The Highlighted Guide
Free, dog-friendly things to do in the High Country
The best of Avery and Watauga counties costs nothing and most of it welcomes your dog: free hiking trails, parks, overlooks, lakes, waterfalls, town greenways, and no-fee events. This is the list we give our own guests, organized by county so the next adventure takes two minutes to find.
A day in the High Country with a dog is simple: pick a trail, park free, and walk. The Blue Ridge Parkway has no entrance fee, North Carolina state parks here charge nothing to enter, and most town parks are open to everyone. The one rule that shows up everywhere: dogs stay on a leash, six feet or shorter at parkway sites and state parks, and you pack out what they leave behind.
A few trails in the Linville area remain closed after Hurricane Helene, so check the National Park Service page for Linville Falls before you drive out. Everything else below was open and free at last check, and the locals keep it that way.
No. 01 · Watauga County
Boone, Blowing Rock, and Todd
Watauga County holds the parkway's gentlest trails, the Boone Greenway, and two mountaintop parks with free views. Start with the carriage roads at Moses Cone for an easy first day, then graduate to Elk Knob when everyone is warmed up.
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01
Moses H. Cone Memorial Park
Blue Ridge Parkway Milepost 294. More than 25 miles of wide, easy carriage trails through a mountain estate, plus the flat one-mile Bass Lake Loop. Free, and leashed dogs are welcome.
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02
Boone Greenway
A flat, paved, accessible trail that follows the river through Boone. Free, and a favorite for dogs and strollers.
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03
Price Lake Trail
Blue Ridge Parkway Milepost 296.7. A roughly 2.4-mile loop around a scenic mountain lake. Free.
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04
Elk Knob State Park
Near Todd. Free entry, with a summit hike and wide views of the northern High Country. Dogs allowed on all trails on a six-foot leash.
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05
Howard Knob County Park
A mountaintop park in Boone at 4,396 feet with panoramic views. Leashed dogs welcome.
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06
Glen Burney Trail
In Blowing Rock, a free trail that descends to three waterfalls: Glen Burney, Glen Mary, and Cascade.
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07
Off-leash parks
Arko Dog Park at the Watauga Humane Society in Boone, and Mountain Dog Coffee Dog Park in Foscoe.
No. 02 · Avery County
Banner Elk, Linville, and Elk Park
Avery County is where the waterfalls live. Elk River Falls and Upper Creek Falls are short, free walks with big payoff, and Rough Ridge gives you boardwalk views that feel like flying. Beech Mountain's own Bark Park sits minutes from the cabin.
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01
Linville Falls
Blue Ridge Parkway Milepost 316. Free, with the Erwin's View Trail and Linville Gorge Trail leading to the three-tiered falls. Leashed dogs welcome. Some trails are still closed after Hurricane Helene, so check the NPS page first.
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02
Elk River Falls
Near Elk Park. A short walk to a roughly 50-foot waterfall. Free.
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03
Rough Ridge Overlook
Blue Ridge Parkway Milepost 302.8. A free boardwalk overlook with sweeping 360-degree views, on the Tanawha Trail.
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04
Upper Creek Falls
Near Newland. A free waterfall hike with swimming holes along the way.
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05
Crab Orchard Falls Trail
A free waterfall hike in Banner Elk, close to town.
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06
Tate-Evans Park
Banner Elk's town park, with open fields and an off-leash area for dogs.
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07
Beech Mountain Bark Park
An off-leash park on the mountain, for the days you want to let them run.
No. 03 · No-Fee Events
Free events with mountain views
- Live Music at 5,506': free outdoor music every Saturday from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. in summer, at the top of the Beech Mountain Resort chairlift, the highest bar in Eastern America.
- Concerts on the Lawn: free community concerts around the High Country through the summer. Check the town calendars for the current lineup.
- July 4th week: the Mile High Kite Festival, a farmers market, and fireworks on Beech Mountain, most of it free to watch.
- Every town park: Tate-Evans in Banner Elk, the Beech Mountain Bark Park, and the Boone Greenway are open every day, no fee, no ticket.
No. 04 · Trail Tips
Before you head out
- Keep dogs on a six-foot leash at parkway sites and state parks. It is the rule, and it protects the bears and the dogs.
- Pack water for everyone. Mountain air is dry and trails climb more than they look like they do.
- Parkway overlooks fill early on fall weekends. Go by 9 a.m. or after 3 p.m.
- Check trail status before driving out, especially in the Linville area after Hurricane Helene.
- Leave no trace: bag the dog waste and carry it out. Free places stay free when everyone treats them well.
Wake up inside the guide
The Heart of Beech Retreat is minutes from the Emerald Outback, the Bark Park, and the parkway, with the free trails of Avery and Watauga all around. Book the cabin and make this your home base.