Moses H. Cone Memorial Park

Overview

About Moses H. Cone Memorial Park

A grand Gilded Age estate turned public playground, this 3,500+ acre property at MP 294 revolves around Flat Top Manor and a web of wide, gravel carriage roads. It’s one of the Parkway’s busiest—and for good reason: rolling meadows, manicured forests, lakeside strolls, and long‑view vistas all in one stop.

Why stop

25 miles of historic carriage roads for walking and horseback riding
Flat Top Manor hosts the seasonal Parkway Craft Center with demos
Scenic loops around Bass Lake and Trout Lake

Heads up

Parking fills quickly on fair‑weather weekends and in peak fall
Trails and manor area can feel crowded
Trails can be muddy after rain

Think history plus easy adventure. You get the stately, 23‑room Flat Top Manor (aka Cone Manor) and an intact network of carriage roads designed for leisurely travel—perfect for walking, running, or riding. The lower level of the manor houses the Parkway Craft Center, where regional makers demonstrate and sell their work (seasonal).

Parkwolf’s verdictWhy it’s special

Map

Where it is

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SightMoses H. Cone Memorial Park36.14832, -81.69328

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Local know-how

Tips for visiting Moses H. Cone Memorial Park

Arrive before 9 am on weekends or peak fall to snag parking.
Pick up an estate map to link the carriage roads into longer loops.
Share the roads: yield to horses and give riders wide, calm passes.
Short on time? Do the Bass Lake loop for easy views and quick rewards.
If the Craft Center matters to you, confirm its seasonal hours before you go.

Plan your stop

Before you go

Best time to visit

For fewer people and easy parking, come early morning or late afternoon on weekdays.
Summer weekends and peak fall foliage see heavy crowds at the manor, Bass Lake, and trailheads—arrive before 9 am or later in the day.
Photography is best at golden hour around the manor and along the lakes. The grounds are open daily, while the Craft Center operates seasonally—check timing if that’s a priority.

2 active Blue Ridge Parkway alerts

ClosureNorth Carolina Helene-related closuresAvoid the closed Parkway section from MP 344.2–355.3; recreation of any kind is prohibited there.Official details
ClosureVirginia Parkway closures and detourFollow the signed detour around the closed James River Bridge and avoid the closed Roanoke Mountain Loop. - James River Bridge (MP 63.5–63.Official details

Blue Ridge Parkway alerts

A park ranger sits on a dash-mounted phone, talking, as Parkwolf’s Tour Guide plays “Army Cutworm Moths: A Grizzly Bear Buffet” on Grand Loop Road below Dunraven Pass in Yellowstone — Parkwolf Tour GuideThe highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.

Blue Ridge Parkway Tour Guide

Your drive to Moses H. Cone Memorial Park, narrated.

Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Blue Ridge Parkway. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.

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Recorded for this place

Moses H. Cone Memorial Park and Flat Top Manor

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“You're approaching Moses H. Cone Memorial Park, one of the grandest estates along the Parkway.”

Plays as you drive up to Moses H. Cone Memorial Park in the Parkwolf Blue Ridge Parkway Tour Guide.

More about Moses H. Cone Memorial Park

Trails and classic outingsThese roads are multi‑use and shared with equestrians; they’re well maintained, but expect some…

These roads are multi‑use and shared with equestrians; they’re well maintained, but expect some mud after rain.

Bass Lake Loop: Flat, scenic lap with mountain reflections—great for families and casual walkers.
Trout Lake: Quieter forest and water views with options to connect deeper into the estate.
Flat Top Mountain Road: Gradual climb to broad views and the fire tower area for a bigger outing.

Manor, craft, and historyCompleted in 1901 as Moses and Bertha Cone’s summer home, the manor crowns the landscape.

Completed in 1901 as Moses and Bertha Cone’s summer home, the manor crowns the landscape. The Parkway Craft Center operates seasonally inside, adding a live‑culture angle to your visit. Wander the grounds for rose terraces, historic barns, and the family cemetery—reminders of the estate’s Country Place Era design.

WildlifeKeep an eye out for white‑tailed deer, wild turkeys, and a wide variety of songbirds around the…

Keep an eye out for white‑tailed deer, wild turkeys, and a wide variety of songbirds around the meadows and lakes. In the remoter sections, black bears are occasionally reported—give them space if encountered.

PracticalitiesAccess: Turn off the Parkway at MP 294 and follow the entrance road to the main lot behind the…

Access: Turn off the Parkway at MP 294 and follow the entrance road to the main lot behind the manor.
Facilities: Restrooms are available near the manor; portable toilets may appear seasonally at busy spots. No food service on site.
Maps: Grab the estate trail map from official sources or the annual print map produced for this property—it makes linking loops much easier.
Horses share the carriage roads; yield appropriately and expect manure on the roads.

Wildlife

Wildlife in Blue Ridge Parkway

All Blue Ridge Parkway wildlife maps

1,208 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 AMSighting map

1,020 sightingsElkMost seen around 7 AMSighting map

2,257 sightingsWhite-tailed DeerMost seen around 6 PMSighting map

200 sightingsCoyoteMost seen around 6 PMSighting map

1,126 sightingsWild TurkeyMost seen around 7 AMSighting map

255 sightingsRed-tailed HawkMost seen around 11 AMSighting map

Sighting maps show where each species has been reported across Blue Ridge Parkway. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.