Important Notes:

• Please use these directions if you are visiting Turtle Island for: Open House, Buggy Rides, Meals or Workshops. These directions are NOT for summer youth arrivals/departures! Please refer to the directions enclosed in your parent-packet specifically for our camp entrance. Do not come to this entrance for youth camp!
• Please be aware that we will not be by the phone to guide you into camp if you are in need of directions. Please print these directions from this website or email/call in advance to get clear directions.
• Our closest airports are Charlotte and Greensboro - both a 2-hour driving distance from the Preserve.
• If you are traveling by bus, Greyhound comes as close as the town of Winston-Salem. From there you will need to catch "The Mountaineer Express Bus" which stops at the Boone Mall twice daily.
• Please avoid using GPS or web-based navigational sites, as they will likely guide you into the wrong area of the preserve.

From all points SOUTH or Charlotte/Gastonia

• Take highway 321 north towards Hickory and Lenoir. 321 will take you directly into Boone Proper.
• Eventually after passing the commercial area of Boone, going through several traffic lights, 321 (also called "Blowing Rock Rd.") will dead end where it intersects with Highway 421 (King St.)
• Turn right at this light to get onto 421 South.
• Follow the rest of the directions "From Boone, NC" below.

From Winston-Salem, NC and all points EAST

• Proceed north on Hwy. 421 toward Boone, NC. When you get to the top of the mountain, look for a large Blue Ridge Parkway stone overpass. From the overpass proceed one mile and turn left onto OLD Hwy. 421. (there is a small sign for the Parkway school).
• Proceed 4.3 miles on OLD Hwy. 421 at which point you will see Elk Creek Rd. on your left, at the bottom of the hill. Take this left onto Elk Creek Rd. and immediately go under a parkway stone overpass.
• Proceed down Elk Creek Rd. for 4.2 miles, then make a right onto Wes Randal Rd.
• Proceed 0.4 miles, then turn left onto Lonnie Carlton Rd., a gravel road at a row of mailboxes.
• Proceed up this steep, rugged, gravel, mountain road - 1.5 miles until you arrive at the covered bridge at the Turtle Island "parking lot". Congratulations for surviving our "driveway"!
• Park and WALK through the bridge and up the road to our Base Camp, which is 200 yards up the road. Welcome! Respectfully enjoy our home and be safe.

From Boone, NC

• Travel South on Hwy. 421.
• From the New Market Center on Hwy. 421, where there sits a Hardee's, a Hess Gas Station (on both sides of the road), proceed away from Boone towards Wilkesboro, NC, traveling a distance of 3.5 miles to a stop light.
• At this light, turn right onto OLD Hwy. 421.
• Proceed 1.8 miles along this road - OLD 421 and turn right at the bottom of the hill onto Elk Creek Rd. (immediately going under a Parkway stone overpass)
• Proceed down Elk Creek Rd. for 4.2 miles, then make a right onto Wes Randal Rd.
• Proceed 0.4 miles, then turn left onto Lonnie Carlton Rd., a gravel road at a row of mailboxes.
• Proceed up this steep, rugged, gravel, mountain road - 1.5 miles until you arrive at the covered bridge at the Turtle Island "parking lot". Congratulations for surviving our "driveway"!
• Park and WALK through the bridge and up the road to our Base Camp, which is 200 yards up the road. Welcome! Respectfully enjoy our home and be safe.

Click here for a hand-drawn map (302Kb).

Turtle Island Preserve
1443 Lonnie Carlton Rd.
Triplett, NC 28618
(828) 265-2267