The Blowing Rock
A cliff overhang that gave the town its name. Updrafts from the roughly 400-meter-deep New River Gorge often blow light objects back up.
This gneiss cliff juts out above the New River Gorge. It is the oldest tourist attraction in North Carolina, open since 1933. Winds from the northwest rush up the gorge, so snow can appear to fall upward, and handkerchiefs thrown over the edge can be blown back. This gave rise to a legend about an Indigenous lovers’ tale. From the top, the views stretch to Grandfather Mountain, Hawksbill Mountain and more. Admission is about US$10. It is privately operated and has a small exhibit and gardens. It is about 3 km from downtown.
Opening hours
Approx. 09:00–17:00 (shorter in winter; closed in severe weather)
Nearby sights
- Blowing Rock Main Street
- Blowing Rock Art & History Museum
- Glen Burney Trail
- Moses H. Cone Memorial Park
- Tweetsie Railroad
- Appalachian Ski Mtn.
- Price Lake (Julian Price Memorial Park)
- Horn in the West