The weather is finally starting to warm up and it's time to start finding fun things to do outside. Here are a few spots to hang out and have some fun with family or a few socially distanced friends.
The Greenway/parks and recreation fields
The Greenway is a great place to get some sun and exercise. Whether you want to walk, bike, run, skate, walk your dog, or just have a picnic, the Greenway has a great path open. There are gazebos and benches along the way as well. There is also the Tot Lot playground and the soccer and baseball fields to stop and play a game of spikeball, volleyball, soccer, or whatever motivates you to be outside.
Brookshire Park Loop
Brookshire Park is also a great park. The main loop goes around a field great for soccer, spikeball, or field games. The loop is occupied by runners, walkers, bikers, skaters, dog walkers, etc. The loop then exits the park and goes behind Ted Mackerel's soccer field and goes on for two more miles. A great place to go get some exercise and get out the bikes, skateboards, skates, etc.
Rocky Knob Park
Rocky Knob playground was renovated in the past year and is a good place to check out. There are also some great but difficult mountain biking trails that go for 7 miles. Hikers can go on the beautiful trails, but they have to be very aware of their surroundings with all the fast mountain bikers and the one way trail. Near the playground, there is also a small loop of jumps for mountain bikers if you are looking for somewhere to do stunts.
Boone United Methodist Trail
This trail starts behind the Boone United Methodist Church and goes fairly steep up the mountain for about a 2 mile loop. This is a great place to go if you are looking for something more central to Boone, though the views are mostly blocked by trees.
Boone Fork Trail
The Boone Fork is a 5.2 mile loop. It is a moderate level, beautiful hike. Hebron Falls is located along the loop. It is currently closed for the season but is a great place for later in the spring and the summer. It is heavily trafficked and muddy with some river crossings. It is reviewed as a great workout with some amazing scenery.
Hebron Falls (Branch off Boone Fork)
This is a beautiful trail with rivers and falls along it, about two miles long. Reviews say that it’s not very well marked and difficult to navigate, but moderate in difficulty. It’s recommended to wear shoes with a good grip as there are multiple river crossings and you will definitely get wet.
Trash Can Falls or Snake Pit
Trash Can Falls and Snake Pit are very close and similar, although Trash Can Falls features safer and taller jumps. They are great places to swim, especially if you are looking for a place to jump from a rock into the water. These locations are very crowded, especially by college students, but if you are willing to brave it, they are good swimming holes. The pools are fairly small, but it is just deep enough to allow jumping. There is a tiny waterfall filling the pool. It is fairly secluded and requires a short hike from the road to get to. There are two ways to get to it from the road, from above or below. Below requires a bit of climbing up, but nothing too extreme. A good place to sunbathe. Downstream from Snake Pit, the river is fairly deep and used for expert level kayaking as well.
Twisted Falls/Compression Falls
A bit of a longer drive into Tennessee, but no more than 40 minutes. The hike down to the falls is extremely steep, almost straight down. You definitely want to wear tennis shoes or hiking boots, something you won’t slide out of. There are trees to grab onto, but keep in mind that this is not suited for people who have trouble moving around and it is difficult to get dogs to it, but if they are safe letting off the leash, that would be ideal. Although it is hard to get to, the falls are gorgeous. There is a pretty large pool to swim in. The main waterfall is very wide and comes into the pool. You can hike up on top of the waterfall and there is another pool on top that you can jump into from a rock. If you are really a daredevil, you can also jump off the falls, a 30 foot jump into the deepest part of the pool.
Crab Orchard Falls(Valle Crucis)
Orchard Falls is a great little hike. It’s a little bit of a steep hike, but less than a mile up to a small pool filled by a waterfall and pretty accessible. You can hike further up alongside the water or swim in the pool. The pool isn’t very deep, but a good place to hang out.
Beacon Heights(Blue Ridge Parkway)
Beacon Heights is a tiny little hike from the road, but it opens up to a rock face that has phenomenal views. Great for any time of day, but an especially spectacular place to watch the sunrise/sunset and stargaze. It is about a thirty minute drive from Boone, but well worth the time.
Elk Knob State Park
Elk Knob has a 1.8 mile hike, fairly moderate up to a lookout with gorgeous views of the state park. It also has a few campsites that require a hike to, which makes a good really easy backpacking experience.
Price Lake
Price Lake is a large lake, on the Blue Ridge Parkway that has beautiful views, hiking, camping, and really good fishing. You can also canoe and kayak, either bring your own or rent. It’s a little further away, but a beautiful lake.
Grayson Highlands
Grayson Highlands State Park is in Grayson, Virginia, about an hour away from Boone. It’s absolutely beautiful. It has many hiking trails, most of which end up connecting to the Appalachian Trail. There are rock outcroppings that are used for bouldering. There are horse riding trails as well. The main attraction is the wild ponies, which can be seen along the trail.
Watauga High students voted on which of these are their favorite if you want to know which ones the student body prefers.
These are just a few of the many hikes and waterfalls that can be found around Boone. Take some time this year and get outside to enjoy nature and the sunshine!
Written by: Kylie Broce
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