Elk Knob State Park

Elk Knob State Park is a mountain preserve in Watauga County with a 5,520 foot summit that rises prominently above the surrounding landscape. The park covers approximately 4,400 acres and includes northern hardwood forests with established hiking routes.

Local citizens and organizations successfully prevented development here in the early 2000s, leading to official protection as a state park in 2003. This conservation effort grew from community concern about preserving the mountain landscape.

The surrounding mountain villages use this space as a gathering place for their annual community celebrations. These events remain central to how local families connect with their land and each other.

The park opens daily at 7 AM and offers backcountry camping for those seeking overnight stays. Winter visits reward you with cross-country skiing options across the mountain slopes.

The summit's amphibolite geology creates mineral-rich soils that support uncommon plant species found nowhere else nearby. Gray's lily and trailing wolfsbane grow naturally here, thriving in conditions shaped by this distinctive bedrock.

Location: Watauga County

Inception: 2003

Operator: North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation

Address: Meat Camp Road

Phone: +8282977261

Email: elk.knob@ncparks.gov

Website: http://ncparks.gov/elk-knob-state-park

GPS coordinates: 36.32720,-81.67690

Latest update: December 9, 2025 18:41