Try Cross Country in the High Country

Cross country skiing in the NC High Country fluctuates with snowfall, but the Boone NC area boasts the Deep South’s deepest natural snow. Just under 50 inches falls on trails at Moses Cone Park in Blowing Rock. Roan Mountain gets 100 inches at 6,300 feet.

Cross country, or Nordic skiing, can be a lot like walking on skis, but proficient skiers stride and glide with ease and speed. Only the Nordic skier’s toe is attached to the ski, permitting that striding glide that carries you “cross country.” Flat terrain is best for novices, and there’s plenty of that in the Boone area on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Nordic skiers usually use a “step turn,” like ice skaters, but advanced skiers tackle the winding trails of Roan Mountain—and even downhill ski slopes—with the classic telemark turn. Click the video below to see a nordic ski lesson at Blowing Rock's Moses Cone Park, one of the Boone area's best cross country ski sites.

Cross country is a snap to learn—but you need skis, and The High Country Ski Shop in Pineola (south of Linville on US 221) carries most everything a beginner or expert would need in the way of skis, boots, and poles, including rental equipment. First Tracks in Boone also sells Nordic skis, as do online retailers like L.L. Bean.

Tackle These Boone NC Area Cross Country Trails:

Moses Cone Memorial Park

This Blowing Rock bulge of forest on the Blue Ridge Parkway is a Currier & Ives cross country ski site. Twenty-five miles of road-width carriage paths wander through towering white pine forests. The snow-muffled landscape is a magical place where beginners can sense the spirit of the sport. Click here to download a Moses Cone Park trail map.

Blue Ridge Parkway

At other High Country locations, the Blue Ridge Parkway is gated when snow covers the road. The Grandfather Mountain portion of the road near Linville is an easy ski across the Linn Cove Viaduct—awesome scenery everywhere. Click here to download the Tanawha Trail map.

Roan Mountain

Roan Mountain is the place for serious Nordic skiers. Forty-five minutes from Boone, Roan’s evergreen covered summits are straight out of the far north. There are beginner options—the summertime road to the summit is gated and gradual with distant views of Mount Mitchell.

Trails flank the road, including the Appalachian Trail with its wild descent back to your car. To go—drive to Banner Elk, then go left on NC 194 past the road to Beech Mountain. Turn right on US 19-E into Tennessee, and in the town of Roan Mountain, turn left on TN 143 and drive 14 miles to the ridge-top trailhead.

Beech Mountain

Many of the town’s well-maintained trails are skiable. Check out www.hikebeechmountain.com for more details on Beech Mountain trails.

Boone

Under heavy snow, the Town of Boone's Greenway trail can be a great ski tour.