Doughton Park facts for kids

Doughton Park offers beautiful mountain views.

Doughton Park is the biggest outdoor recreation area managed by the National Park Service along the famous Blue Ridge Parkway. It's located between mile markers 238.5 and 244.7. This special park is named after Robert L. Doughton, who was an important politician from North Carolina. It's a great place to explore nature and history!

Exploring Doughton Park's Trails

Doughton Park has over 30 miles of trails for you to discover. Each trail offers a unique adventure!

Basin Creek Trail: Waterfalls and History

The Basin Creek Trail is about 3.3 miles long. You can only get to it from the Grassy Gap Fire Road. This trail winds past pretty waterfalls. It leads to the century-old Caudill Cabin. This cabin was once home to the Martin Caudill family. It was one of the few buildings that survived a big flood in 1916.

Hiking to and from Caudill Cabin takes a whole day. Make sure you have plenty of time. If you start from the Grassy Gap Fire Road, plan for about 4 hours to reach the cabin. The return trip takes about 3 hours.

Bluff Mountain Trail: Scenic Views

The Bluff Mountain Trail is a moderate hike, about 7.5 miles long. It offers many amazing views of the landscape. The trail stays mostly flat. It runs close to the Blue Ridge Parkway. You can get onto this trail from many spots between Brinegar Cabin and Basin Cove Overlook.

Bluff Ridge Primitive Trail: A Steep Challenge

At 2.8 miles, this is the shortest trail into Basin Cove from the Parkway. But don't let the length fool you! It's the steepest and most challenging climb in the park. This hike will make you feel like you've gone much farther.

Cedar Ridge Trail: Forest Descent

The Cedar Ridge Trail starts near Brinegar Cabin. It goes down a forested ridge for about 4.4 miles. This trail follows the northern edge of Doughton Park. You'll experience a big change in elevation, dropping over 2,000 feet!

A peaceful pasture in Doughton Park.

Flat Rock Ridge Trail: Early Settler Views

This 5-mile trail begins in a mountain-top meadow at Basin Cove Overlook. It ends by the cool Basin Cove Creek. The trail gives you glimpses of the rugged mountain slopes. These slopes attracted early settlers to the area.

Fodder Stack Trail: Wildflowers and Forests

The Fodder Stack Trail is a 2-mile round trip. In spring, you can see beautiful wildflowers. All year round, you'll enjoy the different colors and smells of the pine and hardwood forests. Most of the trail is easy to moderate. There's a short steep part at the beginning. This trail shows off many different types of environments found along the Parkway.

A winding trail through the forest in Doughton Park.

Grassy Gap Fire Road: Wide Paths for All

This old fire road is about 6.5 miles long. It's covered with leaves and wide enough for hikers or horseback riders to travel side-by-side. The trail starts at Milepost 243.9. It goes down the mountainside past the primitive campground to Longbottom Road. This is the only trail in the park where you can ride horses. Horseback riders must enter and exit the park from Longbottom Road.

It can be a bit tricky to find the trail access from Longbottom Road. To get there, exit the Parkway at Milepost 248.1. Drive 5.9 miles on NC 18 towards North Wilkesboro. Turn left onto the paved road across from two old white buildings. This road is usually NC 1728, also called Longbottom Road. Drive 6.3 miles until you cross a small bridge over Basin Creek. The parking area is on the right side of the road, and the trail access is on the left.

Mountains-to-Sea Trail: Across North Carolina

The Mountains-to-Sea Trail, often called the MST, passes through Doughton Park. This very long trail crosses all of North Carolina. It stretches from the Great Smoky Mountains to the Outer Banks. In Doughton Park, the MST follows the Bluff Mountain Trail for most of its path.

Tall trees in Doughton Park.

Caudill Cabin: A Historic Home

The main historical attraction in Doughton Park is the Caudill Cabin. This old homestead is located deep in the valley. It's a reminder of the families who lived in this area long ago.

Images for kids

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  Doughton Park offers beautiful mountain views.

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  A peaceful pasture in Doughton Park.

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  A winding trail through the forest in Doughton Park.

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  Tall trees in Doughton Park.