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Boone

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Boone

Boone, NC · High Country

About

The unofficial capital of North Carolina's High Country, Boone sits a mile high in the Blue Ridge, which means summers stay cool while the rest of the South swelters and fall lights the ridgelines on fire. King Street anchors a real downtown of outfitters, indie coffee, and a 40-foot climbing wall, with Appalachian State giving the whole town a young, walkable pulse. Hike up to Howard's Knob for the view that says it all: the town tucked in its green valley, blue-hazed mountains stacking to the horizon, and the Blue Ridge Parkway just minutes away.

Highlights

Mile-high town in the Blue Ridge, cool even in summerKing Street downtown: outfitters, cafes, a 40-foot climbing wallHoward's Knob overlook above townHome of Appalachian State UniversityMinutes from the Blue Ridge Parkway and Grandfather Mountain

Getting there

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The Blue Ridge Mountains26 places

The Blue Ridge Mountains

The ancient, blue-hazed peaks of the southern Appalachians, threaded by the Blue Ridge Parkway from Shenandoah to the Smokies. Mile-high summits and the highest peak east of the Mississippi, waterfalls you can walk behind, long-range overlooks, and mountain towns like Asheville with the Biltmore at their heart. Go in October for the color, but the haze is blue year-round.