The Blowing Rock has the distinction of being one of Western North Carolina's most famous attractions, and the oldest attraction in the state of North Carolina; having been open for business since 1933. Located at one of the most fantastic overlooks on the John's River Gorge, The Blowing Rock is a North Carolina Tourist Attraction unlike any other; it comes with its own Cherokee Indian legend.
 The legend tells of a Chickasaw chief who carried his beautiful daughter to the Blowing Rock
area to
separate her from a white man who sought to marry her. One day,
the beautiful Chickasaw maiden wandered to the
rocky outcropping and saw a handsome, young
Cherokee brave who was also wandering through
the wilderness. She spied on him as he walked through the gorge
below her, and then she playfully shot an arrow
at him. Before long, the young brave began to
seek out the Chickasaw maiden; appearing outside
of her wigwam and hiding away with her in the
forests. It was not too long before the two became lovers. One day, a strange red sky appeared and brought the Cherokee brave to the young maiden
on The Blowing Rock. The brave took the ominous
signs in the sky to be a sign of trouble that commanded his return to
his tribe; a tribe that lived in the plains. The Chickasaw maiden begged the brave not to leave her, and the brave, torn by conflict of duty and love of the maiden in his heart, leaped from The Blowing Rock down into the wilderness below. The young maiden prayed daily to the Great Spirit and one evening the sky appeared red again, and a gigantic gust of wind blew up from
the rocky outcropping. With the wind, her lover was brought back up from the gorge below
and back into her arms. According to the legend, from that day
forward, the perpetual, prevailing winds mysteriously
blow around Blowing Rock. Sometimes, according to a Ripley's Believe it or Not! cartoon segment,
the winds are so strong, they cause the snow to fall upside down.
 Visitors to The Blowing Rock will get to hear
the
Indian legend, tour the gift shop, and then travel down to the observation deck
near the rocky outcropping. An easily accessible
trail leads to several spectacular overlooks and great spots for taking photos. The cliff is located at about 4,000 feet above sea level and overlooks the Johns River Gorge, some 3,000 feet below. It is believed that the enormous rocky walls of the gorge form a flume-like
structure through which northwesterly winds travel with great force
onto The Blowing Rock outcropping. The winds are
nearly vertical here and can sometimes return
light objects and other items, although it is
not advised that visitors throw things from the
deck or any other part of the area. Other
popular mountain peaks are visible from the
rock, prominent crests like Hawksbill Mountain,
Table Rock, Grandfather Mountain, and Mount
Mitchell are all visible. Additionally, the Charlotte Skyline
can sometimes be seen at dusk.
Spruce Pine North Carolina is located just a short drive away from
Blowing Rock NC.
The drive between Spruce Pine NC and The Blowing
Rock provides a breathtaking scenic drive on the
Blue Ridge Parkway. The attraction is a fantastic viewing deck
with a charming gift shop. Tours are self given and ticket prices into the park are very
reasonable compared to other attractions in the area. Don't miss your chance
for a great view of the Blue Ridge! For more information on Spruce Pine Lodging, Spruce Pine Real Estate and other
attractions in the NC Mountains and
Spruce Pine NC, browse the site and check back often.
| P.O. Box 145, Right off Hwy 321
// Blowing Rock, NC 28605 // 828-295-7111
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I hope that you will take a few moments to tour this site to discover all that we have to offer in the wonderful Spruce Pine, NC area. You'll be glad that you did!
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