Cone Park Carriage Trails - 2005

Starting out at the Manor
From the Cone Manor,
heading down toward the lake. 		For a longer run or a good hill workout, the Carriage Trails in the Moses Cone Park are just the venue. The park is on the Blue Ridge Parkway south of Boone and there are a few points from which the trail system can be accessed.

Starting from the Cone Manor House, you can start downhill toward Bass Lake which has a level .8 mile loop.

Then after the climb back up to the manor, you can continue upwards towards the Flat Top Tower. A total of 10 miles can be worked in from the two out-and-back sections.

The section to the lake is mostly in wooded terrain. The trail surface is ballast rock and and even in wet weather stays fairly firm.

Heading up toward Flat Top, the trail is more open with nice vistas of the surrounding mountains.

There is a total of 25 miles of trail which allows for choosing a different route just about every time.

Read Frieda's article about mountain running; click here.
For a map of the trail system, click here.

Coming down from Flat Top
It was a cool 52º
coming down from Flat Top.
At the OK Corral
Norm was seeking alternatives;
a pony ride seemed like a good one." 		Originally, the trails were designed for transporting the wealthy guests of Moses Cone by carriage or horseback and trail riding is still a major activity.

Naturally, where there are horses there is also horse-poop. However, if you pay attention to your footing, you don't have to step in it and foul your new Trail Shoes.

The Bass Lake Loop is popular with runners doing speed-workouts since it is flat and free from horses and their droppings.

Norm is not as spunky as he used to be. Since he can't keep up with Frieda on her training runs, he has resorted to various strategies so as not to be left out altogether.

When Frieda goes for her long Sunday run, she first goes down to Bass Lake, returns to the Manor and then goes up to Flat Top; a total distance of over 10 miles.

This gives Norm a chance to walk up to Flat Top (2.5 miles) and then wait for Frieda to arrive. Then he can jog down to the start of the trail and finish up not too far behind Frieda who sometimes waits for him out of compassion.

Down from the heights.
Norm rates a high-five
for making it up and down.