Wilkes can be explored through a wide range of experiences: Stone Mountain State Park showcases a striking granite landscape, while water activities take center stage at W. Kerr Scott Reservoir. There are also trails with their own character, music history, auto racing, and seasonal festivals. This destination offers more than just one way to discover it.
Granite, Water, and Wildlife
Stone Mountain State Park is located in Wilkes and Alleghany counties. Its 600-foot-high granite dome is designated a National Natural Landmark. W. Kerr Scott Reservoir, which covers 1,475 acres, offers a different kind of nature experience, with boating, canoeing, kayaking, and swimming among the activities available. White-tailed deer, black bears, and cottontail rabbits live in the hills around the reservoir. The granite dome and the reservoir offer distinct highlights: a striking rocky landscape on one hand, and water activities and wildlife on the other.
Trails for a Range of Interests
History buffs will find several connections to the Overmountain Victory Trail. The six-mile Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail has a trailhead at Bandits Roost Campground; this is separate from the Overmountain Victory Trail in Wilkesboro. In Wilkesboro, the Overmountain Victory Trail follows a historic route from the American Revolutionary War. The history of the route is an integral part of the trail experience here.
Other trails have their own distinct focus. The family-friendly Call Farm Loop connects farmland with the foothills. Dark Mountain Trail is a nationally ranked mountain bike trail system with many miles of challenging singletrack. In Wilkesboro, the Yadkin River Greenway is ideal for walking, cycling, and running along riverbanks and wooded paths. Wilkes County also has an unusual river tradition: you can float down the Yadkin River in a galvanized metal bathtub.
Music, Museums, and Auto Racing History
The Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame explores the musical history of the Blue Ridge and the stories of musicians from the region through its exhibits. Each year, it celebrates the inductees. The Hall of Fame is part of the Wilkes Heritage Museum in historic downtown Wilkesboro. The Old Wilkes County Courthouse now houses the museum.
MerleFest also offers a musical highlight: numerous artists perform on twelve stages during the four-day event. North Wilkesboro Speedway offers a different historical perspective. Its first race took place on May 18, 1947, on a 5/8-mile dirt oval, before NASCAR was founded. After extensive restoration, the speedway returned to the NASCAR Cup Series schedule on May 21, 2023, and hosted the NASCAR All-Star Race in Wilkes County. These milestones trace early auto racing history through the speedway’s return to the Cup Series schedule in 2023.
September and October: Festivals and Apples
Every year in September, Raffaldini Vineyards & Winery hosts Festa Italiana during the third week of the month. Wine, food, music, and Italian-inspired culture are at the heart of the festival. Also in fall, you can pick your own apples on weekends in September and October at Perry Lowe Orchards, on the border between Wilkes County and Alexander County.
In North Wilkesboro, the annual Brushy Mountain Apple Festival celebrates the apple harvest from the nearby Brushy Mountains. It takes place on the first Saturday in October; check the exact date before you travel. The festival features apple cider and apple dishes, as well as handmade items, including pottery and baskets. The fall offerings vary by occasion: pick-your-own apples at Perry Lowe Orchards, a festival centered on wine and Italian-inspired culture in September, and apple dishes and crafts at the October festival.
Discover more destinations: Wilkesboro, Cherokee County, Iredell, Avery County, Caldwell County, Henderson, Burke County, Franklin County.
For the overview of the wider region: North Carolina.
