Explore our Blog for a glimpse into the many experiences and stories of our beloved mountain town. Be sure to also check out our Itineraries for great travel ideas that are definitely blog worthy!
Wood-Fired Kiln Opening
Each year, the folks at Traditions Pottery Studio, just south of Blowing Rock, host a special event they call the Thanksgiving Kiln Opening. Always on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, it has become a major day for pottery collectors and fans of traditional Appalachian pieces.
Blowing Rock Voted a Top Adventure Town by Blue Ridge Outdoors Readers
Over 24,000 votes poured in to Blue Ridge Outdoors magazine’s thirteenth annual Top Adventure Towns contest, presented by LOWA. From 100 adventure hubs across the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic, readers narrowed down nominees in four different categories: tiny town (population less than 3,000), small town (population 3,001-16,000), mid-sized town (population 16,001-75,000),
Fall Color Update: October 31, 2023
Today is our last day of Daily Fall Photos for the season. We still have some leaves hanging on here and there, but predominantly the color has moved on to lower elevations. It has been a long season with color starting in late September and changing throughout the month of
Trails We Took in October
October is all about fall foliage, and many local trails can be very busy during leaf season. We headed to some stunning but less well-known spots.
Fall Color Update: October 24, 2023
Last week we saw our most impressive colors at our highest elevations. Over the weekend we experienced wind that scattered some of our more vibrant leaves at the ridges of our mountains. However, there are still great colors to be found below 4,500 ft.
Path to Achievement: Building a Pump Track Trail
Becoming an Eagle Scout takes dedication and persistence. To earn this highest rank advancement, Scouts must plan and complete a community service project that gives them the experience of leading others in pursuit of a worthwhile goal. Local Scout Evan Cutlip of Troop 109 knew he wanted his project to
Fall Color Update: October 17, 2023
Well, we survived the wind this weekend and so did most of the leaves. Due to the later timing of this season, the trees did not lose nearly as many leaves in the wind gusts as they would have if color was further progressed. The weather has been cooler and
Fall Color Update: October 9, 2023
The weather has gotten cooler and is ideal for color change here in the High Country. Cool, sunny days help leaf color progression. Currently we are still not at peak with plenty of green left over from the summer months. However, we are seeing changes by the day.
National Accolades for the Restaurant at Gideon Ridge
For the second year in a row, Tripadvisor has named The Restaurant at Gideon Ridge in Blowing Rock a top dining destination. In their 2023 Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best Awards, the online travel review giant ranked The Restaurant at Gideon Ridge as #2 Fine Dining Restaurant and #3
Fall Color Update: October 2, 2023
It is officially October and we are gearing up for more color in the coming weeks. We see more pops of color every day, however, the overall color in the region is mainly green. So do not panic, there is still plenty of time to see the color changes here
Why Blowing Rock is Great for Leaf Viewing
It’s that time of year again. We are starting to see the changes of Fall here in the High Country. Blowing Rock is an excellent destination for fall color, some might say the best. There are a few reasons why our location is an ideal one with such vibrancy and
Trails We Took in September
From the Figure Eight Trail to Cragway Loop, these trails are all excellent places to see the shift to fall begin.