Elk Knob State Park located in Watauga County, North Carolina. The park was established to preserve the natural state of Elk Knob, the second highest peak in Watauga County. The park is open for year-round recreation. Elk Knob State Park is on Meat Camp Road, 5.5 miles (8.9 km) from North Carolina Highway 194, 9.5 miles (15.3 km) north of Boone, in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Official Visitor Map of Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail (NHT) in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia. Published by the National Park Service (NPS).
Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) of the Grandfather Ranger District in Pisgah National Forest (NF) in North Carolina. Published by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS).
Guide to North Carolina State Parks. Published by North Carolina State Parks.
Elk Knob SP
https://www.ncparks.gov/elk-knob-state-park
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elk_Knob_State_Park
Elk Knob State Park located in Watauga County, North Carolina. The park was established to preserve the natural state of Elk Knob, the second highest peak in Watauga County. The park is open for year-round recreation. Elk Knob State Park is on Meat Camp Road, 5.5 miles (8.9 km) from North Carolina Highway 194, 9.5 miles (15.3 km) north of Boone, in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Activities
Elk Knob State Park is located in the northwestern part of North
Carolina, north of the town of Boone, near the Tennessee border.
It is one of the newest parks and was created to protect the
mountain and the headwaters of the North Fork of the New River.
Experience the Park!
Elk Knob is the only
park that offers cross
country skiing
Elk Knob State Park
5564 Meat Camp Rd.
Todd, NC 28684
828-297-7261
elk.knob@ncparks.gov
GPS: 36.332586, -81.690640
Fun Facts
■■ The park was established in 2003
■■ Elk Knob was considered for a housing
development in the early 2000s, before
becoming a state park
Elk Knob is one of
the tallest peaks in
North Carolina’s high
country at 5,520 feet.
• Trailing
wolfsbane
• Large purple
fringed orchid
■■ Surrounded by several historic mountain
communities such as the Winebarger Grist Mill
located in Meat Camp
■■ Elk Knob is an amphibolite mountain—a mix of
amphibole, hornblende and plagioclase feldspar
■■ Amphibolite weathers down to produce rich soils
that provide an excellent habitat for hardwoods
and rare endangered plants
■■ Is a part of the Appalachian Mountains
Rare and
Endangered Plants
• Gray’s lily
5.5k
■■ Trees growing on the northern slopes and
summit of Elk Knob are gnarled and stunted by
harsh weather
■■ Protects the headwaters of the North Fork of the
New River, one of the oldest rivers in the world
• Golden winged warbler
• Bobcat
• Wild turkey
• White-tailed deer
• Raven
• Black bear
• Spreading avens
Named for elk that grazed the valleys
below, the last of which is believed to
have been killed in the late 1700s
ncparks.gov
MNQP
Pettigrew State Park
South Mountains State Park – 2018 Park of the Year
Weymouth Woods-Sandhills Nature Preserve
North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation manages more
than 234,000 acres of iconic landscape across our state in our
parks, recreation areas and natural areas with a mission dedicated
to conservation, recreation and education. The state parks system
welcomed more than 19 million visitors in 2017.
Discover More with a Ranger
Across North Carolina, state park rangers are proud of our parks
and eager to welcome you and your family. Come to our parks
to marvel at our state’s most beautiful natural resources, enjoy
your favorite outdoor activities and learn about the rich science,
culture and history that make our parks great.
Fun facts about North Carolina State Parks
■■ There are 41 places to visit, including 34 parks, four
recreation areas and three staffed state natural areas.
■■ The Division manages four state rivers, seven state lakes
and six state trails.
■■ There are about 581 miles of trail to explore in our parks.
■■ The
first state park created was Mount Mitchell State Park
on March 3, 1915. Fort Macon State Park was the second.
■■ The Division celebrated 100 years of being Naturally
Wonderful in 2016.
■■ Parks that welcome over 1 million visitors annually include:
Jockey’s Ridge, Fort Macon and William B. Umstead state
parks and Falls Lake, Jordan Lake and Kerr Lake state
recreation areas.
■■ The Division employs over 1,000 people across the state.
■■ Some
www.ncparks.gov
M N P Q
Roy Cooper
Governor
unique activities you can do in our parks include:
wind surfing and hang gliding at Jockey’s Ridge State Park,
cross country skiing and snow shoeing at Elk Knob State
Park, driving on the four-wheel-drive beach at Fort Fisher
State Recreation Area and rock climbing at Chimney Rock,
Crowders Mountain, Hanging Rock, Pilot Mountain and
Stone Mountain state parks.
Susi H. Hamilton
Secretary
75,000 copies of this public document were printed at a cost of $10,707.92 or $0.14 each. 03/18
Did you know that many plants atop Mount Mitchell are rare
in North Carolina but common in Quebec? That the giant
sand dunes at Jockey’s Ridge are constantly moving? Do you
know how to safely hold a crayfish? From fishing lessons to
astronomy programs and tree identification hikes to guided
paddles, parks offer programs for all ages. Visit our website for a
list of upcoming programs at each park.
Junior Rangers
The Junior Ranger program offers educational and skill-based
activities to encourage children to explore the outdoors. Children
can complete activity guides, geared for ages 6-12, and attend
ranger programs to earn a junior ranger patch unique to each
park. Ask about the program at a park office or download the
guide at: www.ncparks.gov/junior-rangers.
Environmental Education Learning Experiences
Parks have their own curriculum guides that are correlated to
the North Carolina Standard Course of Study. Competency goals
in science, social studies, mathematics and English/language
arts are available. Each program includes pre-visit, on-site and
post-visit student activities that have measurable objectives,
background information, vocabulary, references and step-bystep activity instructions.
Passport Program
How many state parks can you visit? Use your passport as a guide
and collect stamps, earn prizes and make “Naturally Wonderful”
memories! Pick up your passport at a state park near you.
North Carolina State Parks 100-Mile Challenge
Can you hike, bike or paddle 100 miles in
a year? Join the N.C. State Parks’ 100-Mile
Challenge and log your miles online to earn
digital badges and redeem prizes as you reach
various milestones! This is a great way to get
outside, get moving and keep track of your
activity. Visit www.nc100miles.org to sign up.
■■ Several parks have educational trails, called TRACK trails, that
include activities for children to complete along the way.
William B. Umstead State Park
Jockey’s Ridge State Park
Friends Of State Parks
Join the Friends of State Parks to help support, promote
and advocate for the parks system as a whole, or join the
friends group of your favorite park. The group helps provide
funding for Junior Ranger and Youth in Parks – Environmental
Education programs, as well as grants for state parks projects.
You can also make a donation to help keep our parks around
for future generations. Learn more at www.ncfsp.org or
www.ncparks.gov/support-your-parks.
Merchandise
Want to show your N.C. State Parks pride? Visit the online
webstore and purchase products such as coffee mugs, prints,
t-shirts, pins, patches and Christmas ornaments. This exclusive
merchandise makes a great gift for special state parks fans,
including yourself. www.ncparkstore.com
N.C. State Parks License Plate
Show your support for state parks every time you drive your
vehicle! Purchase an N.C. State Parks license plate through the
North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicl