Our favorite High Country finds

5 great hikes near Blowing Rock — easy and moderate options, from lake loops to a fire tower with a view.

A quiet lake loop worth an hour of your time — Trout Lake is flat, scenic and hard to mess up.

Moses Cone hike — the Flat Top Mountain trail starts at the historic estate and ends at a fire tower with sweeping views

Day trip: Memorable stops around Linville Falls and Linville Gorge — worth the drive, especially once the crowds thin out.

Cool off on the New River — a tubing guide, good for one more warm weekend (highs in the upper 80s Friday and Saturday).

A guide to wineries near Boone and Blowing Rock — five spots worth a Sunday afternoon.

Best dessert stops near Boone and Blowing Rock — cookies, ice cream, donuts, chocolate.

Reviews of 14 restaurants — we’ve got highlights of places to eat and drink, with more added all the time.

Where the music plays in Boone and Blowing Rock — bars, breweries and wineries with live tunes.

Blowing Rock shopping guide — candles, clothing and cabin décor for when you need a gift or just want to browse.

Boone's wellness retreat isn't your typical spa day — good for when you actually want to slow down.

Rainy-day fun — because fall in the mountains means more of those days ahead.

“Grandfather Presents: Eleanor Spicer Rice,” 4:45-7:45 p.m., at Grandfather Mountain, 2050 Blowing Rock Highway, Linville. Entomologist, author and science communicator Eleanor Spicer Rice talks about the connections between people, insects and the natural world, including North Carolina’s different ecological regions. $25 for members; $35 for nonmembers.

 “Called to Response: Poet Joseph Bathanti Reads in Field Studies,” 6-7 p.m., at the Blowing Rock Art & History Museum, 159 Ginny Stevens Lane, Blowing Rock. Former North Carolina poet laureate Joseph Bathanti reads work responding to the museum's “Field Studies: Ways of Knowing Place in Southern Appalachia” exhibition. The reading takes place inside the exhibition itself, and space is limited.

 “Dirty Dancing,” 7 p.m., at the Appalachian Theatre of the High Country, 559 W. King St., Boone. A screening of the 1987 Patrick Swayze-Jennifer Grey classic, presented by and benefiting Hospitality House. Doors open at 6 p.m.; the movie starts promptly at 7. Free general admission.

“First Friday Art Crawl,” 5-8 p.m., throughout downtown Boone. Galleries, shops, restaurants and other downtown spaces stay open for art, live music, tastings and special events. This month's lineup includes an art market at FizzEd, a solo show at Nth Degree Gallery, live music at SouthEnd Brewing and Lost Province, a free movie at the Appalachian Theatre and a late-night disco at Wild Craft Eatery. Free, although some individual events have covers.

 “An Evening of Comedy and Magic with Lyndy Phillips”, 7-8:30 p.m., at Mysterium Escape Adventure, 737 W. King St., Boone. An intimate parlor-style show mixing sleight-of-hand magic with clean comedy; the small room is designed so the audience is close to the action.

 “Labor Day Vendor Fair,” noon-6 p.m., at Old Barn Winery in West Jefferson. A special Labor Day weekend vendor market at the winery accompanies a full afternoon of live music: Edward Main performs noon-3 p.m., followed by The Rewind, an '80s tribute band, from 3-6 p.m.

 “Sunset Food Rodeo at 5,506′,” 5-8 p.m., at Beech Mountain Resort's 5,506′ Skybar. A mountaintop Labor Day weekend gathering with food trucks, drinks and a live DJ, reached by scenic chairlift. It follows the afternoon Prettier Than Matt concert, making it possible to spend much of the afternoon and evening at the summit.

 “App State vs. Maine,” 3:30 p.m., at Kidd Brewer Stadium, 425 Jack Branch Drive, Boone. The Mountaineers play their 2026 home opener against the Maine Black Bears in a Gold Out.

“Art on the Greene — Labor Day Weekend,” 10 a.m.-5 p.m., at the Historic Banner Elk School, 185 Azalea Circle, Banner Elk. Banner Elk's juried arts-and-crafts show brings regional artists to the lawn of the historic school for Labor Day weekend, with handmade work rather than mass-produced merchandise. Free.

“Big Band Happy Hour with SwingSet,” 5:30-7 p.m., at the Village of Banner Elk outdoor stage, 140 Azalea Circle, Banner Elk. An early-evening outdoor performance by SwingSet, a 16-piece big band playing swing-era standards and other favorites. Free.

“Music on the Lawn: The Harris Brothers,” 5:30-8:30 p.m., at the Inn at Ragged Gardens, 203 Sunset Drive, Blowing Rock. Reggie and Ryan Harris, brothers from western North Carolina, play a mix of country, rock and Southern roots music with close vocal harmonies. Free.

 “Sam Bush,” doors at 6 p.m., at Appalachian Mountain Brewery, 163 Boone Creek Drive, Boone. Grammy-winning mandolinist Sam Bush — one of the pivotal figures in the development of progressive bluegrass or “newgrass” — brings his band to Boone for a Labor Day weekend show. All ages. Ticketed.

 “Pandora's Jukebox,” 7-10 p.m., at the Village of Banner Elk, 140 Azalea Circle. The audience essentially controls the setlist: Concertgoers use their phones to request and vote on songs from an online jukebox, and the band plays the winners. Choices range from classic rock and country to pop and dance music. Free.

“Live Music at 5,506′: Prettier Than Matt,” 2:30-5:30 p.m., at Beech Mountain Resort's 5,506′ Skybar. Ride the scenic chairlift to the mountaintop bar — billed as the highest bar in Eastern America — for an outdoor performance by Columbia, S.C.-based Americana-pop duo Prettier Than Matt. The concert is free; a lift ticket is required to reach the summit.

“Gotcha Groove,” 7-10 p.m., at the Village of Banner Elk, 140 Azalea Circle. Banner Elk's summer concert series continues over Labor Day weekend with Gotcha Groove, whose 150-plus-song repertoire covers R&B, soul, funk, rock, oldies and beach music spanning seven decades. Free.

 “Too Much Sylvia,” 2-5 p.m., at Old Barn Winery. The popular Carolina party band brings four lead vocalists, harmonies and a mix of soul, funk and rock 'n' roll to the winery for a Sunday afternoon Labor Day weekend show.

“Concerts on the Lawn: Smokin Joe,” 5-8 p.m., on the lawn behind the Top of the Beech Hotel, 606 Beech Mountain Parkway, Beech Mountain. Outdoor live music on the hotel lawn, part of Beech Mountain's Sunday evening summer series. Free.

 “The Taylor Party,” 7 p.m., at Appalachian Mountain Brewery, 163 Boone Creek Drive, Boone. AMB's Boone Creek Concert Series closes out Labor Day weekend with The Taylor Party, a Taylor Swift-themed dance party built around Swift's music and other pop favorites.

“The Harris Brothers,” 2 p.m., at Linville Falls Winery, 9557 Linville Falls Highway, Newland. Western North Carolina brothers Reggie and Ryan Harris perform their blend of roots, rock, country and blues for a Labor Day afternoon at the winery.

“Grillin’ & Chillin’: Tanya & the Roadrunnerz,” 6 p.m., on the Sugar Mountain Golf & Tennis Clubhouse deck, Sugar Mountain. Sugar Mountain wraps up Labor Day with outdoor live music on the clubhouse deck from Tanya & the Roadrunnerz.

The views: The 1,632-square-foot house is designed to take advantage of long-range mountain and gorge views, with large windows throughout and covered and open decks on both levels.

Mountain-modern interior: The open living area includes a stone fireplace, white-oak hardwood floors, shiplap walls and stained-wood ceilings. The kitchen has granite countertops and stainless-steel appliances.

Outdoor space: The 0.34-acre property includes extensive landscaping, an exposed rock wall and a fenced area for dogs.

The numbers: The asking price works out to about $735 per square foot — and is about 24% more than the $965,000 the owners paid in 2024.

Rabies exposure in Watauga: State health officials confirmed that rabid baby goats from a mobile petting zoo were present at a private Aug. 8 birthday party in Boone, prompting AppHealthCare and area hospitals to coordinate treatment for people who may have been exposed. (Watauga Online)

Avery escapes drought: Avery County became the first High Country county to emerge completely from drought conditions, while Watauga and Ashe remained classified as abnormally dry or worse in portions of the counties. (Watauga Online)

Beech Mountain development planning: Beech Mountain has begun the third phase of planning for a proposed mixed-use commercial district, with consultants scheduled to present the latest plans and take public questions Sept. 9. (Watauga Online)

Grandfather Mountain Hawk Watch: Throughout September, visitors can help Grandfather Mountain naturalists spot, identify and count migrating hawks and other raptors from Linville Peak, across the Mile High Swinging Bridge, or Half Moon Overlook. Participation is included with regular park admission, with counts held daily when weather permits. (Grandfather Mountain)