drive on US-21 for about 20 minutes from downtown Elkin and you’ll reach the Blue Ridge Parkway! From Elkin, you’ll enter at around Milepost 229, which is near Little Glade Mill Pond (MP 230) and Doughton Park (MP 238 to 241) to the south and Cumberland Knob (MP 217) to the north. Of course, one of the best things to do in Elkin is to visit Carter Falls, an easy, kid-friendly hike that was relatively unknown until recently. Personally, I like visiting when the greens of spring and summer haven’t arrived, as your view of the falls are more obstructed during those times.
There are even a few single-track mountain bike trails that branch off the trail, too, and they aren’t easy. The highlight of visiting Pilot Mountain SP, however, is summiting the mountain. This can be done via a fairly strenuous hike from the visitor center, or there is a parking area for those less inclined to climb. Carter Falls is a 50-foot series of upper and lower falls on the Wilkes County side of Elkin. It flows through Big Elkin Creek and of all the waterfalls near Elkin, this is the most popular and one of the best-maintained trails in the area. The distance is the same either way if you're flying a straight line (or driving the same roads back and forth).
Before digging into the best things to do in Elkin, we think it’s important to understand the town’s history and some interesting facts. Elkin Creek and the Yadkin River actually run right through the town of Elkin, and the Mitchell River has primo fishing spots between Elkin and Dobson, the next town north. The route, which is a pretty drive on its own, stretches through the NC Piedmont and climbs into the North Carolina High Country, just west of Elkin. For those who find themselves in the Elkin area in the summer, it’s worth timing the visit to check out the annual US-21 Road Market. The views from atop Pilot Mountain provide panoramas of the NC Piedmont, Sauratown Mountains, and the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Looking for a mountain escape? Try Boone, North Carolina
The Downtown Elkin Historic District has been designated as a national historic district, and is included on the National Register of Historic Places. For the most colorful hike and clearest water conditions at Carter Falls Elkin NC, we suggest warmer months and not after periods of intense rainfall. The water turns brown in color when it has rained a lot, so keep that in mind, too, when planning your visit. For a diversion, you’ll also meet a Skull Camp Trail spur about a mile into your hike. Grassy Creek Vineyard & Winery welcomes you to start your Carter Falls hike from their trailhead.
You can start exploring the outdoors while in Downtown Elkin, as multiple trails run through it. The Elkin Valley Trail Association (EVTA) has worked to connect the town’s trails Mountains-to-Sea Trail, which stretches from Clingmans Dome in Western NC to Jockey’s Ridge on the Outer Banks. Some of our favorites include “Forest Bathing” by Hand in Hand Creative (East Main St). The video that details their creation of this mural is fun to watch, too.
You’ll pass a footbridge and what looks like an abandoned structure on the left before eventually reaching the parking lot. The straight line flight distance is 5 miles less than driving on roads, which means the driving distance is roughly 1.1x of the flight distance. North Carolina is centrally located on the East Coast of the United States, which means it’s within a day’s drive or flight from cities throughout the Northeast, Midwest and South. With nonstop flights to international airports and the nation’s second-largest state-run highway and ferry systems, it’s easy to get where you’re going – and enjoy the ride along the way. You have a choice of the Carter Falls Trail, which leads to the upper part of the falls, or the Powerhouse Trail, which leads to the base of the falls. If you want to experience both the top and bottom of the falls, it doesn’t matter which trail you take, because you can make a loop of it.
The beautiful mural on the side of Southern on Main’s building is one of our favorites in town. There are even more to admire, though, as Elkin is blessed with a plethora of paintings on its buildings. At 628 Elk Spur St, it’s situated in a cozy residential neighborhood and is backed by an interesting story.
Pulling off the I-77, or cruising in from the Blue Ridge Parkway at milepost 229, the town of Elkin might seem somewhat unassuming at first glance. Just east of the Blue Ridge Mountains, rocky ridges smooth out into the rolling hills and lively mountain streams known as the North Carolina Piedmont. NC Tripping offers access to a huge audience with multiple advertising options.