Elk Knob State Park

Nice cloudy day hike w/ my dogs. Nobody else on the trail, very peaceful. Well maintained, some minor water and mud. No ice or snow currently. Took 1 hr 50 mins round-trip with 2 small dogs at a moderate pace.

Beautiful summit trail! Well marked and just enough difficultly for FL flatlanders 😂 it has sections of elevation to get the heart rate up, some roots, steps, and rocks to navigate yet is short enough at 3.8 miles (round trip up and down total mileage) that ensures you will still make it to the top! Since I often have our small dog in a backpack on my back it’s great to have a hike that’s all downhill on the way back 😁 The trail is also pet friendly for dogs on a leash (or in our case, in a backpack) Parking was great and there are other trails around the park. No admission fees 👍 We’ve visited twice- both early to mid June so I don’t know if it gets busier later in the summer but we only encountered other people in small groups at the very beginning of the trail and at the top.

Always in awe when hiking the Elk Knob Summit Trail. The trail is very well marked and always a pleasure to visit. Gift shop and restroom is clean and easily accessible.

Nice hike, 1.9 miles up and 1.9 miles down. Trail is a million switchbacks that do all look similar but once you get high enough you really start to see some great views. On top, you get to see all the mountains to the south, then to the north as well. Very clean trails, not one single piece of litter anywhere. worth the trip.

Such a beautiful place. Elk Knob was going to be converted into a luxury community, but thanks to local efforts is a treasure in western NC. It is a little full during peak leaf season and an early arrival before 10 AM is suggested. The easy and easy-moderate trails were completely navigable by elderly dogs. They have some absolutely amazing art displays along the trails. I believe that it hits peak color about a week before Boone.

If you visit with pets, keep them on a leash. We saw a group of folks get corrected by state law enforcement park rangers and it appeared that the fines were about to be quite serious.

We hiked the summit trail and the views were great. The trail itself is well kept and moderate to strenuous, make sure to wear the right shoes. Definitely a hike to recommend!

Had a hike in a cloudy day. The trail was very well marked and maintained. Trees and plantations were beautifully surrounded around, even without sunshine, we enjoyed the hike very much. It is a perfect hiking trail if you are not keen on a challenging one. (P.s. no restrooms at the parking lot.)

This was one of the most enjoyable parts of our trip! Even though it’s a moderate climb up to the top, the trail is very well planned and maintained. It was a great hike. There was plenty of parking and no fee to enter.

Impressive hike with gorgeous scenery, and breathtaking views at the summit. About 15mins from Boone, and you can get 4 miles in within short period of time. Has free parking lot.

While vacationing in Boone we decided to go visit the park and see the snow .
We were so lucky,we had snow more then expected.
Beautiful experience and beautiful,long ,moderate hike.
Snow was very deep on some places and that made our hike harder ,but view on the top was very very worth it ,hike to the top is 1.9miles.
Most beautiful view I ever seen !!! We had so much fun !
So if you’re outdoorsy and you love hiking this is the best place to go !
The entrance in the park is free .

First visit to Elk Knob State Park and it certainly won't be my last. The park was a perfect spot for a last weekend of leaf peeping. The surrounding area is idyllic and well maintained. The hiking trail is a 1.9 mile path to the summit, and it's at a moderate incline. It can get pretty crowded along the trail, but everyone was friendly as they were heading up or down. Very dog friendly as well. At the top the views are majestic, especially in the direction looking out to Grandfather Mountain and Mount Mitchell.

Very unique park. First time we’ve visited, but we will be back!
The trail we took ended at incredible north and south views. It was all uphill, so take a good breath and trek on!
Take time to admire all of the mature trees too. Such a pleasure to see these grandiose beauties at elevations of 4000 and up!
Trail was well marked and very well kept. We passed both younger and older folks out hiking this trail. Families, couples, even folks hiking alone. Felt like a safe environment for sure.

This is a great park to visit for camping, hiking to wonderful views, exploring with the kids and nature! Public bathrooms, and plenty of parking. The drive up is steep but worth it if your vehicle can manage.

It's a nice park and easy to get to from Boone. Great if you don't want to head towards the parkway. I've hiked here twice and the photos are from once in the rain in mid-august and once in mid-October. The main trail is mostly a slow incline with tons of switch-backs in places. The trail has lots of rocks and gravel for the first portion of the trail. One lookout along the way up. My pom didn't enjoy the hike, but I'm sure a larger dog would. I had no problem with the trail and comfortably hiked it without stopping.

Elk Knob is a great start park we did the Beech Tree Trail after the Summit Trail. The Beech trailhead is before the Summit on opposite side of parking lot. The trail is rated easy and I agree that anyone can do this one. The trail is also a community art trail. There is art all along the trail, I only wish they would do different kinds of medium rather than just one. I'm sure some metal artist or sculptures would love to participate. Trail was mainly dry and very well marked.

I can't believe we made it to the top with 4 little ones hiking all the way up. The two views are amazing, especially for someone who has visited most of the mountain peaks in the view. Definitely take a few extra minutes to visit both views (the North and the South, they are only steps apart).

Going up or down the views are spectacular. I have been on the popular four mile round trip hike up the mountain several times. Each trip bought new sights and sounds and the trails are well marked and well maintained.

I did hike a descent down the mountain and although the scenery was beautiful, coming back up was arduous. I was however pleased with myself for being able to climb back out.

Elk Knob State Park also has short one mile trails for young families.

Overall an outstanding experience.

The Elk Knob Summit Trail is mostly an easy hike with a couple moderate sections making it a great hike for anyone who wants to go up the mountain. The GPS tracked it at exactly 1.9 miles (just like the trail info says). The trail is very well maintained with good footing and proper switchbacks. The 2 views (north and south) on a clear day are fantastic. This trip was in the clouds at the top eliminating the views, but making it neat just the same.

A beautiful park, and well maintained. Along the children's trail there are many surprises scattered about! Nice art work, and gorgeous views!

We walked the summit trail to the top. Lovely nature views. The trail is steep and rocky at parts. The north side view was my favorite.