Hiking near West Jefferson, NC
Trails at public parks within about 30 minutes of High Peak in West Jefferson, and two parks just past that.
Hiking times are estimates, based on about 1.5 miles per hour plus extra time for climbs. They are not times the parks publish. Drive times are approximate and do not account for detours.
Within about 30 minutes
Ashe County Park
About 10 min · 4.1 miles from High Peak
Ashe Park Rd., Jefferson, NC 28640. Phone 336-977-3414. Some facilities are listed as open 8 a.m. to dusk. A posted notice says the park closes at 7:30 p.m.
A trout pond, a small creek crossing, and rhododendron that blooms in late spring.
Ask Ashe County Park about dogs before you bring one.
The lengths and times below are from the trail guide linked with the park pages. Check with the park before you go.
- Trail A (blue) · ~0.8 mi loop · Moderate · 25–30 min
- Trail B (green connector) · ~0.15 mi · Easy · 5 min
- Trail C (red) · ~1.04 mi loop · Moderate · 30–40 min
- Ashe Park Lake (Phoenix Lake) path · ~0.5 mi loop · Easy · 15 min
Ashe County Park · Ashe Park expansion · Trail lengths (secondary source)
Mount Jefferson State Natural Area
About 11 min · 3.4 miles from High Peak
1481 Mount Jefferson State Park Road, West Jefferson, NC 28694. Open 8 a.m. to sunset. Free. Hiking trails are open. Summit restrooms are closed.
The summit is 4,465 feet, and Luther Rock looks as far as Tennessee. The park has more than 700 plant species. Trailheads are along the summit road and at the summit parking area.
Dogs are allowed on an attended leash no longer than 6 feet, and not inside buildings.
Check the park trail table before you plan to connect Mountain Ridge Trail to Luther Rock.
- Summit Trail · 0.3 mi one way · Strenuous · 20–30 min round trip
- Rhododendron / K.I.P. Track Trail · 1.1 mi loop · Strenuous · 45–60 min
- Lost Province Trail · 0.75 mi loop · Moderate · 30–40 min
- Spur Trail · 0.5 mi one way · Moderate · 30–40 min round trip
- Mountain Ridge Trail · 2 mi one way · Strenuous · 2.5–3 hr round trip
New River State Park, Elk Shoals Access
About 11 min · 5.8 miles from High Peak
349 Methodist Camp Road, West Jefferson, NC 28694. Day use only, open sunrise to sunset. Some hiking trails are open. Call the park office at 336-982-5817 before you go.
Dogs are allowed on an attended leash no longer than 6 feet, and not inside buildings.
Call the park office before you plan a hike from Elk Shoals.
New River State Park, Wagoner Access
About 21 min · 9.6 miles from High Peak
1477 Wagoner Access Road, Jefferson, NC 28640. October hours are 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Free. Some hiking trails are open. Call the park office at 336-982-5817 before you go.
The New River, a National Wild and Scenic River, with riverside woods and paddling.
Dogs are allowed on an attended leash no longer than 6 feet, and not inside buildings.
- Fern Nature Trail · 1 mi loop · Not rated · 30–45 min
- Running Cedar Trail · 1.2 mi one way · Not rated · 1.5 hr round trip
- Bluebird Spur Trail · 0.2 mi loop · Not rated · 10 min
- Crabapple Spur Trail · 0.1 mi one way · Not rated · 5–10 min
- Riverbend Backcountry Trail · 3.5 mi one way · Not rated · 4–5 hr round trip
New River State Park, U.S. 221 Access
About 21 min · 12.4 miles from High Peak
358 New River State Park Road, Laurel Springs, NC 28644. October hours are 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. The visitor center is open Monday–Friday 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. and Saturday–Sunday 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Some hiking trails are open. Call the park office at 336-982-5817 before you go.
Pets must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet.
- Hickory / K.I.P. Track Trail · 1 mi one way · Not rated · 1–1.5 hr round trip
- River Run Trail · 1.4 mi one way · Not rated · 1.5–2 hr round trip
- Dogwood Trail · 0.2 mi one way · Easy · 15 min round trip
- Campground Spur Trail · 0.3 mi one way · Not rated · 20 min round trip
New River State Park, Kings Creek Access
About 30 min · 15.2 miles from High Peak. This access sits right at the 30-minute mark.
2250 Kings Creek Road, Piney Creek, NC 28663. Open April through October only. October hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Some hiking trails are open. Call the park office at 336-982-5817 before you go.
Dogs are allowed on an attended leash no longer than 6 feet, and not inside buildings.
The official trail table lists no named trails here. It is mainly a river access.
Trails at the Alleghany paddle-in access can only be reached by boat, so they are not listed. No official public trail in the Lansing or Todd area was verified within 30 minutes.
Blue Ridge Parkway
Blue Ridge Parkway trailheads are 40 minutes or more away. The Cascades Trail at E.B. Jeffress Park is about 40 minutes (20.5 miles), and Price Lake is about 54 minutes (33 miles). Check Parkway road closures before you go.
Just over 30 minutes
Elk Knob State Park
About 41 min · 21.9 miles from High Peak
5564 Meat Camp Road, Todd, NC 28684. October hours are 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Free. The summit is 5,520 feet.
Pets must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet.
Part of the Backcountry Trail is still closed.
- Summit Trail · 1.9 mi one way · Moderate to strenuous · 2.5–3 hr round trip
- Backcountry Trail · 2 mi one way · Moderate to strenuous · Partly closed
- Beech Tree / K.I.P. Track Trail · 1 mi loop · Easy · 30–40 min
- Maple Run Trail · 0.5 mi one way · Easy · 30 min round trip
Grayson Highlands State Park
About 49 min · 23.9 miles from High Peak
Open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Alpine-like balds over 5,000 feet, wild ponies (do not feed or approach them), waterfalls, and access to the Appalachian Trail near Mount Rogers.
Check the park's dog rules before you go.