About Blowing Rock Area
The Town of Blowing Rock gets its name from The Blowing Rock, an immense cliff located 4,000 feet above sea level and overhanging Johns River Gorge 3,000 feet below. The rocky walls of the gorge form a flume through which the northwest wind sweeps with such force that it returns light objects cast over the void. The region encompassing Boone, Blowing Rock, West Jefferson and Beech Mountain enjoys many such attractions and is referred to as North Carolina’s High Country.
The Blue Ridge Parkway has deep roots in Blowing Rock as home to the original locating and claim engineer and consultant for the Blue Ridge Parkway, R. Getty Browning. It was primarily Browning who convinced federal officials to move the Parkway alignment to North Carolina from its original route through Tennessee. Blowing Rock is the only full-service town on the Blue Ridge Parkway and is also home to one of the most popular and historic structures on the Parkway, the Cone Manor.
