Agile Trekker: Flat Top Lookout Tower, Moses H. Cone Memorial Park, Blowing Rock

Date	Distance	Time	Elevation Gain	Average Moving Time	Year to Date Miles
3/11/2023	5.6 miles	2 hours 45 minutes	526'	2.4 mph	132.5

Parking:

Moses Cone Memorial Park, BRP milepost 294

Map:

Gaigps
There is a kiosk near the parking lot where you can pick up a good map.

Directions:

I parked near the carriage house. Head down to the carriage house and turn left.
Hike under the BRP.
Where the trail splits, stay right towards the lookout tower (there is a sign).
Continue hiking up to the lookout tower.
On the return trip, we turned right to take a side trail to the Cone cemetery.

Carolina Mountain Club Challenges:

Lookout Tower Challenge, Flat Top Tower

I signed up to lead a hike at Moses Cone Memorial Park. It's a hike on the CMC's Lookout Tower Challenge. When I researched this tower, I came across photos of meadows and sweeping views. I was sold! Today, Glen, Krumm, and I scouted the Flat Top Lookout Tower hike. If I invent a meadow bagging challenge, this hike will be on it. I love a good meadow. Today was my scout hike of it. It's a long drive from Asheville, but I don't really mind.

This hike is on the BRP, so has the potential of being more challenging to get to in the winter. Apparently, there is a way to do it, but it adds an extra 2 miles or so to the hike. Luckily, the parkway was open today, so not a problem. This was a Saturday, so by the time we got there, the parking lot was pretty full. We noticed on the way back, that some people park on the side of the parkway when the lot gets full. After having spring like temperatures, today was cold. In the 40's, but windchills in the 20's. I wish I had worn long underwear. Brrr...

There are restrooms at the carriage house, but being winter, they were closed. I found some rhododendrons to use next to the parking area. Near the carriage house there is a kiosk with maps. I recommend picking one up. The map shows several trails in the park. I'd like to come back and walk some more of them.

This hike is completely on gravel carriage roads. So, more of a walk then a hike. It's still lovely though. After passing under the parkway, you walk past a fenced off pasture. Then the hike continues in the woods. Then through an unfenced pasture. With great mountain vistas. Then back into the woods, switchbacking your way up. The lookout tower at the top is a metal structure with nice views. We took turns climbing up it. The carriage roads are open to horses, and we had 2 that came quickly trotting up the trail. On the way down, we turned right off the trail onto a gravel side path to the Cone cemetery. I didn't feel it was worth the stop. A giant gravestone for Moses Cone. 2 small gravestones for 2 of his relatives. All in a fenced in area. Okay. Didn't really care for it.

On the way back, we continued past the carriage house to the Moses Cone Manor. Its open seasonally, so we're about a month early. The manor is the home to the Southern Highlands Craft Guild, which I assume is similar to the Folk Art Center in Asheville. We'll visit it on another trip. Moses Cone was a textile entrepreneur, being one of the leading manufacturers of denim. He supplied fabric to Levi Strauss. The land eventually was donated to the National Park Service.

We drove to Boone to pick up some dinner at Wild Craft Eatery. We found metered parking lots in Boone. We saw 3 different meter readers during our short visit there! So, make sure you feed your meter. Downtown Boone is a hopping place. This restaurant has outdoor seating, but we were just too cold by then, so we got takeout and sat in our car to eat.