Between Greensboro And Knoxville Is North Carolina's Mountain Lake For Fishing And Scenic Nature Walks

There are endless stops you can make along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Historic sites, museums, gardens, and waterfalls line this scenic road as it moves between spectacular viewpoints. Trout Lake is one detour you shouldn't miss along the way, offering both hiking and fishing at this peaceful mountain lake.

The Blue Ridge Parkway is a 469-mile national parkway that takes you high into the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina and Virginia as it connects small mountain villages. One of those, the charming town of Blowing Rock, is a fairytale mountain town with award-winning cuisine. That's where you'll find Moses H. Cone Memorial Park, the former grand summer estate of Moses and Bertha Cone. Their turn-of-the-20th-century, Gilded Age mansion, Flat Top Manor, is a breathtaking home that was ahead of its time. The grounds of the 3,500-acre estate are impressive, too, featuring both Bass and Trout Lake.

Trout Lake is the smaller of the park's two lakes. The 16-square-acre lake, which was formed by a dam on Flannery Fork, is also the more remote one. While Bass Lake is near the center of property on the southern side of the parkway, Trout Lake is on the quiet northern side. Both are connected by carriage roads, which wind through 25 miles of the park, though. You can also access Trout Lake from its own parking lot on the west shore. Once you arrive, you'll find "a great place to visit and enjoy lovely walks," according to one Tripadvisor user.

Trout Lake is circled by the easy Trout Lake Loop Trail. This 1.4-mile trail, which starts in the parking lot, hugs the edge of the lake as it crosses Flannery Fork, moves through a hemlock forest, and passes lots of colorful rhododendrons. One AllTrails user calls it an "easy, pleasant walk around the lake." Don't be surprised if you hear veeries or see a yellow-bellied sapsucker during your hike.

Along the edge of the clear lake, you might see fishermen, as well. Trout Lake is stocked with trout, of course, twice a year, during the spring and fall. There's a chance you could catch a bluegill or a largemouth bass here, too. There is no cost to visit Moses H. Cone Memorial Park or Trout Lake. But, if you're planning on going fishing, you'll need to obtain a license in advance. Given Trout Lake's location along the Blue Ridge Parkway, a byway that straddles two states, you're allowed to use either a fishing license from North Carolina or Virginia.

Trout Lake lies in between two large cities in the southeast. Greensboro, North Carolina's vibrant city with plenty of charming communities, is about 120 miles to the east, while Knoxville, Tennessee's third-largest city, lies roughly 160 miles to the west. The nearest airport is the small Tri-Cities Airport (TRI) in Blountville, Tennessee, and receives nonstop flights from larger hubs around the country. From there, it's just over 70 miles to the lake.