Here's a sampling of what the area around Above the River offers during your stay:

Outdoor Activities in Ashe County

Take a drive the Blue Ridge Parkway - cabin is just 5 miles from mile marker 261 (where Hwy 16  hits the BRP). Go north into Virginia, go south the Blowing Rock, Boone and Grandfather Mountain. A great layered, mountain view is available at Jumpingoff Rocks Trail around mile marker 260.

Zaloo's Canoes - closest place to rent canoes or kayaks. Head out from the store on the New River and get picked up at an appointed time and place downstream.

New River Outfitters - a little bit further than Zaloos, but will be dropped off upstream and canoe or kayak back to the store through New River State Park.

FlyingFishingNC - a great resource for the stocked trout streams in Ashe County .

Burnt Hill Stables - horseback riding in Ashe County .

Parks in Ashe County and the Blue Ridge Mountains

Mount Jefferson State Park - located just on the edge of downtown West Jefferson, with outstanding views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and hiking trails.

New River State Park - hiking, camping, picnicking, canoeing and kayaking.

Virginia Creeper Trail - (Virginia) one of the best trails for bike riding, horseback riding, and walking.

Grayson Highlands State Park - (Virginia) great views, hiking, blueberry gathering in the summer. Wild ponies!

Mount Rogers National Recreation Area - (Virginia) a beautiful national park just over the state line

Moses H. Cone Memorial Park & Julian Price Memorial Park - great parks along the Blue Ridge Parkway (mile marker 292-295) with country estate, great views, hinking an carraige trails.  Near Blowing Rock.

Grandfather Mountain - a true treasure for North Carolinians, including the mile-high bridge, a zoo, hiking trails and more. Just of mile marker 305 on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

New River Headwaters - ranks as one of the most diverse and critically important biological hotspots in the entire Southern Appalachians. 

Local Indoor Activities and Surrounding Blue Ridge Mountain Towns

West Jefferson: http://www.townofwj.com or http://visitwestjefferson.org - the signature town in Ashe County - nice quaint downtown with great shops and restaurants; just 5 miles away.

The Village of Glendale Springs - home to fine dining, several shops, a bakery, and the Church of the Frescoes; just 3 miles away.

Ashe County Cheese - see cheese made in North Carolina 's only cheese factory in downtown West Jefferson. Kids love this as well as its gift shop.

Ashe County Arts Council sponsors plays, music, theater, art exhibits and downtown Gallery Crawls

Skate Zone - an indoor roller skating rink in West Jefferson.

Blowing Rock (30 miles) and Boone (25 miles) - are relatively close and offer more shopping and restaurant choices that Ashe (but with it come more crowds and traffic).

High Country Events

Merle Fest - the last weekend in April, this event is a must for music lovers.

Ola Belle Reed Festival - folk and mountain music in Lansing, North Carolina.

Appalachian Summer Festival a month long series of cultural events (dance, music, theatre and more) sponsored by Appalachian State University.

Christmas in July Festival - a festival in downtown West Jefferson sponsored by the Ashe County Christmas Tree Growers Association.

Blue Ridge Celtic Festival - an annual event in Blowing Rock celebrating the area's Scottish and Irish heritage.

The Highland Games - an annual event at Grandfather Mountain celebrating Scottish heritage.

Barter Theatre - a bit of a drive to Abingdon, but worth it to enjoy a play with top actors at the famous and historical theater.

Horn in the West - a summer play in Boone about Daniel Boone and the history of the area.

Resonator Guitar Competition - in Todd, an annual music event.

Porch Pickin' Music Jams - Bluegrass and old time music jams in and around Ashe County.

Ashe County Civic Center home to many of the musical and theatrical events that come to Ashe County, from the Kiev Symphony to old-time music .

West Jefferson Area Restaurants

Ashe Chambers Restaurant Directory or Visit West Jefferson's Restaurant Directory
Bohemia, Frasers, Shokudo, Brickstone and Osaka are our favorites. Good Old Days for ice cream in West Jefferson. Many more for us to try.

Ashe County Businesses

Skyland Books - an independent bookstore in the center of West Jefferson

Way Back When Barn Quilts buy a quilt for your barn or garden or outbuilding.

Big Horse Creek Farm looking to buy apples or an apple tree?  Growers Ron & Suzanne Joyner will be glad to help you

Laurel Hill Paints looking to buy a horse start here!

Ashe County Christmas Tree Farms

Mountain Memories Christmas Trees - a great place to get your Christmas tree - great trees, hay rides, fun for all.

West End Wreaths - buy your Christmas tree, wreath or pine roping from these prize winning growers.

Blue Ridge Mountain Real Estate

Michelle Handler & Jack Apple - If you fall in love with Ashe County, call Michelle or Jack to find  and buy your dream home in the mountains. They found us ours...

Jean Teague - If you prefer the Boone area to Ashe County, Jean can help you find a place in that neck of the woods

High Country Resources

Ashe County Chamber - worth visiting for a variety of ideas for things to do in West Jefferson, NC or Ashe County , NC.

National Committee for the New River - an excellent source for information about the river, its history, and its future.

Mountain Times - our free area newspaper with lots of good information about the area and upcoming events.

Elevation Web Designs - North Carolina Web Design. Custom Web Designs, Domain Registration, Hosting and Maintenance, Graphic Design and Photography Services. If you like this site, let them do yours - they did our first version.

Vacation Rentals and Other Lodging Accomodations

VacationWorthy - Personally Recommended Places Worthy of your Vacation - Has links to this cabin as well as other great properties including Michelle Handler's place in the Outer Banks.

La Veranda B&B & Vacation Rental, St. Petersburg, FL - nice Bed & Breakfast in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Blue Ridge Vacations - an excellent resource for your vacation planning in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Mountain Travel Guide - another excellent resource for the Blue Ridge Mountains and just about any other mountains in the US.

A1 Vacation Properties - a guide to vacation rentals world-wide.

Vacapedia - a guide to vacation rentals world-wide.

VacationsFRBO - a guide to vacation rentals world-wide.

Teamwedding.com - Home of the North Carolina Top Wedding Sites.

West Jefferson Vacation Rentals - on VacationRealty.com.

Rent-My-Escape.com - Serenity where you want it when you want it.