The Blowing Rock (Blowing Rock North Carolina)

One of the places we had the chance to visit on a recent trip was The Blowing Rock which is just outside of the town of Blowing Rock North Carolina. This is a fun little adventure that allows you to stop and see some of the beauty of the North Carolina Mountains as well as learn about the local folklore surrounding the legend of the Blowing Rock.

Directions to Trailhead: The Blowing Rock is located just outside of the Town of Blowing Rock North Carolina. From the Town of Blowing Rock North Carolina take the 321 South (Blowing Rock Boulevard) toward The Blowing Rock. The turn off will be on your righthand side in roughly 1.5 - 2 miles. Click Here for a map to The Blowing Rock.

Description of Hike: This is an out and back hike on a well maintained short trail system. The trail system at The Blowing Rock is mostly paved with minimal elevation gain. The entire trail system is approximately 1,200 feet long and thus is very family friendly. Business hours vary by season and weather conditions, click Here for a list of business hours and prices for admission to the Blowing Rock. To download a copy of the trail map for The Blowing Rock click Here.

Further Thoughts: This was a fun short hike that offered great views of the Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina. Although the trails are short and some would call this a tourist trap, in our opinion The Blowing Rock is worth a visit due to the spectacular views and scenery it provides visitors. The price for admission when we visited was $6 per adult which was reasonable. We enjoyed learning about the legend surrounding The Blowing Rock and took in the tremendous views the trails offered.

It is said that a Chickasaw chieftan, fearful of a white man’s admiration for his lovely daughter, journeyed far from the plains to bring her to The Blowing Rock and the care of a squaw mother. One day the maiden, daydreaming on the craggy cliff, spied a Cherokee brave wandering in the wilderness far below and playfully shot an arrow in his direction. The flirtation worked because soon he appeared before her wigwam, courted her with songs of his land and they became lovers, wandering the pathless woodlands and along the crystal streams.

One day a strange reddening of the sky brought the brave and the maiden to The Blowing Rock. To him it was a sign of trouble commanding his return to his tribe in the plains. With the maiden’s entreaties not to leave her, the brave, torn by conflict of duty and heart, leaped from The Rock into the wilderness far below. The grief-stricken maiden prayed daily to the Great Spirit until one evening with a reddening sky, a gust of wind blew her lover back onto The Rock and into her arms. From that day a perpetual wind has blown up onto The Rock from the valley below. For people of other days, at least, this was explanation enough for The Blowing Rock’s mysterious winds causing even the snow to fall upside down.

Overall our visit and hike at The Blowing Rock was fun and we would recommend it to others. There is a very tranquil feel to the air in the North Carolina Mountains and we look forward to visiting again soon.

Rating: Elevation Gain: Minimal (Very Easy), Distance: 0.25 Miles (Very Easy).

Time to Complete Hike: 20 minutes.

View The Blowing Rock in a larger map