Road Trip: A Visit to the Valley

There are dozens of small towns worth visiting in the mountains of Western North Carolina, but in the springtime, Wilkesboro stands out from the crowd. Surrounded by state parks, the city sits on the Yadkin River and brings a sense of small-town charm to visitors and locals alike. It’s even designated as a North Carolina Mountain Heritage Trout City, meaning that it provides public access to trout-filled streams that flow through the area. Between annual festivals, NASCAR races, movie nights, historic beginnings, campgrounds, and wineries, Wilkesboro has something for everyone taking a road trip to the High Country.

DOWNTOWN WILKESBORO

Main Street’s antique courthouse, now the Wilkes Heritage Museum, is a reminder of the city’s historic roots. Wilkesboro became an official town in 1847, but its land was occupied by Indigenous peoples and European colonists, long before then. Although no major battles were fought in the area, there are markers of American history all around. Union General George Stoneman passed through Wilkesboro on his way to raid Eastern cities. Patriots also passed through the region during the Revolutionary War on their way to the South Carolina battlefields.

A Civil War cannon sits outside the museum; known as Cannon Circle, the monument honoring historical preservation is a 1891 Liege Gun. The museum’s exhibits cover various local trades like pottery, dentistry, logging, and even stock car racing. On the upper floors, there are dedicated exhibits to Native American history, military, and the Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame.

Across from the museum, you’ll spot a very unique timepiece: the Barn Quilt Sundial. A stop on the Wilkes County Barn Quilt Trail, the clock was constructed by several locals, including a quilter, an astronomer, and welders. Barn quilts are large decorative wooden or metal pieces painted to match quilt patterns and hung for display. The trail features 16 barn quilts scattered throughout the county, each unique in their design. A map of the trail can be found on the town’s website.

Dooley’s Grill & Tavern offers outdoor seating on Main Street. The restaurant’s burgers are local legends, having won Best Burger by the locals three years in a row. Meat is ground in-house, and it’s gluten-friendly for diet-sensitive diners. Paired with house-made French fries, any burger will satisfy. Starting in May, Wilkesboro brings the small town charm with movie nights downtown. Movies on Main is held at sunset on the second Friday of the month, from May to August, and is free to the public. Concerts in the Commons is another free warm-weather entertainment option. Featuring a variety of cover bands, the shows also host food trucks, artist booths, and other vendors. Make sure to bring your own lawn chair—it’s a great way to take a break from walking and get to know the town’s friendly residents.

(Left to right) Catching trout has never been easier, since Wilkesboro has public access points for fishing; The W. Kerr Scott Reservoir is a man-made lake connected to the Yadkin River; & Around the lake, there are various recreational offerings including campgrounds, boat launches, hiking and biking trails.

IN THE AREA

Just a few miles up the road is 6th and Main, a fine dining restaurant located in a cozy, repurposed North Wilkesboro mountain home. Their menu features a collection of seafood-focused dishes and Americana bites, including spicy pecan-glazed fried chicken with mac & cheese and pan-seared crabcakes with marbled potatoes and asparagus.

One of Wilkesboro’s biggest draws in springtime is MerleFest, a music festival that celebrates bluegrass legend Eddy Merle Watson, aka “Doc” Watson. The festival, which acts as a fundraiser for Wilkes Community College, hosts dozens of regional artists that specialize in what Watson called “traditional plus” music: traditional sounds of Appalachia (bluegrass and folk) and “whatever other styles we were in the mood to play.”

Over the years, MerleFest has welcomed many household names including Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson. This year’s four-day concert series features a stunning lineup of acclaimed artists. Bonnie Raitt, acclaimed singer-songwriter, takes the stage on Friday night. In her decades-long career, Raitt has received 13 Grammy Award wins, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll hall of fame in 2000. On Saturday, the Avett Brothers, a bluegrass-rock fusion band native to North Carolina, headline the show.

One precarious aspect of Wilkesboro’s history is its role in Southern Appalachian bootlegging. Once known as the bootlegging capital of the country—a fact that’s still celebrated at the annual autumn Moonshine and Hot Rod Festival—Wilkes County saw more and more modified stock cars designed to outrun Johnny Law, which eventually led to the inception of NASCAR. Wilkesboro Speedway opened in 1947, and more than 10,000 people watched a moonshiner win the gold.

The Speedway retired in 1995 after decades of races, but in 2022, the track received nearly $18 million in funding for revitalization. With the track now rebuilt, crowds have returned, making it a thrilling pit stop on any road trip. There are two races in May 2025: the NASCAR All-Star race and CRAFTSMAN Truck Race Series.

REST AND RELAX

Just a half-hour north, you’ll find Roaring River Vineyards. Although the venue opened just nine years ago, the historic Brewers grist and saw mills on site dates back to 1870. They used the current of the Roaring River to power the grinding wheels.

Private fishing areas, hiking trails, and beaches are available to guests who stay at the vineyard’s rustic riverfront lodge. The smaller suites, perfect for couples, feature full kitchens, living rooms, outdoor patios overlooking the river, and more. For larger parties, go for the four-bedroom option, which has a wrap-around porch facing the river, a jacuzzi, living room and dining room.

Roaring River Vineyards offers primarily red wines, but two whites and a rosé grace the menu. Made from hand-tended grapevines and aged in French oak barrels, the cabernet sauvignon projects notes of spice and savor from its hearty body.

Chez Joséphine, the vineyard’s flagship restaurant and tasting room, serves up a seasonal menu that changes weekly. Part of the dining room sits on a cantilevered deck that runs over the nearby waterway.

Roaring River isn’t the only winery in the region; in fact, there are more than a dozen breweries, wineries, and distilleries in Wilkes County. The Yadkin Valley has a similar elevation level as Napa, Italy, making its conditions ideal for producing quality wine grapes. In fact, the region is designated as an American Viticultural Area by the federal government—the first area in North Carolina to receive this recognition.

Just up the road in Ronda, Raffaldini Vineyards is another note-worthy winery. The vineyard produces wines that are on the drier side, including reds, whites, and rosés.

Bandit’s Roost Campground, not far outside the mountain city, is located along the W. Kerr Scott Reservoir. As the weather warms, pitching a tent on the water offers a more rustic lodging experience. The waterfront site opens in mid-April for reservations online.

The dammed lake flows in from the Yadkin River, one of the region’s oldest next to the French Broad; the waterway is connected to the Pee Dee River in South Carolina, and is considered to be “the cradle of civilization in the Carolinas.”

The reservoir is a stop on the Wilkes County Birding Trail. Seven different locations in the region are known for their birding; here, you’ll spot many emerging for springtime’s breeding season. The spotted sandpiper, for example, thrives in water and is commonly spotted on the lake. Yellow-billed cuckoos and brown-headed nuthatches live in the trees nearby.

Thrill-seekers flock to the reservoir because of the Warrior Creek mountain biking trail. The thirteen-mile-long path is much larger than other biking trails in the area, and twists by rock gardens, bridges, and stunning lakeside views.

The reservoir connects to the seven-plus mile Yadkin River Greenway, which is a part of the historic Overmountain Victory Trail. This trail, which is considered to be a National Historic Trail by the Park Service, marks the path that Revolutionary War soldiers followed from East Tennessee to the Battle of Kings Mountain in South Carolina in 1780.

During the Revolutionary War, Patriot soldiers traveled 330 miles from Virginia to South Carolina on what’s known as the Overmountain Victory Trail. These troops passed through Wilkesboro on their way to fight in the Battle of Kings Mountain, considered “the turn of the tide of success” by Thomas Jefferson. On the greenway, you’ll find river access and fishing piers and multiple hiking trails around downtown Wilkesboro and Wilkes Community College.

Stone Mountain State Park is also nearby, about thirty minutes from downtown Wilkesboro. Named after the iconic 600-foot-tall granite dome in its center, the park hosts a variety of outdoor activities including camping, backpacking, hiking and fishing, horseback riding, and, of course, rock climbing. Intrepid climbers have been venturing to the top of the formation for more than forty years; just recently, the Carolina Climbers Coalition refurbished the mountain’s belay stations and routes, making it more palatable and safe for exploration.

The Mountains-to-Sea Trail runs through the park as well. The Hutchinson Homestead—a preserved, historic farm house dating back to the 1800s—is located at the base of the mountain. Check the park’s website before visiting, as some areas are still closed after Hurricane Helene.

The Yadkin River welcomes kayakers and canoers on its calmer sections.

Wilkesboro Must List:

SEE
Wilkes Heritage Museum
100 E Main St.
Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
$7, free for ages 5 and under
(336) 667-3171
wilkesheritagemuseum.com

EAT & DRINK
Dooley’s Grill & Tavern
102 E Main St.
Daily, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
(336) 667-0800; dooleyswilkesboro.com

6th & Main
210 6th St., North Wilkesboro
Tuesday-Saturday, 5:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m.
(336) 903-1166
6thandmainrestaurant.com

PLAY
North Wilkesboro Speedway
381 Speedway Ln., North Wilkesboro
(336) 844-4735
northwilkesborospeedway.com

Yadkin River Greenway
Multiple access points
Daily, sunrise to sunset
(336) 651-8967; yadkinrivergreenway.com

Stone Mountain State Park
3042 Frank Pky., Roaring Gap
Daily, 7 a.m.-8 p.m. (9 p.m. May-August) 
$7 parking fee, $5 for seniors and veterans
(336) 957-8185; ncparks.gov

Raffaldini Vineyard
450 Groce Rd., Ronda
Monday, Wednesday-Saturday, 
11 a.m.-5 p.m
Sunday, noon-5 p.m.
(336) 835-9463; raffaldini.com

STAY
Bandit’s Roost Campground
667 Jess Walsh Rd.
April 15-August 11; $20-$85
(336) 921-3390; recreation.gov

Roaring Rivers Vineyards
493 Brewer Mill Rd., Traphill
November-March: Friday & Saturday 
11 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday noon-5 p.m.
April-October: Thursday-Saturday 
11 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday noon-5 p.m.
(336) 957-2332
roaringrivervineyards.com

Wilkesboro At a Glance
County: Wilkes
Population: 3,664 
Year Established: 1847
Resources: The Town of Wilkesboro (wilkesboronc.org) and Wilkes County TDA (wilkescountytourism.com) highlight local events, dining, lodging, and other attractions for visitors.