Located in Watauga County 11 miles north of Boone, Elk Knob State Park was established in 2003 to protect the mountain and the headwaters of the North Fork of the New River. An overlook summit rewards visitors with a panoramic view of North Carolina's high country. Backcountry campsites, located 1 to 2 miles into a cover forest with beautiful streams, offer the ultimate primitive overnight experience. In the winter, about 1 mile of ungroomed trail is open to cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.
