While you are staying at our Blue Ridge Parkway cabins, take a trip to Moses Cone Park. It is an easy drive (or longer bike ride!) down the parkway from our lodge, and offers many activities for the whole family.
Moses H. Cone was a successful textile entrepreneur during the Gilded Age. He worked hard to build his empire, and then worked hard to create a refuge from it. He loved the outdoors, and enjoyed displaying his wealth; these traits led he and his wife Bertha to acquire more than 3,600 acres of land at Blowing Rock, North Carolina. Over the years, the Cones developed a carefully landscaped estate, complete with two preserves to protect the white-tailed deer they brought in from Pennsylvania, two lakes stocked with trout and bass, and four apple orchards. They built more than 25 miles of carriage trails through the estate, which have been open to the public for horseback and carriage riding since day one.
The Cones began construction on Flat Top Manor in 1899. It is a fine example of Colonial Revival architecture and one of the most important historic sites on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The white mansion sits atop the estate, and enjoys stunning views of Grandfather Mountain, farmland and the surrounding forests.
The property was donated to the National Park Service in 1949, when it became Moses H. Cone Memorial Park. The mansion itself now houses the Parkway Craft Center, a craft shop of the Southern Highland Craft Guild that showcases works by artisans from nine Appalachian states.
The 25 miles of carriage trails are ideal for walking, cross-country skiing in the winter, or horseback riding (you must provide your own horse). The two man-made lakes are now designated as Wild Trout Water, meaning that they are not hatchery supported. Fishing from the shore is permitted at times. Boating is not.
Spend a day at the Moses Cone Park while staying at our cabins in the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is a great way to both enjoy the outdoors and learn a little bit about a generous man who had a large impact on the lands and communities of this part of North Carolina.