The walls were moving in, so I had to escape. I’m sure it’s not just me that feels that way, so I grabbed my hiking boots, my mountain bike & threw it in the GO, and hit the road. Just a short drive to Elkin, NC Byrd’s Branch Campground & Country Store is a gem. Byrds Branch has a cozy & beautiful campground. I parked our camper in a lush green meadow beside the frog kissing pond. Family-owned campground, a great place to call home base while you’re in town exploring and experiencing all the hiking, biking trails, waterfalls, and watering holes.
Once set up camp, I took off walking up the road to explore the magnificent Carter Falls.
Previously a hydro station from 1914 to 1967, then privately owned up until 2017. The Mountain to Sea Trail created an access point for the public to enjoy for the first time in 2018, and what a fantastic sight it is! Great for a picnic and hiking around on the trails. All of this walking has gotten me hungry, so I headed back to the campsite, packed a pack & followed the Mountain to Sea Trail into town to Skull Camp Smokehouse for a wrap and Grown-up Mac & Cheese. Ready to walk off that incredible lunch, I headed out hiking to one of the three vineyards I could walk to; however, there are 28 vineyard/wineries all within a 30-minute drive.
For now, walking it is, and I headed to Grassy Creek Vineyard. It’s such a cool place, converted horse stable for the tasting room while the actual winery is in a historic dairy barn. The grounds are majestic rolling hills with a pond. So I grabbed a bottle to go and headed up the path back towards the campsite. There’s nothing better but to be lounging back, watching the stars, listening to crickets, frogs, and sipping a little wine to end a fabulous day.
When you’re ready for some exploration of Elkin, go to
ExploreElkin.com.