Discover Wilkes County, NC Communities
Take a closer look at some of the towns, townships and communities in this beautiful area.
In This Article
Wilkesboro
Along the Yadkin River is Wilkesboro, which is adjacent to North Wilkesboro. Wilkesboro hosts the annual MerleFest and Carolina in the Fall festivals, and the town underwent a recent downtown revitalization that includes a Community Commons with a stage and pavilion, a Heritage Square and Splash Pad, outdoor fire pits and an overall energetic, inviting vibe when people gather. Residents and visitors can also access new Cub Creek trails from downtown Wilkesboro right off Main Street, which lead to amenities like walking trails, mountain biking trails, a dog park, trout fishing and more.
North Wilkesboro
Nicknamed “Key to the Blue Ridge,†North Wilkesboro is home to the Northwest North Carolina Visitor Center as well as an award-winning Wilkes County Library-Appalachian Regional Library. The town hosts an annual Stills and Grills Festival, along with a Brushy Mountain Apple Festival that attracts 150,000 people, and North Wilkesboro is known as one of the birthplaces of stock car racing. In the summer, Bleu Moon Productions performs an annual play based on the life and death of Tom Dooley.
Northeast Communities
Ronda is on the Yadkin River that allows outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy paddling, fishing, hiking, camping and exploring, while Hays is a picturesque community where residents have very affordable housing prices averaging around $110,000. Traphill is home to Stone Mountain State Park and only a short drive from Elkin and its shopping and dining opportunities, and Thurmond offers most of its homes with acreage, panoramic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and a five-minute drive to Elkin.
Northwest Communities
Millers Creek has a population of 2,100 residents and is home to West Wilkes High School, and the census- designated place is also known as the former home of 1973 NASCAR champion Benny Parsons. Just to the west is Purlear, an often-visited, unincorporated community because Rendezvous Mountain Educational State Forest is located there. Also in northwest Wilkes County is McGrady, which features scenic highlights like valleys, streams, farms, forests and the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Southwest Communities
Boomer is a farming community of about 2,300 residents at the foothills of the Brushy Mountains, and the average home value is about $180,000. Ferguson stretches along North Carolina Highway 268 and was home to former NASCAR drivers Morgan Shepherd and Roger Hamby. Ferguson features the popular Leatherwood Mountains getaway resort.