=
Directly on the Parkway
|
|  -
Handicapped accessible (call for level of accessibility) It is
always a good idea to make advanced arrangements prior to your visit to these
sites.
$-
Admission Charged
FREE-
No admission charged
|
| YEARLY
FESTIVALS
& EVENTS |
Albert
Hash Memorial Festival
June
Ashe County Park
336-246-4483
Christmas
in July
July
West Jefferson
A celebration featuring Christmas crafts, ornaments,
food, and Old St. Nick himself, right in the middle of July. Fun for the whole
family.
336-246-5855
Todd
New River Festival
October
Held each fall. Featuring a ducky derby, food, mountain music, and much more.
Call the Todd General Store at 336-877-1067 for more details. Choose
& Cut Christmas Tree Festival
Choose your own Christmas tree at a local Christmas tree farm and they'll cut
it, wrap it, and tie it to your vehicle for you. Lots of fun for the whole family!
336-246-1880
Mountain
Music Jamboree
Glendale Springs
Great fun, bluegrass
music, & square dancing Every Sat. night. Novices are welcome!
7-11 pm
800-803-4079
www.
MountainMusicJamboree.com |
|
|
Points
of Interest |
|
|
Northwest
Trading Post - Located at MP 259, the Northwest Trading Post
offers a large selection of handmade crafts, homemade jams and goodies, quilts
and other fine wares. |
|
| Glendale
Springs- After you tour the Northwest Trading
Post, turn in beside it and visit the cozy mountain corner of Glendale Springs.
While you're in Glendale Springs, you might decide to stay a spell. Hospitality
is their middle name and relaxation is their priority in Glendale Springs. |
|
| Zaloo's
Canoes - The best way to see Ashe County is on
the New River! Canoe the New with Zaloo...only a ½ mile from MP 259 on Highway
16. (800) 535-4027 or www.zaloos.com
| |
| Mountain
Music Jamboree - Milepost 261 (Glendale Springs).
On Highway 16. Mountain Music Jamboree is open Saturday nights from 7 p.m. to
11 p.m (Friday nights starting in June). Enjoy square dancing, flat-footing and
clogging. Since no alcoholic beverages are allowed on premises, this is an ideal
outing for the whole family! 800-803-4079 or www.MountainMusicJamboree.com
$ |
|
| Churches
of the Frescoes-
From Milepost 259, turn toward Glendale Springs, pass the first stop sign, turn
right and drive for ½ a block to the Holy Trinity Church. The "Last Supper" covers
an entire wall of the Church. Across the street, on the grounds of the Mission
House the pavilion is perfect for a picnic. (churches of the frescos are opened
24 hours a day and admission if free). As you leave the church , turn left on
Glendale School Road, then at the intersection turn right on West Reno Road. Cross
the low water bridge and proceed to Highway 163. Drive for about 4 miles to the
intersection with 221. Go through the traffic light and take the first left to
Beaver Creek School Road. In less than a mile on the right is St. Mary's Episcopal
Church. The 3 fresco paintings are the "Mystery of Faith", "John, the Baptist"
and "Mary, Great with Child". Notice that the beams of the church are incorporated
into the fresco. Also, notice that there is a bumble bee that is immortalized
in the John the Baptist fresco because it "bugged" the artist so much
while he was painting! FREE |
|
|
Jumpingoff
Rocks Trail - A
forest path to a great view. 1.0 miles, Easy. Located at MP 260.3
FREE |
| | Downtown
West Jefferson-
Great shops, boutiques, antiques and restaurants set against a picturesque mountain
backdrop. Stop by the Visitor Center at the Ashe Chamber of Commerce. 336-246-9550
or www.ashechamber.com |
|
| Buffalo
Creek Weavers-
See 19th Century Looms in operation. 6th generation Goodwin Family of Weavers.
Coverlets, throws, tote bags, pillows, etc..., woven in 1700 & 1800 patterns.
Official licensed producer of Mossy Oak woven products. Open for Tours. Located
in Warrensville.336-384-3632 | |
| Sally
Mae's Emporium-
in Downtown West Jefferson-The High Country's newest Emporium located in beautiful
Ashe County. Featuring original art and handcrafted items from local artists,
unique gifts, and gourmet coffees and food. Open 7 days ! 336-246-9069 |
|
| Frasers
Restaurant and Catering-
A full service restaurant located in the Art District of West Jefferson, NC. We
offer a full range of sandwiches and salads for lunch and seafood and steaks for
dinner. 336-246-5222 or www.frasersrestaurant.com |
|
|
Todd
General Store & Historic Todd
On Highway 194, about 20 minutes from Boone. The general store is a true mercantile
of days gone by and has been in operation since 1914. Displayed throughout the
store are memorabilia from the early 1900s. On Friday nights, from 7:00 p.m. to
10:00 p.m. locals offer "homemade jam" but you cannot eat it. It is live music
played around the pot bellied stove on fiddle, dulcimer, banjo or whatever other
instruments the players bring. (20 minutes). Call 336-877-1067 for more details. |
|
| Mount
Jefferson State Park- the highest peak in the
county. Take 221 toward West Jefferson then …turn right on Mount Jefferson State
Park Road. 3 miles up the road will take you to the state park. Picnic areas,
hiking trails and beautiful panoramic views of the New River. Be sure to visit
it in mid to late June when the rhododendron are in bloom. Mount Jefferson State
Park was once part of the Underground Railroad for Runaway Slaves. (ranger- 336-246-9653)
FREE
|
|
New
River State Park-Canoe more than 26 miles of
the National Wild and Scenic South Fork of the New River, the second oldest river
in the world. Three access points for fishing, picknicking and picturesque scenery.
Primitive camping, canoe camping, picnic area and shelter, hiking, fishing, boat
access and educational programs. On NC 88 and SR 1588.
336-982-2587
FREE
|
|
| Shatley
Springs- (5 miles north of Jefferson on Highway
16) spring "radium" water believed to possess healing power. Can be purchased
or collected for free in your own container. FREE
|
|
| Greenfield
Restaurant- Located near Mt. Jefferson State
Park on Mt. Jefferson Road. Live music is performed Friday and Saturday nights
for your dancing pleasure. 336-246-2900
| |
|
| Facts
& Folklore | |
The
First Colony? - According to legend, Ashe County
is possibly the site of the first European Colony in America--over 300 years before
Columbus. The legend states that a Welsh prince named Madoc left his homeland
with ten ships after a family squabble and ended up on the Alabama coast in 1170.
The Welsh met resistance from the Indians and engaged in battle. Peace was made
and they agreed to go "where the rivers run north instead of south."
Early maps of their settlement show Freydeck (Welsh for Frederick), a town in
Ashe County at the north and south forks of the New River. It is the only town
listed in the immediate area and the name has no similarity with other mountain
names, most of which are Cherokee. |
| The
Old "New" - Did you
know that The New River, which flows through Ashe County, is the second oldest
river in the world? This billion years old river was named an American Heritage
River in 1998 by President Clinton who visited the area to present the designation.
The New is also the only river in the eastern US that flows northward to the mid-west.
The River was named in honor of the ferry operator Mr. New. |
| The
Underground Railroad- Several
of the mountains in Ashe County including Mulatto and Mt. Jefferson were said
to have been stations on the Underground Railroad. According to some accounts,
northern sympathizers may have hidden slaves in the coves of these mountains on
their way to free territory. |
| Radium
Water - According to the people
of Ashe, the minerals which produce the "radium water" of its springs
also make their vegetables flavorful and rich in nutrients. Places like Shatley
Springs have capitalized on this radium water commodity. |
| Devil's
Stairs- An area reportedly haunted by the spirits
of workers killed by a blasting accident during the construction of the railroad.
|
Wildflowers
You Might Spot From
MP 249-263 | | Birdfoot
Violet - Mar-May | | Dwarf
Iris - Mar-April | | Buttercups
- Mar-June | | Wild
Strawberry - Mar-June | | Crested
Dwarf Iris - Apr-May | | Flame
Azalea - May-June | | Fraser
Magnolia - May | | Catawba
Rhododendron - June | | Beard
Tongue - June-July | | Mountain
Laurel - June-July | | Tall
Meadow-Rue - July | | Ironweed
- August |
| Birds
You Might Spot From MP 249-263 | | Red-tailed
Hawks | | Chestnut-sided
Warblers | | Black-throated
Blue Warblers | | Canada
Warblers | | Slate-colored
Juncos | | White-breasted
Nuthatches | | Rose-breasted
Grosbeaks | | **Find
most of these on Mt. Jefferson. Also, Bluff Mountain is popular place to view
the hawk migration. | | |
