When the time is right for traveling again, those who enjoy outdoor adventure and craft spirits will find an ideal getaway in the small riverside town of Elkin.
Locals are quite fond of saying “all trails lead to Elkin,” and there’s a lot of truth in that. This friendly place, tucked away in the Blue Ridge foothills of North Carolina’s Yadkin Valley, is the only town in North Carolina where three sanctioned trails converge.
The Mountains-to-Sea Trail and Yadkin River Blue Water Trail are both North Carolina-sanctioned trails, while the Overmountain Victory Trail is a federally-sanctioned trail. All three are easily accessed within a few blocks of Main Street.
A new movement is afoot in this former manufacturing town encouraging locals and visitors to explore Elkin. The Elkin Valley Trails Association, whose volunteers are in the hundreds, has built miles of hiking and mountain biking trails along the old Elkin & Alleghany Railroad line and in the hills and hollows surrounding Big Elkin Creek.
A couple years ago an older landowner attending a trails conference in The Liberty, a refurbished events venue in a former tobacco warehouse on Main Street, was so inspired by the trails movement he granted easements for a trail to a beautiful waterfall just outside town that had been hidden for generations.
People come from near and far to hike the trails, knock down a pint or two at local craft breweries, Angry Troll and Skull Camp, and venture into the rolling countryside along the Surry County Wine Trail.
Thirteen of the 16 wineries on the Surry County Wine Trail are within a 20-minute drive of Elkin, while several more are easily accessed in neighboring Yadkin County.
Back downtown, the Reeves Theater, a spectacularly restored art deco theater, hosts live music several nights a week, showcasing such music genres as Americana, bluegrass, country, roots and old-time.
When you’re ready for some exploration of Elkin, go to
ExploreElkin.com.
