Beautiful Serene Calming and if you pick the right time of day or year quiet too. A local said it can get quite crowded in peak season. You have several routes to choose from we did the shortest which was just a loop around the pond! read more

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Gorgeous views! Wonderful hiking. We fished at Trout Lake and enjoyed the 1/2 mile hike from the parking lot to the dam. Next time we'll go all the way around. About 1 mile total. read more

Moses H Cone Memorial Park - Trout Lake. Near the dam. - Parks Near Me - Blowing Rock, North Carolina

This pull-off from the Blue Ridge Parkway is not far from Boone. It is apparently an abandoned estate that was once an apple orchard. Signage indicates that lead and arsenic were used as pesticides in the area so staying out of the soil is advised. Still, there is plenty to do, with the estate's house offering a collection of local art and a view of the valley, and numerous trails for both humans and horses. The lake at the bottom was nothing special, but it's all about the journey. Notably, the amount of tree coverage on the trails was high, making them a viable option on a hot day. read more

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This is a fantastic park to visit alone, with family, with dogs, with friends, with everyone. It is right on the parkway and makes for a nice stop to stretch your legs and see some views. It is accessible for people who are a variety of ages and walking abilities. The place can be accessed by individuals who are in wheelchairs, those who can walk only a little bit, as well as those who are interested in rigourously hiking or running -- the park can be just as you make it! Personally, I enjoy using this spot as a place to take out-of-town guests, to walk my dog, or have picnics with beautiful views. Check other reviews on Yelp or the internet to learn more about the trails - some are relatively easy while others (like Fire Tower) apparently more strenuous. Before the pandemic, the manor house was open most of the time, with a running store selling local crafts and artwork on the first floor and free house tours happening every hour or so on the second floor. I went on the house tour once, and it was really neat to see the artitecture as well as learn about the family who once lived there. Since the pandemic, the house has been mostly closed to my knowledge; I believe they are using this time to complete some needed renovations (but I could be wrong.) All in all, I recommend anyone who is in the area take a stop here. Just be aware that you may not be able to visit in the snow or ice if/when the parkway is usually closed down due to dangerous driving conditions. read more

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I've been here a couple times. it's a really cool stop for tourists. Take time to tour the mansion. And be sure to get onto the trail that leads up to the tower. It's about a 5 mile hike round-trip. This place has some gorgeous views and is great for picture taking. When I had gone into the mansion the staff seemed extremely helpful. P.S. the mansion is closed during the pandemic read more

Moses H Cone Memorial Park - Parks Near Me - Blowing Rock, North Carolina

Wow! Aside from the manor house, built by Moses Cone, the 19th and 20th Century supplier for Levi Strauss denim from his North Carolina Mills, the series of trails and parks his heirs left to the state are truly fantastic. The particular trail we hiked yesterday, the Glen Burney Trail, was truly pretty amazing. It starts next to the main street of the cool, art-sy town of Blowing Rock, is moderately challenging and is astoundingly beautiful. We hiked with our friends Laura and Carole, but forgot the hiking poles even though it had rained and was a little slippery. The element of danger with the sheer drops off granite cliffs was my fault (LOL), but the park and trail were pretty amazing. The rewards of the hike are the gorgeous waterfalls and rocky outcroppings at every twist and turn. The hike is moderate exertion but doable. Everyone is remarkably friendly and full of advice (go right to see the best view of the waterfall, etc), and I've never seen so many adorable dogs in one spot. The best part aside from the vistas? It's absolutely free, including parking in a parking deck clad with fieldstone so it fits right in with the landscape. The truly bizarre part? Until the 1920s / 1930s this was the sewage treatment and runoff plant for the town of Blowing Rock: it's definitely a testament to how nature can correct mankind's bad decisions. The small plant is now a romantic stone ruin, but you get the idea of what it must have been like, with a giant old pipe that opened into the downhill end, right into the pristine mountain stream... : ) read more

Moses H Cone Memorial Park - Amazing waterfalls - Parks Near Me - Blowing Rock, North Carolina

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Located off the Blue Ridge Parkway, the manor and grounds are free to explore and hike. There are 25 miles of hiking paths, some shared by horses and horse drawn carriages. Really spectacular views and the main trail from the house is paved. We arrived after the manor was closed but very glad the bathroom was open til dusk. read more

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Moses H. Cone Memorial Park on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Blowing Rock is a beautiful and well maintained park with great views and trails. I like the history and the story of the house and the park. This is well worth a stop on the Blue Ridge Parkway for the view alone and much more. read more

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This is a beautiful trail to walk. Bass Lake is just gorgeous and I'd love to go again if I were in the area. The only drawback is the horse droppings, on most trails, but it doesn't take away from the beauty. read more

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While this is no Biltmore Estate, the Moses Cone Manor / Flat Top Manor shows that life in the mountains wasn't all roughing it in cabins, even back in the early 1900s. The manor itself houses some nice artwork for sale on the ground floor, and there is also a visitor's desk where you can get information about the trails in the park. My wife and I hiked up to the cemetery and back, which was very doable and pleasant on a not-too-hot summer day. None of the trails are steep because they were built so horses could carry carriages up and down the mountain - so there are a lot of switchbacks, but it's all at a manageable grade. You can also go horseback riding on the trails, which we didn't end up doing, but looked like it would be fun. The part I enjoyed the most was the tour of the manor that was given by the national park ranger. It was free, but you are supposed to sign up in advance, and they only give tours at certain times of the day. It's definitely a history-heavy tour, but there was a lot of interesting information given, and the ranger did a good job of presenting it all. You get to see most of the second floor on the tour, and even though there isn't actually that much to see - it would take 10 minutes max to walk through it, opening all the doors, etc. - the information given on the tour helped fill in the gaps. The ranger went over a lot of history about Moses Cone, his wife, and their families, and what life was like back in their day. The makeup of our tour group was predominantly older people (it's not a kid-friendly tour, the kids will most definitely get bored), and some people stepped out of the tour early, since it was about one hour long. I personally still enjoyed it. I'm glad the national park has preserved the manor and its surrounding land, and that it's relatively easy to access via the Blue Ridge Parkway. It's definitely worth a visit! read more

Moses H Cone Memorial Park - View of Bass Lake from the Manor. - Parks Near Me - Blowing Rock, North Carolina

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Free and fun. Great walk for the family. You can bring your dog which is a plus for us dog moms and dads.

This historic manor is a must visit. Flat Top Manor is right on the Parkway at mile marker 294. Visiting the gift shop inside the manor will give you a peek at the home. No tours are offered. The manor is placed at the top of a most scenic bowl looking down toward Blowing Rock. All that you see looking out used to be an apple orchard. There are carriage roads to hike in multiple directions. Yes you may meet local horse back riders out on the trails as well. There are 2 additional trail heads to visit, Bass Lake and Trout Lake. Following the carriage roads down the ridge will give you a chance to experience the interior of the Appalachians. read more

Bass lake and Moses H Cone is a great place to run on some less technical trails. This has become our go to spot for local running when we are in town. Run around bass lake, up the maze, to the Apple barn and up to the house for the most beautiful view of the Blue Ridge! For extra fun run another 2 miles up to flat top. Grind up and shine down! read more

This park is fantastic. What could be better than a 5 mile hike followed by a visit to a fantastic gift shop? I went with 3 friends on a hike up to the look out tower. It is an easy/moderate hike. There is a climb, but it's very gradual. I'm not in great shape and we were able to chat the whole time. Wide path/well maintained. Ends with a look out tower that offers a spectacular view of the mountains. Wild flowers in bloom everywhere. It was a beautiful day - temperature just right. I think there was a water fountain at the tower. We stopped by the cemetary on the way back. We were able to catch the tail end of the home tour after our return. Moses H. Cone was a very interesting gentleman farmer and textile magnate. His home offers a very genteel picture of upper class residents from the last century. The Park service guides were very knowledgable and happy to offer information. First floor is a shop selling fantastic crafts by local artisans. The profits go to running of the park so it's a win/win. The salespeople also know quite a lot about the family so doubled as tour guides. I spent far too much money in the store, but oh well. I got a beautiful teapot to add to my collection and remind me of a memorable day in a beautiful park with great friends. read more