Summertime in the NC High Country offers great outdoor activities and plenty of local events, festivals and celebrations. Enjoy our Summer Guide and check out our favorite ways to explore all the High Country has to offer!
High Country Summer Activities
Hiking
- In the High Country, we have a great variety of hiking trails for all skill levels:
- Explore over 50 hiking trails on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
- If you're looking for hikes that will take you to breathtaking views, check out these Top 5 View Hikes.
- For hikes that will offer sightings of unique species of flowers, check out this list of Blue Ridge Parkway Wildflower Hikes.
Water Activities
Canoeing, Kayaking & Rafting
Summer is a great time to canoe or kayak Boone Area streams and rivers! Local outfitters offer the entire range of adventure, from boat rentals to guided day trips. Paddling High Country lakes is a family-friendly outdoor adventure everyone can enjoy. Rent a canoe or rowboat at Price Lake or take it up a notch and check out our Whitewater rafting options!
Tubing
Outfitters include:
Tubing the river is the most relaxing way to spend a summer afternoon! Our area offers an abundance of options for tubing. Boone Area
- Rivergirl Fishing Co (located in Todd, NC) offers full-service fly fishing, canoe, kayak, and tube rentals, and more.
- Wahoo's Adventures (located in Boone, NC) is the two-time winner of the "Outfitter of the Year" by the professional Paddlesports
- Association. Wahoo's offers everything, including tubing, kayaking, canoeing, and whitewater rafting.
- River&Earth Adventures also offers everything you need for a day on the river, including guided day trips and paddling school with ACA-certified instructors.
- High Mountain Expeditions has been crafting adventures for 25 years! They are experts at tubing, river rafting, hiking, and caving. Find the adventure that fits your needs!
- Tube Boone is Boone's newest tubing outfitter! If you're looking for a fun and friendly float on the beautiful New River, check them out!
Waterfalls
The Boone Area is home to some beautiful cascades! Some of our favorite waterfalls include:
- Crabtree Falls, the prettiest and most iconic cascade.
- Glen Burney Falls-a beautiful sight that can be accessed by the Glen Burney Trail from the village streets of Blowing Rock.
- Linville Falls- the biggest waterfall on the Blue Ridge Parkway!
- The Cascades- a short walk that leads to where Falls Creek leaps off the Blue Ridge.
- Elk River Falls- A short but moderate trail will take you to the bottom of this waterfall, where the Elk River drops 85 feet over a wide, aven lorne to form elk River Calle
Lakes & Swimming
- Bass Lake on the Blue Ridge Parkway offers a very easy, scenic 0.9 mile loop around the lake, suitable for wheelchairs and baby carriages. Fishing is allowed and you can easily access longer loops that will take you to The Maze, the Apple Barn, or all the way to Moses Cone Manor.
- Price Lake is the perfect place to hike, fish and camp! You can rent a rowboat, canoe or kayak from the on-site rental facility that als sells bait and rents fishing tackle
- Wildcat Lake features a white sand beach, two swimming areas, a swimming dock and two fishing docks! Located in Banner Elk, you can also enjoy picnic facilities and two playground areas. Lifeguards are on duty and admission is freel
- Watauga Lake offers some of the most stunning lake and mountain views. Just 45 minutes from Boone, Watauga Lake offers boat launches, picnicking, camping, swimming, and fishing
Ziplines
- Hawksnest Zipline in Seven Devils offers 2 full tour options, featuring 20 ziplines in total, with over 4 miles of ziplining adventure! Enjoy heights up to 200 feet and speeds over 40 mph as you zipline over treetops, lakes, and creeks while taking in the incredible panoramic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains
- High Gravity Adventures is conveniently located between Boone and Blowing Rock and offers a zipline tour and an aerial adventure park
- Sky Valley Zip Tours features 10 different lines, cliff jumping, and a swinging bridge!
Summer Events
Christmas in July
Downtown West Jefferson
July 1-2, 2022, 9am-5pm
The 34th Annual Christmas in July Festival takes place in the quaint town of West Jefferson. The festival features great local mountain music, traditional dance, festival food, crafts and street entertainment! There's truly something for everyone.
Grandfather Mountain Highland Games
Grandfather Mountain
Bagpipes, athletes, dancers and rocking Celtic music make this celebration of Scottish culture one of the most highly acclaimed highland games in the country!
