Elk Knob State Park
- Status
- Status not posted
- Entrance fee
- Statewide rule — see below
- Day-use reservations
- None mentioned
- Dogs
- Dogs allowed6-ft leash
- Camping
- Yes
- Official site
- ncparks.gov(828) 297-7261
Official page last checked Oct 30, 2026. Details last changed Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current
Overview
Elk Knob State Park is a park in Watauga County, about 8 miles north of Boone.
Things to do include cross-country skiing, winter sports, hiking, and picnicking. Overnight options include 2 camping areas, with tent sites, primitive or hike-in sites, and group camping.
Hours
Park, gate, office and facility hours are listed separately because they often differ. Alerts above override normal hours.
| Facility | Days | Hours | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other — January | Daily | 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. | — |
| Other — March | Daily | 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. | — |
| Other — June | Daily | 7 a.m. – 9 p.m. | — |
| Park | The park is closed on Christmas Day. The park is open during all other holidays. | ||
| Office | Daily | 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. | — |
Official wording
January: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
February: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
March: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
April: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
May: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
June: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
July: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
August: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
September: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
October: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
November: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
December: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The park is closed on Christmas Day. The park is open during all other holidays.
Park Office: Open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The park office is closed on all state holidays. The full list of state holidays is available on the N.C. Office of State Human Resources website.
Open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The park office is closed on all state holidays. The full list of state holidays is available on the N.C. Office of State Human Resources website.
Source: official park page, checked Oct 30, 2026. Times are local to the park (America/New York).
Fees and passes
Free entry at most parks ('Most state parks are free to enter'); per-vehicle day-use fees at the reservoir SRAs (Falls Lake, Jordan Lake, Kerr Lake) and fees for swimming, boat launches, rentals, ferries and camping.
Statewide fee rule from North Carolina's park system; this park’s page doesn’t list its own fees.
North Carolina park passes
- Annual Pass for Reservoirs — $70 Details
- Annual Pass — $100 Details
- Annual Pass with 4WD Beach Access — $200. Annual Pass benefits plus four-wheel-drive beach access Details
From the North Carolina state guide. Confirm which passes this park accepts.
Reservations
- Day use
- No day-use reservation requirement mentioned
- Camping
- Not required
- Booking system
- ReserveAmerica (northcarolinastateparks.reserveamerica.com)
- Phone
- 1-877-722-6762
These campsites are available on a first-come, first-served walk-up basis only and cannot be reserved.
We link to the official booking system rather than showing live availability, which changes minute to minute.
Pets
Dogs allowed · leash up to 6 feet
Pets are allowed at the park and at campsites. Pets must be on an attended leash of no longer than 6 feet at all times.
Service animals are generally permitted where pets are not. Check with the park for specific areas.
Camping
| Campground or site type | Sites | Hookups / features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Backpack Camping – Primitive Hike-In and Zone Campsites Elk Knob State Park has backcountry campsites. It is a pleasant hike down into a cove forest with beautiful streams.
There are three campsites that can accommodate no more than six people and two tents each. There is also a zone camping area that can accommodate three sites of no more than six people and two tents each.
These are primitive campsites with no facilities. The sites are approximately a 1- to 2-mile hike from the trailhead. All supplies, including water, must be packed in to the sites. To drink water from nearby creeks and streams, use a filtration device or boil the water for at… | — | — | |
| Group Camping – Primitive Hike-In Tent Campsites Elk Knob State Park has two group sites that can accommodate up to 26 people each. A minimum of 7 people is required to use the group sites, and the group sites are for organized groups only.
A pit toilet is shared by the two group sites. All supplies, including water, must be packed in to the sites — they are located 1 to 2 miles from the trailhead. To drink water from nearby creeks and streams, use a filtration device or boil the water for at least 5 minutes.
Campfires are not allowed. Cooking by camp stove is permitted.
Reservations are required for group campsites.
Cancellation Policy… | — | — |
Camping details from the park
Camping
- Tent sites (backpacking and zone backpacking only)
- Group tent sites (backpacking only)
- Firewood
Backpack Camping – Primitive Hike-In and Zone Campsites
Elk Knob State Park has backcountry campsites. It is a pleasant hike down into a cove forest with beautiful streams.
There are three campsites that can accommodate no more than six people and two tents each. There is also a zone camping area that can accommodate three sites of no more than six people and two tents each.
These are primitive campsites with no facilities. The sites are approximately a 1- to 2-mile hike from the trailhead. All supplies, including water, must be packed in to the sites. To drink water from nearby creeks and streams, use a filtration device or boil the water for at least 5 minutes.
Campfires are not allowed. Cooking by camp stove is permitted.
These campsites are available on a first-come, first-served walk-up basis only and cannot be reserved. Each site is $17 per night. You are required to pay the reservation fee. There is a self-registration box at the trailhead where you place your payment in an envelope. Please fill out all required information, including all vehicle information.
Group Camping – Primitive Hike-In Tent Campsites
Elk Knob State Park has two group sites that can accommodate up to 26 people each. A minimum of 7 people is required to use the group sites, and the group sites are for organized groups only.
A pit toilet is shared by the two group sites. All supplies, including water, must be packed in to the sites — they are located 1 to 2 miles from the trailhead. To drink water from nearby creeks and streams, use a filtration device or boil the water for at least 5 minutes.
Reservations are required for group campsites.
Cancellation Policy for Group Campsites
Please note that if you need to cancel your group campsite reservations, you have until 14 days prior to the scheduled arrival date. No refunds are issued after the 14-day mark, but campers may reschedule to another date and will be charged only the cancellation fees.
Book Now
From the official park page, checked Oct 30, 2026. Site counts and prices can change; confirm when booking.
Things to do
HikingPicnickingWinter sportsCross-country skiingCamping
Trails
| Trail | Length | Difficulty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Backcountry Trail | 2 mi | Moderate to strenuous | 2-mile one way; Blaze: orange diamondsHiking only |
| Beech Tree / K.I.P. Track Trail | 1 mi | Easy | 1-mile loop; Blaze: yellow diamondsHiking only |
| Summit Trail | 1.9 mi | Moderate to strenuous | 1.9-mile one way; Blaze: blue diamondsHiking only |
| Maple Run Trail | 0.5 mi | Easy | 0.5-mile one way; Blaze: red diamondsHiking only |
Trail descriptions from the park
Hiking Trails: Open. Due to damage from Hurricane Helene, a portion of the Backcountry Trail remains closed.
Backcountry Trail (2-mile one way; Blaze: orange diamonds), Moderate to strenuous, Hiking only
Beech Tree / K.I.P. Track Trail (1-mile loop; Blaze: yellow diamonds), Easy, Hiking only
Summit Trail (1.9-mile one way; Blaze: blue diamonds), Moderate to strenuous, Hiking only
Maple Run Trail (0.5-mile one way; Blaze: red diamonds), Easy, Hiking only
Amenities
Facilities
- Picnic areas
- Amphitheater
- Group facilities
Camping
- Tent camping
- Primitive or backcountry camping
- Group camping
✓ listed by the park · ✕ the park says it is not available. Anything not shown here isn’t mentioned by the official source — that means unknown, not unavailable.
Getting there
- Address
- 5564 Meat Camp Road
Todd, NC 28684 - Nearest town
- Boone — about 8 mi north (straight line)
- Coordinates
- 36.3272, -81.6769 (from Wikidata)
- Phone
- (828) 297-7261
- elk.knob@ncparks.gov
Nearby state parks
Sources and freshness
- North Carolina State Parks — park page — last checked Oct 30, 2026
- NC State Parks 'Catalog: Find a State Park Access' (paged Drupal view, ?page=0..6)
- Wikidata
“Last checked” is when our system last read the official source. “Last changed” (Oct 29, 2026) is when the information shown here last differed from the previous check. Hours, fees and rules can change without notice — confirm with the park before you go. Methodology