Family picnics in Sparta, North Carolina

Crouse Park, located at 60 Cherry Street in Sparta, North Carolina, is a beautiful park and tourist attraction open to the public. Donated to the town in 1969 by R. Floyd Crouse and Crystal S. Crouse in memory of Floyd Crouse and Sarah Ellen Gambill Crouse, the park offers a paved walking trail, basketball and volleyball courts, playground equipment for children, restroom facilities, and a large outdoor stage for public music events. Picnic shelters and a house with kitchen facilities can be rented for special occasions or meetings. The park also hosts events such as the Crouse House Pickers music nights, the Backwoods Beat Music festival in June, the Alleghany Farmers Market on Saturdays, and Trunk-or-Treat on Halloween. With a mission to provide quality services and facilities to its citizens, businesses, institutions, and visitors, the Town of Sparta strives to preserve its heritage and create a pleasant environment for all who visit or live in the town.

Doughton Park NPS Visitor Center, located at 45356 Blue Ridge Parkway in Sparta, North Carolina, is a travel agency that offers a variety of activities and amenities for visitors to enjoy. The center includes the historic Brinegar Cabin, which is open on weekends in the summer and fall for cultural demonstrations and tours of the demonstration garden and exhibits. Visitors can learn about the history of the Brinegar family and step back in time. The Bluffs Restaurant at Doughton Park, which reopened in 2020, offers a menu of old favorites such as fried chicken, ham biscuits, and berry cobblers, as well as new and exciting recipes. The restaurant has been a popular dining destination on the Blue Ridge Parkway for generations.