Historical Markers
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By motorcycle · County in North Carolina

Motorcycle History Rides in Watauga County, NC

Back-road rides with historic stops worth pulling over for, from covered bridges to old courthouses, laid out for a day in the saddle.

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Photo: Harley-Davidson on Unsplash

Watauga County is one of 100 counties in North Carolina. Every listed site with a coordinate can be a waypoint, which means motorcycle history rides can be built anywhere there is a road or a trail.

A group of people riding motorcycles down a curvy road - motorcycle history rides
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Man on black cruiser motorcycle in highway - motorcycle history rides
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A man riding a motorcycle down a curvy road - motorcycle history rides
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On the record near Watauga County, NC

The 12 nearest

81 listed historic sites on the record within 30 miles of Watauga County, NC. 16 listed sites carry Watauga County as their county.

  1. US Post Office--Booneunder a mile from the center of Watauga County · Building · Boone · listed 1996National Register of Historic Places
  2. Jones Houseunder a mile from the center of Watauga County · Building · Boone · listed 1987National Register of Historic Places
  3. Daniel Boone Hotelunder a mile from the center of Watauga County · Building · Boone · listed 1982National Register of Historic Places
  4. Blue Ridge Tourist Court2.0 miles from the center of Watauga County · Building · Boone · listed 2023National Register of Historic Places
  5. Blair Farm2.4 miles from the center of Watauga County · Building · Boone · listed 2008National Register of Historic Places
  6. Miller, John Smith, House3.4 miles from the center of Watauga County · Building · Boone · listed 2009National Register of Historic Places
  7. East Tennessee & Western North Carolina Railroad Locomotive No. 124.0 miles from the center of Watauga County · Structure · Blowing Rock · listed 1992National Register of Historic Places
  8. Mast Farm4.8 miles from the center of Watauga County · Building · Valle Crucis · listed 1972National Register of Historic Places
  9. Valle Crucis Historic District4.9 miles from the center of Watauga County · District · Valle Crucis · listed 2005National Register of Historic Places
  10. Mast General Store5.3 miles from the center of Watauga County · Building · Valle Crucis · listed 1973National Register of Historic Places
  11. Bollinger--Hartley House5.7 miles from the center of Watauga County · Building · Blowing Rock · listed 1995National Register of Historic Places
  12. Randall Memorial Building, Former6.1 miles from the center of Watauga County · Building · Blowing Rock · listed 1991National Register of Historic Places

Distances are straight-line from the center of Watauga County, NC. Many sites are private property or working buildings - view them from the public way. See them on the map.

Motorcycle Rides in Watauga County, step by step

  1. 1

    Set the loop so you never double back

  2. 2

    Check pull-offs and parking at each stop

  3. 3

    Read the record for each stop before you arrive

  4. 4

    Pull over safely, step out, and see it in person

  5. 5

    Collect the stops and save the loop for another season

What people in Watauga County, NC ask first

How much does it cost to visit these sites in Watauga County, NC?

Most listed sites can be seen from a public road or sidewalk at no cost, and the app is free to use. Some sites are private homes, working churches or museums with their own hours and fees. The record for each one says what it is, so you know before you go.

Where does the information on these sites come from?

From published records: the National Register of Historic Places, the Recorded Texas Historic Landmark program, and the Georgia Historical Society and Georgia Department of Natural Resources marker program. Every site on the page names its source.

How long is a typical route in Watauga County, NC?

Walks run one to three miles, runs from a 5K up to a long run, rides ten to forty miles, and drives a half day or more. The route is built from the stops, so it is as long as the history in the area allows.

Does the app track my distance as well as my stops?

It counts the stops you reach and the route you followed. Keep using your own watch or fitness app for pace and heart rate, the two work side by side.

How a visit works in Watauga County

  1. Step 1

    Find the place

    Every stop starts as a pin with real coordinates. In Watauga County, NC the map shows what is listed around you and how far each one is, so the first decision is where to go, and it takes a few seconds.

  2. Step 2

    Read the story

    The record behind each marker is kept whole: what happened there, when, who was involved, and why it was worth a sign. You read it standing where it happened, which is the part a textbook cannot give you.

  3. Step 3

    Get there under your own power

    Walk it, run it, hike it, ride it or drive it. Stops in Watauga County, NC are chained into routes that fit the way you move, so a lunch break, a long run or a Saturday drive can all pass through history.

  4. Step 4

    Collect it and come back

    Each stop you reach counts toward a badge, and a photo or a correction you send makes the record better for the next person. The map remembers where you have been, so the next trip starts where the last one ended.

The rules that make it work

The record comes first

Every site on these pages comes from a published register or marker program, with its source named. Nothing is listed that is not on the record.

Read the whole story

A marker is a few lines on a post. The story behind it is longer, and it includes the hard parts. Both are worth the stop.

Movement makes it stick

People remember the places they walked to. A route through five markers teaches more than fifty marker pages read on a couch.

Local beats famous

The marker two streets over usually has a better story than the one in the guidebook, and nobody else is standing in front of it.

Respect the ground

Many sites are private homes, working churches or cemeteries. View from the public way, follow posted hours, and leave it as you found it.

Every visitor can improve it

Markers go missing, get moved, or carry mistakes. A photo or a location fix from the person standing there is how the record stays right.

More ways in around Watauga County, NC

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