Blue Ridge
Hiking near Beech Mountain
Hiking near Beech Mountain, North Carolina: public trails and parks, plus the checks still open.
Last updated October 15, 2026.
The in-town hike is the Emerald Outback: high, rocky, in a hardwood forest named for the beech trees. Bigger waterfall and ridge hikes are day trips back down toward Grandfather Mountain and the Parkway. They are not walks from a condo door.
Emerald Outback
About seven miles of trail above 5,000 feet from the trailhead at 328 North Pinnacle Ridge Road. Hikers and bikers share the network. The visitor center says dogs are allowed on a leash, and that Ruby Slippers, Witch's Tail, and Witch's Backbone are bike-only. Read the sign. Do not treat the whole network as one family loop.
Grandfather Mountain State Park
A North Carolina state park on the slopes of Grandfather Mountain. Calloway Peak, the high point, is 5,964 feet. The state park is free to enter. The Profile Trail is 3.6 miles one way and strenuous. The Mile High Swinging Bridge sits inside a separate attraction that charges admission, with its own gate. That attraction posts the current fee.
Linville Falls
A waterfall on the Blue Ridge Parkway, with overlook walks of different lengths. It's a day trip from Beech, with the sound of water waiting at the end. It is not an in-town path. In winter, check National Park Service road status. Sections close.
Moses H. Cone Memorial Park
The National Park Service counts about 25 miles of carriage trails, plus Flat Top Manor, on the Parkway near Blowing Rock. The grade is kinder than the Emerald Outback's rockier lines. The drive from Beech is longer than the drive from Blowing Rock. The Parkway does not charge an entrance fee. Manor hours are seasonal, so check before you count on going inside.