Secret Places — January 2007
December 6th, 2006 by 
Helen
I prefer to hike where I’ll find an adventure, something new. This particular location leads to an open pasture with a wonderful view of Grandfather [couldn't include everything on the calendar but when I figure out how to upload pictures to this blog, I'll include a panorama of Grandfather from this location].
You want to get to Holloway Mountain Road.
From Blowing Rock, take Hwy 221 out of town toward Linville. When you reach Grandfather store [country convenience store] on your left, Holloway Mountain Road is immediately on your right. Stay on the pavement under the Parkway and continue on the gravel. You’ll drive through open pasture on both sides for about a mile. There’s a spot where you can squeeze in to park on your right, just off the gravel road. Park there and walk a bit further til you come to a gate on your right.
From Banner Elk/Boone, take Hwy 105. In Foscoe, turn onto Church Road by Taylor’s Country Store [High Country Bank is at this intersection, too]. Stay on Church Road until you come to Holloway Mountain Road on your left. Follow it on the pavement, then the gravel which is a twisty road and drives alongside, then through Price Park. When you get through the twisty part and the woods, you’ll come out to open pasture. Look for a driveway and gate on your left. Drive a bit past the gate and park on your left where there’s a spot to pull over. Walk back to the gate.
On the Parkway, turn at the Holloway Mountain exit at mp 298. When you come down the exit ramp, turn right onto Holloway Mountain Road. Drive about a mile through open pasture on both sides. Pull over on the right where there’s a bit of a space to park. Walk ahead to the gate.
DON’T park at the gate. Farmers user the gate to get to their cattle. Also, it’s an emergency entrance to this area of the park, should rangers need to get in and rescue someone lost or injured.
As you walk through the gate, you are on the Tanawha Trail [also, at this point, a part of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail]. You’ll be walking along a farm road. After a bit, the trail turns off the road; that route is through a ‘turn style’ through a fence. You can do that; there are interesting and beautiful scenes ahead.
But, to get to the location where I took the tree picture and also the open pasture with view of Grandfather, continue on the farm road. It’s another half mile or so to the pasture. When you’re almost to the pasture, you’ll have to cross a fence. Cross the fence and continue on the road. In about 3 minutes you’ll be in the pasture.
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